06 Aug Meet the Team – City of Antwerpen (OCMW)

Meet the team interview

The mission of the Social Welfare Department of the city of Antwerp is to maximize the realization of social rights for every citizen of Antwerp. It also strives towards full social integration and increased social mobility. The Social Welfare Department provides social benefits to its clients and makes sure they become self-sufficient again. It has five pillars: (social) housing, well-being (reduction of poverty), (labour) activation, social benefits (financial aid and social empowerment), and community building.

Firstly, tell us a bit about the work you do at the Hamburg Institute of International Economics.

John: My role is to support the 15 social centers in Antwerp. Next to that, we provide special services to certain target groups:

• • • newcomers/migrants
    • people without papers
    • elderly who cannot pay their bills for their care
    • city funerals for those who cannot pay for it
    • translations services

What was your motivation to developing/working in the MICADO project?

John: to improve integration

What do you think are the main challenges you will encounter during the MICADO project implementation?

John: The Pan European Roll-out!

What do you hope to achieve by the end of the project?

John: A significant reduction in the duration time of a migrant in receiving our financial support.

What do you personally find most interesting/exciting about the project?

John: It is great to see so much talent and competences brought together. I am sure this team will stick longer than the project life-cycle.