Portugal - Civil Society
Nepalese immigrant Shakib runs a grocery in a neighbourhood where many seniors live. They benefit from his services and teach him Portuguese.
AKDN / Lucas Cuervo Moura
Nepalese immigrant Shakib runs a grocery in a neighbourhood where many seniors live. They benefit from his …
AKDN / Lucas Cuervo Moura
In Tapada, Portugal, AKF/K’Cidade brings together its ethnically diverse community around development activities.
AKDN / Lucas Cuervo Moura
In Tapada, Portugal, AKF/K’Cidade brings together its ethnically diverse community around development …
AKDN / Lucas Cuervo Moura
Thanks to the help of AKF and social workers in Portugal, Ana-Filipa integrated back into the school system after a series of challenges.
AKDN / Lucas Cuervo Moura
Thanks to the help of AKF and social workers in Portugal, Ana-Filipa integrated back into the school system …
AKDN / Lucas Cuervo Moura
With the support of AKF/K’Cidade, youth undertook a neighbourhood questionnaire among the elderly to find out how they thought community life could be improved.
AKDN / Lucas Cuervo Moura
With the support of AKF/K’Cidade, youth undertook a neighbourhood questionnaire among the elderly to find …
AKDN / Lucas Cuervo Moura
Portugal | Civil Society
The Urban Community Support Programme has helped transform diverse urban neighbourhoods in Greater Lisbon and Porto into safer, more participatory and socially connected places to live. It involves networking with institutional and local partners, while canvassing communities about their perceptions, needs and priorities. This has encouraged participation, leveraged local talents and boosted creative energy within communities to respond to global challenges and local needs. The programme’s commitment is long term to ensure quality and sustainability.
116,000
The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is supporting 264 civil society organisations, reaching 116,000 people
Capacity Building Professionals and Civil Society Organisations
We strengthen the knowledge and capacity of civil society organisations (CSOs) and their professionals through:
- in-context support;
- postgraduate studies in partnership with universities; and
- blended learning video courses, aiming to produce a cascading effect on organisations, enabling them to act as multiplier agents.
Shared Governance and Improved Access to Services
We bring together representatives from health, education, social security, civil society and local authorities to engage with culturally and linguistically diverse communities and organisations. We respond to constituent needs through mutual understanding, collective action and planning.
In Portugal, K’Cidade, AKF’s urban community support programme, brings together people from different backgrounds and ages by involving them in community improvement and development activities. As time goes on, minds open up and encouraging participation becomes easier. This programme has known particular success in Tapada, one of the most ethnically diverse parishes in which K’Cidade works.
Supporting Youth Participation in Challenging Urban Areas
We stimulate partnerships between vulnerable youth and professionals from civil society organisations, public services and local governance bodies. This helps to develop new opportunities, spaces and approaches for youth to engage in collective action.
All of this work is sustained by locally co-designed models and solutions, which has resulted in a set of materials that build local capacity.
Strengthening Organisations
Downloads are available in Portuguese: please contact [email protected].
- Participatory Diagnostics Methodology – This ready-to-use guide encourages reflection and the involvement of people and organisations in local needs assessment and decision-making processes. It begins with dialogue with communities, informal groups and local organisations and leads to the construction of local solutions and/or more adjusted locally rooted urban planning.
- Community Innovation Projects Model (PIC) – PIC brings together people and organisations to solve problems in a given community, through the identification of resources and possible solutions, based on local needs assessments.
- Blended-learning courses on Effective Presentations and How to Mobilize Companies for Social Projects. Module 1 of each course is available on the AKF Learning Hub. The courses are available in Portuguese, on demand, for training purposes via [email protected].
Inclusive Services and Employers
- A blended learning course and other resources targeting EU Diversity Charters, companies and other employer organisations, in order to promote diversity, non-discrimination and equal opportunities in the workplace. Find out more. Take the first three lessons in English or Portuguese. Request the course for training purposes via [email protected].
We engage with the government, municipalities, CSOs, universities, the private sector and practitioners’ associations to scale up these programmes nationally.
By working with others, the programme seeks to strengthen local governance, increase participants’ self-confidence and resilience, and create better opportunities for everyone.
Supporting Senior Citizens
AKF aims to ensure the well-being of seniors by increasing their participation and representation in society, including in local decision-making processes; strengthening formal and informal primary-care networks; and valuing seniors as a source of knowledge and experience in the community.
We:
- use participatory methodologies such as human-centred design to influence services and policies to be more senior-centred;
- provide opportunities for seniors to participate in decision-making bodies such as advisory boards or public fora;
- help senior citizens access and use digital resources to help reduce social isolation; and
- enhance caregivers’ access to geo-referenced and other resources to support their practices via a digital platform.