ARCA Puglia Centrale has taken part in the “POC Legalità [Legality] 2014-2020” programme through the initiative New actions to strengthen legality, security, and social cohesion in Puglia. The goal was to reinforce conditions of legality in suburban areas, recover confiscated assets, and promote social inclusion by converting unused properties into community spaces.
Addressing exclusion through regeneration
In line with its strategy, ARCA Puglia Centrale proposed a project for the reuse of its properties. Three premises in the municipality of Barletta (BT) will undergo extraordinary maintenance, as well as refurbishment and repurposing interventions, to be transformed into spaces for social regeneration, information points, and cultural initiatives. These locations were designed to host activities promoting legality, combating organised crime, and providing proximity services with a strong cultural value.
Reaching vulnerable groups
The initiative targeted groups most at risk of exclusion. These included elderly couples living in isolation, families with disabled members, single-parent households with children, elderly individuals, and immigrant families legally residing in the area but often facing social isolation. Specifically, the project presented by ARCA Puglia Centrale, named “Culture, Incontri e Voci” [Cultures, Encounters and Voices] addresses the needs of homeless individuals, aiming to provide them with a dormitory service and an Internet access point. By creating such accessible, multifunctional spaces, ARCA Puglia Centrale also aimed to provide opportunities for integration, support, and empowerment.
Partnerships and funding
The service was developed through a partnership with the Italian Ministry of the Interior (managing authority of the “POC Legalità 2014-2020” programme) and the Region of Puglia, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding. The total financial allocation amounted to € 650.000,00, with full coverage provided under the agreement. This ensured that the initiative could be implemented without any financial burden for the external parties involved in the project, nor for the beneficiaries of the project itself.
From experimentation to permanence
The project demonstrates the value of inclusive design, targeted outreach, and community partnership. In particular, the designated areas – which already host a social canteen, run by the local parish – will be converted into spaces accommodating services such as a dormitory for the homeless, equipped with sanitary facilities, showers, and changing rooms, as well as an Internet point featuring multiple fixed PC workstations, aimed to provide free access to the Internet for all users.
Key lessons
This case illustrates how social housing organisations can go beyond providing homes, actively contributing to the fight against criminality and the promotion of civic values. By regenerating properties for community use, ARCA Puglia Centrale has demonstrated the power of housing providers to act as agents of inclusion, resilience, and social transformation.
Find out More
To find out more on this initiative, please contact ARCA Puglia Centrale’s Coordinator through the Members Only Zone. If you are not yet a member of Eurhonet, find out about joining us.
