This autumn, we experienced the LASERMED25 project with great intensity, and we have concluded this phase with very positive results.

October began in Zgharta–Ehden with a series of training sessions for three social organisations aimed at improving or developing their capacity to generate income. On the one hand, we supported ten staff members from the INNAYA association, which works in education and the integration of people with specific physical and mental needs, so that the organisation can better market the products made by its own beneficiaries. At the same time, the wood-painting skills of the Candles of Hope association were strengthened. This organisation provides essential charitable support to hundreds of families every year and is self-financed through private donations and the sale of products made by its volunteers. Finally, eight young people from the social collective CinéCause received training in documentary writing. As this collective is not formally established, they also received legal support to identify the most appropriate legal structure for their needs. In addition, a programme of four training sessions on project design and management continued to strengthen their economic sustainability capacities.

In mid-November, the whole LASERMED25 partnership met in Agadir. We were honoured to be hosted by the Municipality of Agadir. They presented their own sustainable and inclusive territorial development policies, such as the Comunal Action Plan (PAC), the municipal souk and the programme for tourism-related businesses (developed in coordination with the region). The field trip brought together all project partners (MedCities, Agadir, Zgharta–Ehden and the Barcelona Provincial Council). It included very special guests for the LASERMED project: the Municipality of El Prat de Llobregat and two social organisations from the same municipality, the Rubricatus Foundation and the Saó Prat Association. This made it possible to organise a half-day working session on the Integrated Social Value Index, facilitated by an expert from the consultancy Anthesis Group and a MedCities technical officer. This visit to Agadir has been one of the most highly appreciated activities of the project.

This visit to Agadir coincided with the launch of a socio-economic integration guidance service, which will soon be implemented in the city’s municipal social centres. To develop this service, the Agadir-based consultants EMPME SOLUTIONS carried out a mapping of existing programmes in Agadir aimed at promoting employment and self-employment, as well as a diagnosis of each centre to identify their specific characteristics. A training programme is scheduled for next week to prepare a group of staff members from each centre so that they can provide this guidance service in situ.

Likewise, at the beginning of December, two webinars were held on local employment services and on municipal spaces for innovation, entrepreneurship and green economic promotion, within the framework of the LASERMED community. These seminars were open to all MedCities members, and around thirty participants had the opportunity to learn about experiences from Saida, Izmir, Tunis, As-Salt, the Berguedà Development Agency, and El Prat de Llobregat.

Finally, we are proud to announce that we have completed our first experience in developing an Integrated Social Value Index, which enables social organisations to monetise the value of their contributions to society. This process took six months and allowed the Zgharta branch of the Lebanese association National Autism Community (NAC), as well as the Gadirian branch of SOS Village d’Enfants, to carry out a first pilot exercise. In addition, we were able to conduct an exercise to monetize the social impact of a municipal social affairs policy, which is not a common practice in this field, hoping to inspire more municipalities to launch this kind of initiative. A methodological guide presenting the results of this exercise will soon be available to the entire MedCities network.

This project is the third edition of the Local Action for Sustainable Economic Raise in the Mediterranean (LASERMed) programme, technically and financially supported by the Barcelona Provincial Council. It contributes to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by promoting inclusive economic practices and participatory governance in Mediterranean cities.