Review of the GOVQoL webinar ‘Municipal labels and certifications as a tool for improving local quality of life’

These questions are at the heart of the GOVQoL project, an Interreg Alpine Space project that has been addressing the issue for a year now and developing helpful tools for municipalities in the Alpine region.

These include a good practice handbook that explains step by step how the concept of quality of life works as a basis for decision-making at the local level and how it can be integrated into their administration.

It is essential that municipalities proceed in three steps:

• Analysis of the initial situation
• Determining and implementing goals and measures
• Monitoring to assess whether the measures are effective and actually contribute to improving quality of life

Introducing such a strategic process can pose major challenges for municipalities. Certifications can be a good help here. Indicators have already been established for a specific topic, and the municipality can carry out an evaluation and monitoring within this given framework. Certifications often offer the advantage of external support and a network with other like-minded municipalities working on the same topic.

The webinar presented six examples of certifications that can all contribute to improving quality of life.

Katharina Gasteiger, Managing Director of Allianz in den Alpen, presented the GOVQoL handbook that has been developed. The handbook, which will be published in the summer, will be available in all Alpine languages as well as in English. Participants in the webinar were able to provide live feedback on the handbook via menti.com by answering the following questions: 

• Have you already carried out a structured analysis of quality of life in your municipality?
• Which elements of the management cycle does your municipality implement best?
• Does your municipality already use data or trend analyses?
• Where do you see the biggest gap in your municipality's strategy process?
• In your opinion, what does a handbook need to be useful?
• What would help you the most?

In a short interview with Erblin Berisha, Polytechnic University of Turin, who is involved in the GOVQoL project and has written a chapter for the handbook, among other things, the webinar participants learned how to skilfully set goals and priorities. He explained the importance of macro and micro trends and their significance in a strategy process.

Daniel Schuster, mayor of the municipality of Mäder in the Kumma region of Vorarlberg, presented the concept of the economy for the common good, which is considered an alternative concept to our economic systems. The goals of this idea are not money and growth, but rather good coexistence, the highest possible quality of life and a good basis for life for all involved. Initially, only companies could be certified, but the concept can now also be applied to municipalities. In his presentation, Daniel Schuster described how the certification process worked in his municipality and how his municipality implements and lives the concept of the economy for the common good.

In another presentation, Sophie Keßler from the Reutlingen District Office in Baden-Württemberg introduced the ‘Healthy Community – Healthy City’ certificate and the certification process. The process begins with identifying local resources and special features and asking the question: Where is health already present in our community? The concept provides a framework that does not include a ready-made offer, but rather focuses on individual development at the local level.

From health to youth: In a short interview with Katharina Gasteiger, Judith Augsburger from the municipality of Ruggell in Liechtenstein explained how the municipality uses the UNICEF ‘Child-Friendly Municipality’ certificate to improve its work with families and its services for children, young people and senior citizens. One major achievement, for example, is the privately run playgroup for 3- to 4-year-old children, which has been subsidised by the municipality for two years and is now free of charge. This enables parents to return to work during the childcare period before their children start kindergarten. Children and young people in the municipality of Ruggell are aware that they live in a child-friendly community – participation and involvement in activities is always very lively, and there is a fairly high influx of people from outside the area. Recertification takes place every four years. The clear framework of the certification can help to improve the work of a municipality – and regular reviews help to ensure that it does not remain a mere token gesture.

In a contribution from Turin, GOVQoL project partner Chiara Lucchini from Urban Lab presented the participatory initiative ‘Voices from the Neighbourhood / Voci di quartiere’. The project aims to promote (ongoing) dialogue between the city administration and citizens, making needs and ideas more visible.

Social cohesion and the importance of volunteering in rural areas were the focus of Miha Pustavrha's contribution from Crna na Koroskem in Slovenia. The municipality has been certified as a volunteer-friendly municipality since 2014. The initiative organises workshops, traditional festivals, a tourism week (now in its 17th year) and much more.

The last contribution took a look at the French Maritime Alps in the municipality of Marie – Mayor Gérard Steppel explained how the ‘Ville et village fleuris’ (Flowering Towns and Villages) quality label, which has been in existence for over 65 years, has an impact on the appearance and quality of life in his town. Municipalities that want to carry this label are actively supported in their development: from the design of public spaces, to the protection of resources, water and environmental management, to citizen participation and tourist attractiveness.

Further information on the GOVQoL project is available here – updates on the handbook will soon be available on our website and on our social media channels.