Neighbourhood social outreach centres

The neighbourhood social outreach centres are tasked with implementing actions relating to the three key thrusts of the neighbourhood social outreach policy of the City of Geneva:

• the ageing of the population, through actions such as Autour d'une table or the heatwave plan for senior citizens;
• the prevention of social fractures, through actions such as Troc social or Public writer;
• social inclusion, through actions such as the Ecole des mamans or the welcome for the inhabitants of Saint-Jean Charmilles.

The centres also provide all types of useful social information. They make meeting places available to the inhabitants and accompany participatory initiatives within the districts.

How the neighbourhood social outreach centres work

Each neighbourhood social outreach centre organises its operations within a given area representing approximately 50,000 people. Each centre has a team of about ten people boasting a wide range of complementary professional skills in the following domains:

• individual and group social work;
• health promotion and prevention;
• social information;
• stewardship of community centres.

The staff works either in one of the neighbourhood social outreach centres or in an information centre, a community centre or a building with an infirmary.

Implementation of targeted actions

The neighbourhood social outreach centres help prepare diagnostics within the districts. Based on these field studies and the district coordination meetings, they are tasked with identifying people in a vulnerable social or socio-medical situation in order to guide them and implement projects addressing their specific needs.

A Methods and Diagnostic Unit supports the neighbourhood social outreach centres by providing suitable methodological frameworks while verifying the relevance and development of the actions.

Location of the neighbourhood social outreach centres in the City of Geneva