Research in Astra: Work Package Introduction

Work Package 1, Recruitment

Successful recruitment of the best 15 ESRs for the vacant positions of the ASTRA training and research through well placed targeted advertisement, user-friendly informative counselling of applicants and a careful and transparent selection process.

Leader of the Work Package: UNIBI, Professor Holger Ziegler

Work Package 2,  Environmental Sustainability Transition

Objectives: New research-based knowledge on the interconnectivity of ecological sustainability transition and MSC of inclusion, new Social Work methods based on the usage of the significance of the natural and built environment for human well-being, social inclusion and justice, such as nature-based activities and sustainable models of housing and food policies. This includes the impacts of ecological degradation and instruments promoting ecological sustainability transition at the local level. In more detail: 1. sustainable housing solutions for Social Work practices for social inclusion of young people in precariousness; 2. ecosocial interventions of Social Work in the environmental social development with local citizens; 3. food poverty, food waste and redistribution programmes as sustainability transition in Social Work; 4. natural environments as a resource to promote sustainable well-being; and, 5. the use of public natural environments as a means of inclusion for people with a migrant background.

Leader of the Work Package: LUKE, Professor Anne Tolvanen, together with Senior Scientist Katja Kangas, Senior Scientist Marja Uusitalo

ESRs belonging to WP:
ESR8 Mattia Mansueto, Sustainable and innovative housing solutions for young homeless people and social inclusion in social work practices
ESR9 Amy Shackelford, Innovative Eco-Social Approaches to Social Work in the Development of Local Environmental Practises
ESR10 Miroslav Budimir, Charitable surplus food redistribution and its impact on the welfare state in Finland and Slovenia
ESR14 James Kutu Obeng, Natural environment as a resource to promote sustainable wellbeing,
ESR15 Shailendra Rai, Use of public natural environments as a means of inclusion for people with a migrant background

Work Package 3, Economic Sustainability Transition

Objectives: New research-based knowledge on the realistic opportunities of new economic models in Social Work, such as the circular, social and solidarity economies, which apply to planetary boundaries and improve the inclusion of people facing precariousness and with a migration background in vulnerable communities. In Detail: WP3 investigates: 1. capability of Circular Economy to respond to precariousness of European youth; 2. ecosocial innovations and solidarity economy in vulnerable local communities; 3. gender and care in the social economy of European local communities; and, 4. assessment tools to measure sustainable impact of social inclusion programmes on well-being of young people facing precarious situations and people with a migration background; 5. knowledge on enhancing democratic economic participation in a transdisciplinary context of urban development in favour of vulnerable local communities.

Leader of the Work Package: CIRIEC, Barbara Sak, Jérôme Schoenmaecker

ESRs belonging to WP:
ESR2 Kang Liu, Can economic transitions towards sustainable development promote social sustainability? A social work investigation of the circular transition in Europe
ESR6 Michael Emru Tadesse, Eco-social Innovation and SSE in Vulnerable Local Communities: Exploring the SSE of People of African Descent (PAD) in Europe
ESR11 Svenja Fischbach, The Social Consequences of Care Migration to Western Europe for Local Communities and its Women in Serbia
ESR12 Ioannis Perifanos, Developing assessment tools to measure the sustainable impact of social inclusion programmes on young people facing precarious situations and people with a migration background.
ESR13 Athina Moroglou, The role of Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) in inclusive urban development. Focused on the context of Brussels Capital-Region and explores the position of the SSE sector within the local urban policy of “Sustainable Neighbourhood Contracts” 

Work Package 4, Social Sustainability Transition

Objectives: Deepened understanding of the interlinkage between Social Work and environmental and economic sustainability transition, and new research-based knowledge on pathways for strengthening social sustainability transition by applying TSTR approaches in Social Work with vulnerable communities. In more detail WP4 will provide new research-based knowledge on: 1. the interconnection of Social Work and local environmental issues as transdisciplinary challenges and opportunities of TSTR; 2. contributive justice and participation of young migrants (including recognised asylum seekers) in rural environments as a challenge for sustainable transition of Social Work knowledge and practice; 3. assessment tools for sustainable impact of professional urban interventions on enhancing contributive justice of young people  in precarious situations; 4. aspects of ‘contributive justice’ in the context of ecosocial innovations for social inclusion; and, 5. participatory and inclusive SW practice promoting sustainable communities.

Leader of the Work Package: JYU, Professor Kati Närhi, Postdoctoral researcher Ingo Stamm

ESRs belonging to WP:
ESR1 Atefeh Safarabadi Farahani, Study of ecosocial work in the context of water management
ESR3 Areen Nassar, The Sustainable Capability Approach: Sustainable Development for Holistic Well-being
ESR4 Rebecca Conway, Utilising the capability approach to explore nature-based, social inclusion projects aimed at supporting young people in precarious situations
ESR5 Jeany Rose Teguihanon, Eco-Social Sustainability: Promoting Inclusive Participation of Women, Girls and LGBTQ Forced Migrants
ESR7 Eileen Lauster, A case study on how other social workers can use Participatory Action Research (PAR) to inform practice and improve the well-being of service users

Work Package 5, Training and Mobility

The aim of this work package is to coordinate the ambitious European-wide ESR training at the highest level by leading the joint network-wide training and mobility and to organise the international and intersectoral mobility to support the career development, advanced training of innovation skills together with all beneficiaries and POs.

Leader of the Work Package: UL, Professor Vesna Leskošek

Work Package 6, Project Management and Coordination

The aims of this work package are 1) to ensure effective project execution including scope, resource, schedule and financial administration; 2) to coordinate network activities and promote active internal communication and information exchange; and 3) carry out risk management and conflict resolution measures.

Leader of the Work Package: JYU, Professor Aila-Leena Matthies, Project Manager Anu Kettunen

Work Package 7, Dissemination and Communication

Effective coordination of the overall dissemination and communication, including the joint publications. In detail: 1. to safeguard a systematic and tailored flow of information about ASTRA events, achievements and results through the beneficiaries’ and partners’ stakeholder networks; 2) to support the ESRs in publishing their results in multiple forms; 3) to maintain an active dialogue with transdisciplinary and cross-sectoral audiences on the topics of ASTRA.

Leader of the Work Package: JYU, Professor Aila-Leena Matthies, Project Manager Anu Kettunen

Work Package 8, Research Ethics

Leader of the Work Package: JYU, Professor Aila-Leena Matthies