The city and the long run
With The City and the Long Run, Bruges is building a social policy where vulnerable citizens no longer stand on the sidelines, but act as equal partners in shaping decisions.
Together with policymakers, professionals and civil society, we move from consultation to shared ownership – making policies that truly reflect lived realities.
Why this project?
Many vulnerable citizens experience the consequences of social policy every day but have little to no influence on how decisions are made. Their voices are often missing from policymaking. This project aims to close that democratic gap.
From consultation to ownership
The City and the Long Run builds on “Hoe wegen op lokaal sociaal beleid” (Influencing Local Social Policy). While that initiative strengthened citizens’ voices, this project goes further: from listening to co-creating policy together. In co-creation labs and dialogue sessions, citizens, policymakers and professionals work on equal footing to design, implement and monitor proposals.
What do we aim to achieve?
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Real influence for citizens: input is integrated into the Bruges local social plan 2025–2030.
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Structural anchoring: co-creation embedded in governance beyond temporary projects.
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Stronger social cohesion: more trust and mutual understanding between citizens and government.
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Governance innovation: participatory models that reduce bureaucracy and address complex needs.
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Citizen empowerment: participants gain confidence, civic knowledge and engagement.
“For the first time,
I feel like I’m not just being asked for my story – I am helping to write the story of how our city makes decisions.
That gives me dignity and hope.”
Project participant
Dominique Roelands
“At vzw Wieder, we believe that social policy only becomes meaningful when it is shaped together with those who live its consequences. The City and the Long Run shows that co-creation is not an extra step, but the very foundation of inclusive and sustainable policymaking.”
Director vzw Wieder
Pascale Cockhuyt
“As a policymaker, I see the strength of co-creation: it builds trust, breaks down barriers, and leads to policies that are more just, more inclusive, and more effective for our entire community.”"
Chairman of theSpecial Committee for Social Servicesand Alderman for Social Affairs, Welfare, Housing, Energy, and Climate
Pablo Annys
Why this matters
The City and the Long Run shows that policy becomes stronger, fairer and more inclusive when citizens share ownership. For vzw Wieder, it reflects our mission: contributing to a society where no one is excluded, and where policy and practice meet in dialogue and co-creation.
How do we measure this?
The project uses continuous evaluation:
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Interim surveys and reflections track whether citizens feel heard and taken seriously.
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Interviews monitor empowerment and civic growth.
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Policy tracking ensures proposals flow into local planning documents.
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Internal feedback assesses collaboration and institutional change.
Target group
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Directly: 30–40 vulnerable citizens (living in poverty, with migration backgrounds, facing housing insecurity or social exclusion).
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Indirectly: over 20,000 Bruges residents impacted by social policy.
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Professionals: around 50 staff members from the city, social services, civil society organisations and elected officials.
Summary project
The visual summary captures the essence of The City and the Long Run at a glance – who is involved, what we aim for, the impact we achieve, and the partners we work with.
Through clear icons and concise messages, it highlights the project’s core in a powerful and accessible way.
Target group
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30–40 vulnerable citizens (poverty, migration, exclusion, housing insecurity)
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Indirectly: +20,000 Bruges residents affected by social policy
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50 professionals: policymakers, social services, civil society and elected officials
Goals
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Give citizens real influence on local policy
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Embed co-creation structurally in Bruges
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Build bridges between citizens, services and government
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Innovate governance: less bureaucracy, more responsiveness
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Empower citizens to grow in confidence, knowledge and engagement
Impact
- Proposals integrated into local social plan 2025–2030
- Concrete measures already piloted
- Stronger trust and collaboration
- Transferable model for other municipalities
Partners
- City of Bruges (Local Social Policy Unit)
- Bruges Public Welfare Services (OCMW)
- Brugge Dialoogstad
- vzw Wieder
- Local NGOs and experiential experts