Better Stories
RESISTIRÉ is collecting promising practices in 31 European countries (in the EU27, Iceland, Serbia, Turkey, and in the UK) which alleviate the impact of COVID-19 policies on inequalities. Borrowing the term from Dina Georgis, these “Better stories” of policies or civil society initiatives aren’t a perfect fix but illustrate how a given societal situation can be improved. Find out more about the concept of Better Stories.
These initiatives and policies collected by our national researchers will be completed as the project unfolds and serve to inform the Open Studios and the co-creation of recommendations for policymakers.
Browse by country or by domain of inequality!
Deep Poverty Network’s impactful journey
In December 2019, Deep Poverty Network (DPN) was established as part of the Open Space Association by a group of researchers, ... Read More
Safe living space for LGBTI youth
ReAJo - Autonomy Response for LGBTI Youth is the pioneer autonomy flat dedicated to young lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, or intersex ... Read More
Shaping the world of elderly residents
Club Goud was launched by Moniek van Daal. Prior to launching the initiative, Moniek had spent more than 10 years volunteering at an ... Read More
Relay houses and nurseries open for caregivers
The Relay houses (maisons relais) are operated by municipalities alone or with the support of facility managers from CSOs (in this ... Read More
Providing help during crisis: From COVID to war
This initiative was created to help people who, due to Covid-19 restrictions, were forced to stay at home. The target group is composed Read More
Supporting children in challenging times
Happy Days is an organization aiming to assist children facing physical, mental, and emotional challenges, and young carers and their ... Read More
Addressing food insecurity during crisis
Örebro Stadsmission (city mission) was founded in 2015 but distributed left over food before then in limited scale under a different ... Read More
A pioneering advocate of responsible consumption
Led by the cooperative Options, the campaign was launched during the pandemic crisis to promote solidarity and inclusivity. Its primary Read More
From balcony numbers to active associations
A group of neighbors in Vallecas (Madrid), along with various collectives and community associations, organized through WhatsApp to ... Read More
COVID-19 and HIV: Sens Pozitiv Association’s response and advocacy
Sens Pozitiv Association is an NGO working to improve the quality of life of HIV patients and of persons from vulnerable categories who Read More
A student-led compassion
To alleviate the impacts of COVID-19 policies, many initiatives have been developed by civil society organisations - NGOs, local ... Read More
Guiding vulnerable individuals from adversity to empowerment
During lockdown, Stichting Mano displayed resilience by swiftly developing digital programms tailored to local citizens with limited ... Read More
Ketu Care’s food delivery initiative in response to crisis
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jaleesa den Haanin launched a project in the northern part of Rotterdam, known as Rotterdam Noord. Twice ... Read More
Providing support to the transgender community during COVID-19
During Covid-19 lockdowns many operations of transgenders were cancelled. Transvision offered all kinds of help, such as help via a ... Read More
A night shelter for homeless women
Starting from April 2021, Caritas Luxembourg has been operating a new mixed night shelter called "L'Espoir" in Bonnevoie, under the ... Read More
The transformative power of collective action and compassion
CRiTiCALL was developed by the Dublin City Volunteer Centre, in collaboration with other organizations, in response to reports of ... Read More
A framework for family’s carers during the pandemic
The Family Carer Support project aims to provide much-needed assistance to families caring for older individuals. This initiative ... Read More
The Impact of INCLUSIVE SPACES on LGBTQI Rights
A two-year education project, INCLUSIVE SPACES, in partnership with some of the most prominent LGBTQI organisations in the country, to ... Read More
Empowering women’s shelters through navigating digital challenges
The project was launched on short notice in response to the pandemic as part of the Federal Funding Program "Together against violence ... Read More
Transforming Lives and Homes
Compagnons Bâtisseurs Haut de France is a regional Community Service Organization (CSO) based in northern France and is an integral ... Read More
Transat’s impact during lockdown
Today, transgender as a gender identity remains unfamiliar to the public, leaving trans individuals vulnerable to daily transphobic ... Read More
Nappi Naapuri’s initiative: A platform addressing needs during crisis
Nappi Naapuri is as a neighborhood social platform aiming to fostering social connections and leveraging proximity as a valuable shared Read More
A collaborative efforts to prevent domestic violence in Estonia
The project, funded by the EU's Local Development and Poverty Reduction programme and Norway Grants, is a collaborative effort between ... Read More
Bridging the Age Gap and Fostering Lifelong Learning
This ambitious project, initiated by the Estonian Association of Pensioners' Associations, aims to empower elderly individuals by ... Read More
A Danish nationwide network of volunteer helpers
To alleviate the impacts of COVID-19 policies, many initiatives have been developed by civil society organisations - NGOs, local ... Read More
A mobile café to support peripheral areas
To mitigate the negative consequences of the corona crisis, the KFUM's Social Work created a mobile café concept – called urgent social Read More
Free social helpdesk to redirect vulnerable populations during crisis
The Fédération des services sociaux (FSS) operates in Wallonia and Brussels. It has an ambitious vision of supporting social actors ... Read More
Temporary accommodation for victims of domestic violence
To alleviate the impacts of COVID-19 policies, many initiatives have been developed by civil society organisations - NGOs, local ... Read More
Offering psychological support to children affected by the COVID Crisis
Concordia Bulgaria Foundation initiated activities under the project "Life after COVID - psychological support for Children and ... Read More
A guide to manage COVID-19 risks for people with disabilities
The ASMeD, Associazione per lo studio dell'assistenza medica alla persona con disabilità, and the Italian Society of Ergonomics and ... Read More
COVID accommodation for homeless people
The City’s initiative was established partially in response to NGOs and other civil society actors’ lobbying efforts which advocated ... Read More
Breaking social isolation in the wake of COVID-19
This initiative was funded by the City of Reykjavík and ran by volunteers from PeP Iceland, who organized and hosted the project. The Read More
Long live the girls! Providing support for homeless women
A local organisation with a wide range of activities In Hungary, the Budapest Bike Maffia has been paying close attention over the ... Read More
A successful initiative of flexible treatment for substance abusers
Reden (‘The Nest’) is a shelter for women in substance abuse and prostitution located in the inner city of Copenhagen and established ... Read More
Community Health Workers: improving access to primary healthcare for vulnerable groups in Belgium
Community Health Workers is a pilot project aiming to improve access to primary health care for vulnerable groups in lower ... Read More
IG24 – Representing migrant live-in caregivers in Austria
The Interessengemeinschaft der 24-Stunden-Betreuer_innen (IG24) is a self-organised, non-partisan association which aims to represent ... Read More
The Invisible First Line – A campaign to tell the stories of those who help
The Invisible First Line campaign raises funds for crisis and counselling centres for women victims of domestic violence in Bulgaria. Read More
An app and second-hand smartphones to help women exposed to violence
The “Technology for Women, Solidarity for all of us" programme delivered second-hand smartphones to women at risk of violence in Turkey. Read More
Susma Bitsin (Speak Up To End) Platform
The Susma Bitsin (Speak Up To End) platform combats sexual harassment and discrimination in the film, television and theatre industries. Read More
Ending gender-based violence in the EU
The European Commission is proposing a new directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence. Read More
#ThankYouForTheFlowers, a campaign to raise awareness of the unequal burden borne by women during the pandemic
A group of feminist NGOs reunites under the movement #MultumescPentruFlori (#ThankYoufortheFlowers). Read More
A campaign against digital violence
The bodyright campaign and “The Virtual Is Real” website highlight the danger of digital violence. Read More
An Equity Audit to measure the impact of the pandemic on young people
The Scottish Attainment Challenge Equity Audit provides a better understanding of the impact of COVID-19 and school closures on ... Read More
Digital kit on human rights and ethics in teaching
The Raoul Wallenberg Academy offered its expertise by developing a digital kit for teachers. Read More
‘Remote School’ programme
The ‘Remote School’ programme was started to facilitate remote education in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More
A support system for teachers (the SYPO project)
The SYPO Project helps educators to develop various personal and professional skills. Read More
’TV teacher’, interactive school classes broadcast on TV
Czech Television created a series of live interactive school classes called TV Teacher [UčíTelka]. Read More
Addressing the impact of remote learning on vulnerable groups
During the pandemic, the French government implemented policy measures to address the growing digital gap. Read More
Bringing Internet to rural areas
The Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB) has launched a project called ‘Internet to Villages’, which aims to bring internet ... Read More
Psychological support line for the academic community
The University of Porto provided a psychological support line during the pandemic to help ameliorate any new or increased mental health Read More
Studying at a distance for Roma youths
Cáritas de Coimbra, a Portuguese charity, specifically supported Roma pupils and students during the pandemic. Read More
Supporting youth, parents and teachers’ mental health
The Latvian government implemented a three-pronged policy measure designed to provide relief to youth, parents, and teachers from the ... Read More
Increased support for gender-based violence survivors in Latvia
To alleviate the impacts of COVID-19 policies, many initiatives have been developed by civil society organisations - NGOs, local ... Read More
Survival Kit for Men under pressure
To alleviate the impacts of COVID-19 policies, many initiatives have been developed by civil society organisations - NGOs, local ... Read More
Pandemic Map of Turkish Municipalities
To alleviate the impacts of COVID-19 policies, many initiatives have been developed by civil society organisations - NGOs, local ... Read More
Operation Faoiseamh – protecting survivors of domestic abuse
To alleviate the impacts of COVID-19 policies, many initiatives have been developed by civil society organisations - NGOs, local ... Read More
Paris as a 15-minute city
The City of Paris is carrying out far-reaching measures to become a ’15-minute city’, meaning that inhabitants should be able to reach ... Read More
Engaging Dads and Supporting Families
In Ireland, fathers' changing roles due to Covid-19 were highlighted at a webinar hosted by the Childhood development. Read More
Protecting and assisting victims of gender-based violence
To alleviate the impacts of COVID-19 policies, many initiatives have been developed by civil society organisations - NGOs, local ... Read More
A national collective agreement to outline telework arrangements during the pandemic in Belgium
In Belgium, the National Labour Council (NAR) concluded a national interprofessional collective agreement on teleworking during the ... Read More
Supporting women in Poland through the ‘Success is ME’ programme
The ‘Success is ME’ programme aims to support women in Poland and get them active in the labour market. Read More
‘New Ways to the Water’: bringing nature closer to home
In Essen, Germany, the municipal authorities have set as their long-term objective the connection of green spaces and waterways ... Read More
Crowdfunding to support medical staff in Latvia
The aim of this initiative is to support medical staff in Latvia during the Covid-19 crisis. Read More
Dope Black Dads
A group of black fathers in London have started their own podcast to challenge stereotypes and share their experiences of fatherhood. Read More
How the pandemic led to more nursing influence on policy in the Netherlands
If the health crisis revealed that nurses are among the most important employees in a hospital, they had until then little influence or Read More
Helping is sexy: a fundraising programme to support sex workers in a state of emergency
Berufsvertretung Sexarbeit Österreich launched a campaign focusing on the precarious working conditions of sex workers in the context ... Read More
Supporting children during the COVID19 crisis: the “Not Alone” Programme in Italy
The "Not Alone" Programme is an integrated programme implemented by Save the Children in response to the COVID-19 pandemic which ... Read More
A partnership to provide safe homes during the pandemic
This UK initiative aims to bring the housing sector and refuges together to get survivors who are ready for move on right now into a ... Read More
A support network for the LGBT+ community in France
At the beginning of the pandemic, Inter-LGBT member organisations joined forces to help vulnerable LGBT+ communities during the crisis. Read More
Crowdfunding to support single parents in Czech Republic
The initiative responds to the long-term precarious situation of single parents in the Czech Republic and the fact they have been hit ... Read More
Alleviating the impacts of the pandemic on Hungarian minorities
In Hungary, WeAreOpen partnered with non-profits to produce a report on the impact of the pandemic on minorities in the workplace. Read More
Educating the youth on sexual health as a way to prevent GBV. Inspiring initiative in Latvia
During the period of Covid-19 induced restrictions, the Latvian NGO Papardes Zieds offered video and online lessons for young people ... Read More
A nation-wide campaign to reassure victims of domestic violence that support services are “Still Here”
In Ireland, the Still Here campaign brought together the Department of Justice, NGOs, and private actors to inform victims of domestic ... Read More
Queerwaves helps queer night workers in Turkey dealing with economic difficulties due to the pandemic
The initiative puts forward partying as a form of resistance for the queer community in Turkey and organizes parties and special events Read More
Yo no las dejo solas: a fundraising to help domestic workers during COVID-19
In Spain, the campaign “Yo no las dejo solas” called for crowdfunding to provide financial support to domestic workers who had lost ... Read More
Equal = equal: a digital hackathon to collect ideas for gender equality in Germany
The hackathon is a 48-hour digital, generation-spanning online workshop open to men and women of all ages aimed at providing a creative Read More
Information resources for Traveller women experiencing domestic violence
The Irish NGO Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre has led an inspiring initiative to counter the unequal access to justice of Roma ... Read More