Healthy Nightlife in Cities of Centre of Portugal (2019)

HEALTHY NIGHTLIFE IN CITIES OF CENTRE OF PORTUGAL
(SLIDE 1) An ecological public health approach



João Redondo, Fernando Mendes, Diana Breda


(SLIDE 2) 1. Healthy nightlife in cities. Introductory note

With more than half of the world's population living now in urban areas, building safer cities
is a challenge to be achieved in the long term. Cities and urban areas represent a dense and
complex system of interconnected services, facing a growing number of problems that lead
to situations of risk in several areas.
The way we look at or perceive our city, as a space of life, sharing, recreation, work or
insecurity, depends on how we know it, how we live it, and of our real involvement in
creating bonds in the community.
Some of the less beautiful, positive and healthy aspects of the city not always come to our
attention. Sometimes, we are assaulted by events and news that give us a city that we do
not want to see or believe that can happen.
More and more cultures and subcultures are intersecting in the city, with distinctive styles,
experiences and needs. Reflecting this reality, we can find "several nights" animated by
different groups, under “several skies” where we can identify an official night and alternative
itineraries, away from the eyes of the city and its citizens.
Recreational nightlife plays an important role in the cities’ economy and young people's
lives. For a significant group of teenagers and young adults going out at the weekend has
become, an almost exclusive activity of mass fun within a totally consumer context — with a
wide variety of offers that easily adapts to their needs — with an important family
permissiveness and economic availability to go out.
In several situations, nightlife it's associated with the disruption of healthy lifestyle habits
and with a multiplicity of risk factors in multiple areas. A threat carries risks, and the impact
depends on the exposure of people and assets to that threat, and of the conditions of
vulnerability of the people and property exposed. These factors are not static and can be
improved, which depends (among other factors) of institutional, community, family and
individual capacities and attitudes when facing the risk.

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2. (SLIDE 3) The Healthy Nightlife in Cities of Centre of Portugal project

(SLIDE 4) The recreational nightlife has an intrinsic connection with a multiplicity of risk factors
that we can prevent. (SLIDE 5) Such a complex problem requires the definition of strategies
and public policies, as part of a global vision associated with the construction of more
resilient and livable communities of all sizes.




2.1 Brief historical note about the “Healthy Nightlife in Cities of Centre of
Portugal”i project

(SLIDE 6) The Centre for Prevention and Treatment of Psychological Trauma (Coimbra Hospital
and University Centre - CHUC) and the European Institute of Studies on Prevention - Portugal
(IREFREA Portugal) (SLIDE 7) have been investing, since 2004, in the prevention of risk factors
and the promotion of protective factors and community resilience associated with
recreational nightlife. In this context, were established partnerships with stakeholders in the
sectors of Health, Education, Security Forces, local governments, among others. (SLIDE 8) In
2018, these efforts culminated in the project “Healthy Nightlife in Cities of Centre of
Portugal” 2018-2021, with the support of the Centro Regional Coordination and
Development Commission (CCDR-C)ii, under the “Portugal 2020”iii programme This project
focuses on the prevention of interpersonal violence (WHO, 2002)iv, alcohol abuse and illicit
drugs consumption, and road accidents. (SLIDE 9) It covers 24 municipalities in the centre
region of Portugal.

(SLIDE 10) The project’s main target publics to capacitate are the primary health care and
hospitals, schools, security forces, private welfare institutions and NGOs, local associations
(cultural, entertaining and sports) and nightlife industry (bars, nightclubs, restaurants).

(SLIDE 11) For the development and implementation of activities, the project has an internal
organizational structure comprising a coordination committee, two groups of consultants –
senior advisers (with a national and international panel) and a youth council – and a panel of
evaluation. Also has a technical team, a secretariat and a communication office.

For the implementation of the subprojects, the project counts with the participation, (SLIDE 12)
at national level, of the "Group Violence: research, information, intervention" and (SLIDE 13)
"Schools Against Violence" networks, and the (SLIDE 14) "Agency for the Prevention of Trauma
and Violation of Human Rights", as well as with other professionals from various sectors of

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the community, previously mentioned. (SLIDE 15) At the international level counts with the
support of the IREFREA’s network.



2.2 (SLIDE 16, 17) From theory to practice. An ecological and public health
perspective. About networking

The “Healthy Nightlife in Cities of Centre of Portugal” is anchored in a public health
perspective, in theory and practice. To the implementation of the different initiatives,
advocates a multidisciplinary and multisectoral networking strategy, supported by the
ecological-systemic model. Networking contributes to guarantee the continuity and
dissemination of the strategies implemented after the completion of the project.

2.3 Activities in progress

(SLIDE 18, 19, 20) Considering the areas targeted by the project, and before its second phase –
practical implementation of the subprojects in the municipalities – we aimed at acquiring a
comprehensive portrait about the concerns of the twenty-four municipalities involved.
(SLIDE 21,22) It should be underlined that we have data previously collected by IREFREA
Portugal, by Health Services and Security Forces, relating to target areas of the project.
(SLIDE 23, 24, 25) The “Healthy Nightlife in Cities of Centre of Portugal” project has sixteen
subprojects, each one with a different design and objectives. The subprojects are mostly of
primary prevention, although some of them also cover the secondary and tertiary
prevention (e.g. Road Accidents: Thinking about prevention; Recreational Nightlife Settings
and Interpersonal Violence)
((SLIDE 26, 27) In relation to the target groups of interest, they are fundamentally selected
(e.g. Before You get Burned; Priority Youth – Promotion of mental and sexual health) and
some of them universal (e.g. Seeds; Long nights with Law).
(SLIDE 28) Alongside these initiatives, the project will implement an annual “Healthy Nightlife
in Cities” Forum. It will also be initiated a “Healthy Nightlife in Cities” Observatory.

2.3.1 Facilities / Difficulties encountered

(SLIDE 29) At this moment, all subprojects are being implemented, and the majority of
municipalities are involved. According to the project’s SWOT analysis by the Technical Team

(August 2019), later shared and reflected with the Coordination Commission (SLIDE 30):

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• The STRENGTHS are based mainly on the fact that
o it is a unique initiative in the country and, based on the results achieved, can
be extended to other regions of the country;
o it has the government’s support;
o it has the ability to involve various stakeholders at a regional and national
level, of different sectors (e.g., Health, Education, Security Forces).

• Regarding the WEAKNESSES, it should be noted
o the fact that it is a pilot project, of great size, which can challenge the
implementation and articulation;
o the lack of more precise knowledge of the local reality of the different
municipalities;
o the limitation of time.

• About the OPPORTUNITIES it is important to stress
o the three problems that the project addresses are areas of concern to the
Public Health and the Government;
o the opportunity to implement / reinforce multidisciplinary and multisectoral
networks in cities;
o the chance to survey “best practices” in the municipalities and to help to
promote its dissemination;

§ About the THREATS it should be noted
o the misperception by some NGOs and private social welfare entities that the
project could be a threat to their interventions and sources of financing;
o the misperception of agents in the sector of the recreational nightlife that the
project is a threat to their activity; and the fact that
o the implementation in each municipality depends on the decision-makers and
local policies. It should be noted that, in some of the municipalities that
initially expressed interest in the project the policymakers have changed.



3. (SLIDE 31) The Healthy Nightlife in Cities of Centre of Portugal project and
Resilience. Final note

We believe that the “Night Healthy Cities of Central Portugal” project represents a set of
principles and strategies that can help to enhance the resilience of the municipalities
involved, representing a further contribution for cities (SLIDE 32):

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• to use opportunities and existing capacities to their benefit;
• to look for strategies to minimize the consequences of potential risks;
• to maximize their strengths and to overcome weaknesses;
• to have a holistic vision about the city, in relation to the risk and development;
• to implement improvements and anticipate a reduction of problem areas;
• to encourage participation, promote consensus agreements, alliances and other

synergies, and strengthen democracy;
• to define and prioritize actions, with clear and realistic goals, promoters of resilience

in problem areas that reflect the interests of all sectors of the municipality;
• to allocate and manage resources in accordance with the realities and needs;
• to plan strategies to reduce risks with development, in a perspective of sustainability

in the short, medium and long term;
• To document actions and innovative local opportunities;
• to strengthen the leadership of local authorities and to stimulate and strengthen the

self-esteem of each and among all sectors of the city;
As stated by Mayor Al Arquillanov, San Francisco, Cebu, Philippines "Think big - start small.
Are the communities that build the nations"
(SLIDE 33)




i “Healthy Nightlife in Cities of Centre of Portugal” site www.noitesaudavel.pt
ii CCDR-C site https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/regional-innovation-monitor/organisation/centro-

regional-coordination-and-development-commission-ccdr-c
iii It is a PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT signed by Portugal and the European Commission, that gathers the action

of 5 European Structural and Investment Funds - ERDF, Cohesion Fund, ESF, EAFRD and EMFF - in which the
programming principles are set out to mark the economic, social and territorial development policy to be
promoted in Portugal between 2014 and 2020 (https://poseur.portugal2020.pt/en/portugal-2020/).
iv Krug EG et al., eds. World report on violence and health. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2002.
v His municipality was co-winner of the Prize 2011 of the United Nations Sasakawa for Disaster Risk Reduction.

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