The Regional Observatory for Social Inclusion of the Region of Crete participated in the two-day conference on “Poverty and Social Exclusion in the Region of Peloponnese: Empirical Findings and Social Development Policies“, organized by the Regional Observatory for Social Inclusion of the Region of Peloponnese, with the participation of representatives of the public administration, the academic community and social policy bodies.

In the thematic panel “Development of the Social Services Network in the Peloponnese: The Contribution of Regional Observatories”, the Head of the Regional Observatory for Social Inclusion of the Region of Crete, Dr. Aikaterini Vlasaki, presented the methodology and tools that the Observatory has developed for the systematic recording, analysis and spatial mapping of social needs and inequalities at the local level.

Of particular interest was the spatial social intelligence model implemented by the Region of Crete through the Geographic Information System GIS Crete, which allows the identification of local needs and pockets of deprivation at the community level, both in urban and rural areas, supporting the design of evidence-based public policies. This approach was presented as a good practice for strengthening social cohesion and social and spatial justice.

The two-day conference was also attended by Professor of Social Policy Christos Papatheodorou, scientific director of the research axis on the living conditions of households in Crete, which is implemented in collaboration with the Laboratory of Social Analysis and Applied Social Research of the University of Crete. In his presentation, he presented findings from specialized data produced for the Region of Crete and the Observatory by ELSTAT, highlighting critical dimensions of poverty, social inequalities and living conditions.

The Observatory’s participation confirmed its active role as a mechanism for producing knowledge and supporting the design of policies that respond to the real needs of local societies.