4 useful practices of the Velenje community to know about
The Velenje municipality is working hard to create a city that is adapted to the needs of all citizens. This is especially true for the most vulnerable groups of the population, so the municipality implements various additional programmes that are not provided for by law, but significantly contribute to improving the quality of life.
№1. TRANSPORT FOR PEOPLE WITH LIMITED MOBILITY
Velenje has implemented the Kamerat project, which provides better mobility in the city for citizens aged 65 and over, as well as for people with disabilities and those Velenje residents who do not have other means of transport available to them.
The project works as follows: people in need can call a special phone number of the Udarnik volunteer group and schedule a free ride in an environmentally friendly electric vehicle to the doctor, supermarket, etc. All trips must be booked at least three days in advance. The service is available on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and no services are provided on weekends and holidays.
The main principles of the project are intergenerational solidarity, promotion of an active lifestyle, integration, cooperation, respect for nature, and support for volunteering.
You can read more about the project by this link.
№2. ABSOLUTELY FREE PUBLIC TRANSPORT THROUGHOUT THE CITY
The municipality of Velenje is taking various measures to reduce the number of cars on the roads and promote sustainable mobility, while at the same time providing citizens with the opportunity to easily commute within the community.
Therefore, the community created the Lokalc urban passenger transport service, which provides bus transportation to residents of the Velenje municipality absolutely free of charge.
You can read more about the project by this link.
№3. LOWER COST OF LIVING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
The community is very interested in young people considering Velenje as a place to live and work and returning to it after graduation. Therefore, the municipality encourages entrepreneurship in order to create jobs and creates the best possible living conditions for young people. The municipality:
- co-finances the costs of loans that young people take out to buy their first home;
- publishes advertisements for rental apartments, including for young people;
- provides subsidies for kindergarten fees for young families;
- provides one-time assistance to families when a child is born;
- enables young people to pay only half of the amount of the community infrastructure fee.
More about the project can be found by this link.
№4. A GREEN CITY FOR A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE
Velenje is a city in the heart of nature and a city that carries nature in its heart. The municipality is implementing this vision and plans to transform the industrial mining town into a smart city of modern, green opportunities step by step. The municipality of Velenje is committed to an integrated green transition, having been selected as one of the 100 climate-neutral cities by the EU Mission.
In order to make this happen, the municipality plans to gradually phase out coal mining in the city by 2032, while creating new jobs in other sectors. To do this, investments are being made in planned and planned projects: Green transformation of the thermal power plant in the Šalek district; comprehensive reconstruction of the former power plant and creation of an industrial and educational park - the Centre of the Future - on its site; creation of the Velenje TECHUB I4.0 technology park; expansion of the commercial zone in Stari Vasa; introduction of hydrogen technologies in passenger transport to decarbonise the energy sector.
Read more about Velenje's green transformation by this link.