The project, developed in collaboration with technology company Beam, is a finalist in the Public-Private Partnership in Social Services category. This initiative focusing on artificial intelligence and social work is thus receiving international recognition. Voting is open until October 26.
Alderman for Social Affairs, Giovanny Saelens, emphasizes the importance of technological support: 'Our social workers do excellent work every day, but they spend a lot of time on administration. If technology can alleviate this burden without compromising quality, we must seize those opportunities. The fact that a Kortrijk project is among Europe's best social innovations makes us particularly proud. We continue to use digital tools to keep the workload for our employees under control.'
‘Beam Notes’ investigated how speech-to-text technology can support social workers in their daily tasks. The application records conversations with client consent, automatically converts them to text, and generates an initial structured version of the report. The pilot phase with twenty social workers from various neighbourhood teams and functions within Wijkgericht Sociaal Werk yielded remarkable results: the time needed to create a social report decreased by an average of 37 percent (from 40.5 to 25.4 minutes per report), and weekly administration time was reduced by 28 percent. More than four out of five participants experienced significant time savings.
The quality of reporting also improved: 69 percent indicated that documentation had improved, while 81 percent rated the accuracy of the reports as good to excellent. All involved team leaders observed a quality improvement, with reports being more consistent, objective, and usable for decision-making.
The positive impact extended to employee well-being: three out of four participants reported higher job satisfaction, and half experienced less administrative stress. The proportion of employees who regularly worked on reports outside of working hours decreased significantly. Furthermore, 88 percent of participants indicated they wished to continue using the application after the test phase.
This time saving directly translates to client support. By spending less time on administration, social workers can dedicate more attention to conversations and client needs. Nearly seven out of ten participants experienced increased focus during consultations. Reports are also available faster, allowing for quicker referrals and follow-up actions.
According to Wijkgericht Sociaal Werk, the results demonstrate that artificial intelligence can responsibly offer added value to social work. The technology supports employees with their administration without compromising the human relationship that is central to social work. The pilot period, which began in late November 2025, was extended and expanded. Currently, around 46 social workers are already using the tool. Alderman Giovanny Saelens confirms: 'Artificial intelligence has become indispensable. With this project too, it is clear that we must move forward. Social workers can focus more on human contact and perform their jobs with higher satisfaction, while administrative tasks can be handled by the tool.'
Based on the positive results, the City of Kortrijk is opting for a continuation of the project and is preparing the tendering procedure. Kortrijk is also the first local government on the European mainland to have actively tested and deployed this technology within social work, confirming the city's role as a pioneer in innovation in social services.
Alderman for Digital Transformation, Felix De Clerck, adds: 'We hear a lot of doomsday reports about AI in the media, but there are also incredible opportunities for an organization like the City of Kortrijk. AI is not an end in itself, but serves to continuously improve our services to citizens, entrepreneurs, and associations. This project shows how a city can achieve significant gains with the sensible use of AI.'
The nomination brings European visibility to the Kortrijk project. Wijkgericht Sociaal Werk urges residents, employees, partners, and sympathizers to cast their vote during the public voting round of the European Social Services Awards. Voting is open until October 26 via the official website.
