Increasing efficiency of social service through intermunicipal cooperation and promotion of activation (labour engagement) of vulnerable groups on the local level

This activity is part of the project “European Union Support to Inclusive Society”, financed by the EU with EUR 5.4 million, and implemented by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs.

Citizens Association “Duga” – Ada was founded in 2001 and since then has been actively fighting against poverty. With our support in 2005 in Ada municipality established the Office for the fight against poverty, which is an example of good practice that is spreading throughout Serbia. The project is an opportunity for the two municipalities in Serbia to adopt a model of social policy at the local level, which includes:
Identification (mapping) of socially vulnerable population that solves one of the most prominent problems in the current system of social protection – the lack of information about the situation on the ground. The social mapping will be used to provide information to citizens in remote areas of the various social services that are available in the target zone.
Municipal body established to provide assistance to end users – the local committee for poverty reduction, as a center for knowledge and assistance to the most vulnerable citizens.
Activation (engagement) unemployed working-age population will be supported through the established stakeholders forum that will bring together public institutions, civil society and private companies to identify various opportunities for engagement. Work engagement will restore dignity to the user and provide an opportunity to vulnerable groups (especially Roma), which in most cases are not even get a chance to work and to get acquainted with potential future employers.
The introduction of the concept of inter-municipal cooperation in the provision of services where the concept builds on the experiences and lessons learned, the introduction of new measures and improving the cooperation and exchange of best practices between the municipalities covered by the project and those covered in the previous. There are municipal services that do not cooperate even though they have the authority to do so. Inadequate financial resources or insufficient capacity are common reasons for poor service delivery. This project will introduce the concept of inter-municipal cooperation, and thus will facilitate joint planning and the development of social services so that efficient and effective work.
The overall objective of the action is to promote the efficient use of resources through partnering of different stakeholders involved in the provision of support to vulnerable groups.
The specific objective of the action is implementation of new local social policy measures to identify assist and activate the poorest and most endangered members of community through labour engagement.
The project will be implemented in close cooperation between applicant, municipalities Ada, Nova Crnja, Sremska Mitrovica, Ruma and public and private companies. Various project components target municipalities and their social services, public, civil and private sector as well as the final beneficiaries. The final beneficiaries of the project will be the poorest and most endangered population in the targeted communities: unemployed adults who have a business and work ability, people with disabilities, single parents, Roma. At least 50% of the served beneficiaries will be women. Through making local social policies more effective and efficent, municipality budget can be used to better serve various community needs.
Expected results:
Clear assessment of the number of people living under the poverty line or in difficult living conditions in targeted communities
Efficency of the social services increased
Establishment of inter-municipal cooperation in the delivery of social service
Labour engagement of population that is capable of work is introduced and functional.

The project ” Increasing efficiency of social service through intermunicipal cooperation and promotion of activation (labour engagement) of vulnerable groups on the local level” is implemented by NGO “Duga” – Ada and overall duration of the project is 18 months. Value of the project is 119,866.22 euros, out of which 105,616.22 euros is donated by European Union.

The “European Union Support to Inclusive Society”, a project funded by the European Union with EUR 5.4 million, aims to ensure greater social inclusion of vulnerable groups in Serbia such as elderly, children, minorities including Roma and others. Through the project the EU has granted EUR 4.3 million as 28 grants, which will be implemented in 36 cities and municipalities in Serbia by the end of 2017. The projects implemented by the national and provincial social welfare institutions, municipalities and cities, social welfare centers , citizens associations, foundations, educational institutions and public companies will increase the scope and quality of services at the local level in social and health care, housing, education and employment, and thereby strengthen the social inclusion of vulnerable groups.

The project is implemented by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia (www.europa.rs ) in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs (www.minrzs.gov.rs ).
More about the project can be found on www.socijalnainkluzija.rs

PROJECT ACTIVITIES:

Preparation activities – signing ceremony

1.1.Training in social mapping, approach to beneficiaries and providing information on possibilities for improving living conditions

1.2. Social mapping – terrain work
1.3. Social mapping – creating database
1.4. Information campaign

The conference opening the project

Visits Karađorđevića Municipality of Ruma

Marking the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
Opening of Office in Ruma and Sremska Mitrovica

International promotion of good practice examples of community service

Fair of social services in Novi Sad

2.1. Adapting existing software for creating database for mapping for efficient use of existing social protection services and the need for new ones
2.2. Mapping the usage of social services
2.3. Establishing Local Poverty Reduction Committees

2.4. Training of members of Committees in assisting beneficiaries
2.5. Assisting beneficiaries
2.6. Monitoring and on job couching of Committee members

3.1. Identify needs and opportunities and possible areas of intermunicipal cooperation

3.2. Building understanding and support in local communities and municipal bodies and service providers on benefits of intermunicipal cooperation

3.3. Defining the scope of intermunicipal cooperation and cooperation mechanisms
3.4. Monitoring effectiveness of intermunicipal cooperation and providing recommendations for improvement
3.5. Promotion of the results and lessons learned to other municipalities interested for cooperation

4.1. Meetings and trainings with public companies to promote concept of labour engagement
4.2. Establishing stakeholder’s forum as platform for cooperation between public, private and civil sector in social activation
4.3. Developing criteria for labour engagement, type of works, methods and payment level, and control mechanism

4.4. Voluntary camp
4.5. Recommendations for national, provincial and local governments for improving activation conditions
4.6. Monitoring the process of labour engagement