Archive for year: 2016

Assessing social progress in the Western Balkans 2016

November 16, 2016/in News, Publications /by Admin

Assessing social progress in the Western Balkans 2016

This country report provides policy recommendations on how to strengthen social inclusion and protection of minorities in the Western Balkan region and how to enable the environment for CSOs to provide social services. It focuses on recent developments that have taken place since January 2016.

This country report is based on inputs provided by members of the IRIS Network, a regional network that brings together CSOs providing social services in the Western Balkans: Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia . The inputs provided by partners in the Western Balkans are focused on the following sections:
1. Social inclusion, human rights and protection of minorities;
2. The situation of civil society organizations as service providers.

The IRIS network has been founded in the in the framework of the EU-funded project “Improving the provision of Social Service Delivery in South Eastern Europe through the empowerment of national and regional CSOs”, implemented by the consortium of LIR CD BiH, OGI Croatia, EDC Serbia, SOS TELEPHONE Montenegro, CLARD Kosovo, ARSIS Albania, ASYD FYROM, and SOLIDAR – led by ASB Germany.

Framework Partnership Agreements Closing Event in Skopje

November 16, 2016/in News, Publications /by Admin

IRIS Network members: ASB, Solidar, LIRCD, ASYD and EDC, participated in Framework Partnership Agreements (FPAs) Closing Event on 10 -11 November 2016 in Skopje. The aim of the event is to discuss issue concerning general development of the civil society in the Western Balkans and Turkey and to generate concrete self-reflective recommendations for further improvements concerning civil society organizations (CSOs) and CSO networks, but focusing on needed internal changes – values, strategic approaches, relevance, constituencies, public image and other issues.

During the Event, IRIS Network presented achievements regarding social service provider capacity building and policy influencing in 7 countries in SEE. The participants discussed the current issues concerning the civil society in the region and identified other pending issues in the thematic areas of: environment, governance, and social development.

The conference was attended by representatives of the FPA projects, relevant key representatives from public institutions and CSOs from the Western Balkans and Turkey as well as representatives from EU institutions.

IRIS Network- Influencing policies and social service provision in South East Europe

November 15, 2016/in News, Publications /by Admin

The IRIS Network is led by Arbeiter Samariter Bund e.V who is main social partner in Germany, and trough Forieign aid to South East Europe and other regions/countries around the world. Countries of Western Balkans (WB) are characterized with the transitional situation affected by extreme levels of unemployment, social exclusion and poverty.
IRIS Network established strong partnerships with the relevant decision makers and institutions representing and is actively involved in many aspects of the policy development, changing legislation and consulting processes. Representatives of the IRIS network are members of the various coordinating bodies and councils at the national and local levels. Principally, network encourages founding and the work of social councils which are counseling bodies of regional and local self-government.

Innovative Social Inclusion Approach – Case Studies and Examples of Good Practices

October 20, 2016/in News, Publications /by Admin

Social engagement and good cooperation between national IRIS network members in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia, resulted in development of 6 national innovative case studies, created under the Project “Improving the provision of Social Service Delivery in South Eastern Europe through the empowerment of national and regional CSO networks”.

The studies are promoting inventive and sustainable solutions based on a social investment approach. Innovative models of social services are aimed to improve the system of social protection, support and integration of the most vulnerable groups, with the special focus on youth in need. The very heterogeneous group of beneficiaries also includes victims of domestic violence, elderly and persons with disabilities

The implementation of the services, represented within the publications engaged more than 500 social workers, physiologists, doctors and other professionals of social and health protection sectors, personal assistants and volunteers on regional level. The number of final beneficiaries currently is measured in hundreds with a potential of being increased to thousands in the future.

Summary of the models promoted by Case Studies and some of extraordinary success stories on their implementation could be found within the latest IRIS publication.

Case Studies on Innovative Social Inclusion Practices

October 20, 2016/in News, Publications /by Admin

The experiences, best practices and lessons learned through the project “Improving the provision of Social Service Delivery in South Eastern Europe through the empowerment of national and regional CSO networks”, implemented through IRIS Network, are represented within Case Studies on innovative social inclusion practice.

Six national innovative Case Studies have been developed, as a result of social engagement and good cooperation between national IRIS network members in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia. The Studies are promoting inventive and sustainable solutions based on a social investment approach.

Innovative models of social services are aimed to improve the system of social protection, support and integration of the most vulnerable groups, with the special focus on youth in need. The very heterogeneous group of beneficiaries also includes victims of domestic violence, elderly and persons with disabilities.

Each case study includes:

a) Description of the innovative and sustainable example,

b) A qualitative assessment of the local social realities,

c) Means-tested analysis of the ‘clients’,

d) Reference to relevant EU policies and

e) Qualitative assessment on the up scaling potential.

To read more follow the links bellow:

CS Albania

CS Bosnia and Herzegovina

Professional Staff Training Programme in Greece – Call for Applicants

October 19, 2016/in News /by Admin

In the framework of the EU-funded project “Improving the provision of Social Service Delivery in South Eastern Europe through the empowerment of national and regional CSOs”, IRIS Network is organizing a Professional Staff Training Programme open to staff members of CSOs providing social services in the Western Balkans, members of the Network.

The programme offers to two selected candidates the opportunity to spend 4 weeks in the premises of ASB Greece in Thessaloniki and learning about volunteer led solutions to fight social exclusion and empower the most vulnerable groups (young people, people with disabilities, migrants). The programme will start in November 2016.

International humanitarian organization ASB started its operations in Greece in 2016. as a response to increasing refugee crisis. The Country Office Greece was officially opened in June and since then ASB is providing aid and necessary support to migrants/refugees through the projects supported by the EU and German Federal Foreign Ministry.

For more information and instructions for applying for the Professional Staff Training Programme please download Call for Applicants.

SAM.I. General Secretariat opened Brussels office

October 17, 2016/in News /by Admin

Last week, General Secretariat of the SAMARITAN INTERNATIONAL (SAM.I.) has officially opened its office in Rue de Pascale 4 in Brussels. The event was supported by President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz and Chairman of the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund, Knut Fleckenstein.

The opening was attended by Secretary General Ivo Bonamico, representatives of ASB – SEE and numerous guests from the network’s member organizations. Before the opening, they had taken part in a meeting of the advisory committee. „With our new office close to the European Parliament we intend to strengthen our political work“, Ivo Bonamico explained.

After the ceremony of opening, the delegation joined Fleckenstein in EU Parliament to meet President Schulz. Together, they handed him the recommendation paper “Single European First Aid”. The paper, authored by the EC First Aid, asks for political support in advancing the cross-border recognition of first aid certificates in the EU and recommends approaches to address this matter.

SAM.I. is recognized as a mediator between European institutions and the member organizations, through many years of active participation in addressing EU political matters, such as refugee policy, social services or the development and implementation of European standards in emergency care and first aid.

Roundtable Debate in Brussels – Challenges & Opportunities for Social Services’ Providers in WB

October 12, 2016/in News /by Admin

Yesterday’s Roundtable Debate “CSOs providing social services in the Western Balkans: Challenges & opportunities”, which took place in Brussels in organization of the IRIS Network in cooperation with SOLIDAR, brought together policy makers and social services’ providers from relevant CSOs from the Balkan region.

The Round Table was attended by Regional and Country Directors of ASB-SEE, Elmir Bojadzic and Gordan Velev (Country Office Serbia), Coordinator of the Project “Improving the provision of Social Service Delivery in South Eastern Europe through the empowerment of national and regional CSOs”, Masa Mitrovic and representatives of IRIS Network partner organizations in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.

Within meaningful discussion, participants expressed their views toward existing social challenges in WB including the consequences of slowed EU Enlargement process and ongoing migrant crisis. They also had the opportunity to present innovative and sustainable solutions in the field of services provision for the most vulnerable groups, with a special focus on youth, Roma and PwD. Within this part of debate, three innovative national case studies, developed through the Project of IRIS Network, were presented.

The presentation of ARSIS, IRIS Network partner in Albania could be seen here.

The presentation of IRIS Network in B&H could be found here.

The presentation of Otaharin, IRIS partner in B&H is available here.

The presentation of SMILE, IRIS partner in Serbia could be seen here.

CSOs PROVIDING SOCIAL SERVICES IN THE WESTERN BALKANS: CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES

October 7, 2016/in News /by Admin

IRIS Network in cooperation with SOLIDAR is organizing the Round Table “CSOs PROVIDING SOCIAL SERVICES IN THE WESTERN BALKANS: CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES”, dedicated to challenges and opportunities for CSOs providing social services in the Western Balkans, which are related to overcoming current refugee crisis and the latest political and economic pressures inside the European Union that provoked a slowdown of the Enlargement process.

Civil society organizations (CSOs) need to find ways to revamp the Enlargement process and its social dimension in order to enhance economic, social and territorial cohesion. In particular the innovative capacities of CSOs providing social services needs to be strengthened and they need to be supported to strengthen their capacity and directly engage local and regional beneficiaries in decisions around the ‘EU Social Acquis’. These are the main objectives of the EU funded project “Improving the provision of Social Service Delivery in South Eastern Europe through the empowerment of national and regional CSOs” led by ASB-SEE that will be presented at this round table.

The Round Table will bring together policy makers and members of the civil society the possibility to discuss main challenges and opportunities for CSOs providing social services in the Western Balkans as well as the best solutions to make sure that Enlargement process is a catalyzer for social progress and enhancement of socio-economic rights.

More information on the even could be found here.

SMALL GRANTS FACILITY PROGRAMME OF THE IRIS NETWORK

September 19, 2016/in News /by Admin

IRIS Network has conducted the Small Grant Facility (SGF) Programme, through which 13 local initiatives for long-term improvement of social services provision and delivery were supported in Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia. Grants in amount up to € 5,000.00 were awarded to IRIS Network members in order to strengthen their organizational, communicational and advocating capacities as well as to assist the grantees in delivery of appropriate services for various vulnerable groups in their countries.

The assessment criteria of the Programme were based the following objectives:

» Main goals of the project proposals had to include the development of sustainable mechanisms of standardization and quality improvement of existing social services and/or creation of the framework for appropriate services delivery where that is missing.

» Active participation of the representatives of target beneficiary groups and the public in foreseen activities and discussions was required, as well as their involvement in the process of local polices development. Local and grass root advocacy initiatives were prioritized.

» Analysis, advocacy and monitoring of social sector reforms at regional and local levels were even a precondition for applying. The grantees also had to be located in the target countries, publicly recognized and independent from the government.

All of the projects have been implemented for six months. Is that period long enough to create and insure the actual changes in the social environment? Find out in the following bulletin.

Assessing social progress in the Western Balkans 2016

Framework Partnership Agreements Closing Event in Skopje

IRIS Network- Influencing policies and social service provision in South East Europe

Innovative Social Inclusion Approach – Case Studies and Examples of Good Practices

Professional Staff Training Programme in Greece – Call for Applicants

SAM.I. General Secretariat opened Brussels office

Roundtable Debate in Brussels – Challenges & Opportunities for Social Services’ Providers in WB

CSOs PROVIDING SOCIAL SERVICES IN THE WESTERN BALKANS: CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES

SMALL GRANTS FACILITY PROGRAMME OF THE IRIS NETWORK

SOCIAL

Pages

Recent news

Arhiva