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Initiative for Development and Cooperation (IDC) and IRIS Network organized a meeting with the members of the Serbian Network in Belgrade on 11. September 2018. Member organizations, new members and the old ones had the opportunity to hear about the current cycle of activities on the project IRIS NEWORKing implemented by the IDC and its partner organizations ASB South East Europe, LIR CD SOS Podgorica, Otvorena Porta – Open Gate: La Strada Macedonia, ARSIS – Association for the Social Support of Youth and the opportunities for the empowerment of member organizations through financial support and other forms of assistance.

The closing part of the meeting was moderated by Žarko Šunderić, the director of Center for Social Policy, in order to encourage the participants to share their experiences and ideas for mutual cooperation and development, exchange examples of good practices and compare experiences of different organizations involved in providing social services to migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable groups in Serbia.

Regional IRIS Network, in cooperation with National IRIS Networks from Albania (National Coordinator Arsis Initiative), Bosnia and Herzegovina (National Coordinator LIR CD), FYROoM (National Coordinator La Strada), Montenegro (National Coordinator SOS Telephone) and Serbia (National Coordinator ASB), is announcing a Call for Peer Reviewers who will conduct the Peer Reviews within the IRIS NETWORKing initiative project. The Call will be on-going throughout the project duration i.e. until April 2021.

 

The aim of the instrument is to enhance regional know-how exchange between CSOs dealing with provision of social services to vulnerable groups, including migrants, and to support focused peer-to-peer exchange. The peer-reviewers will be responsible for a review focused on the work of CSOs outside their country of origin. The Reviews will lead to innovative recommendations on how to combine existing practices. Within the project duration it is foreseen to prepare 30 independent peer-review reports  based on pre-prepared methodology in line with the Peer Review mechanism developed at EU level under the Open Method of Coordination.

 

The purpose of this mechanism is to strengthen IRIS Network members in building monitoring capacities for social service provision. National teams of peer-reviewers will be established in each country and will be included in National Database of Peer Reviewers. Specifically, the mechanism aims to improve capacities of CSOs social service providers in a wide range of areas such as – project implementation, networking, service delivery to migrants and campaigning at the local level.

 

The responsibility of the peer-reviewers will be to provide written reports and analyses for predefined tasks, which will closely follow implemented activities. Special priority will be given to field visits of the reviewers, during which they will be able to directly interview their peers as a part of the peer-review process. The topics of each Peer Review will be defined prior to each round, Peer Reviewers included in the Database will be timely informed and will have an opportunity to apply for specific topic(s) of their interest.

 

IRIS member CSOs are welcome to apply by sending their CVs and motivation letters to e-mail: iris@iris-see.eu

During March 2018, Partnership building meetings were held in Skopje and Podgorica. The aim of the first round of meetings was to facilitate the accomplishment of the Network’s goals and present objectives and main activities planned by the project IRIS NETWORKing – CSOs for protection sensitive migration management.
Representatives of more than 25 organizations, members of the IRIS Network, gathered around the idea of contributing to long-term goals of the Network – increased quality of social and legal services provided by CSOs through capacity building activities, increased resilience and social cohesion of the local communities through civil society networking initiatives, strengthened national/regional coordination of the CSOs and public institutions in migration management and influenced reform processes in WB in order to improve service delivery for the migrant population.
The meetings were co-organized by two Project partners, Open Gate – La Strada in FYRo Macedonia and SOS Telephone from Montenegro.
Open Gate – La Strada, FYRo Macedonia – Open Gate La Strada is a leading Macedonian organization, known for its commitment, perseverance and professionalism. The activities of this organization are focused on the needs and interests of victims of human trafficking, but also on members of other vulnerable groups. The main goal of Open Gate La Strada is to invest all efforts and capacities in creating a society free from inequality, poverty, prejudice and discrimination. Open Gate La Strada is an organization committed to combating violence and human trafficking, which aims to build society as a place where human rights are widely respected and all citizens have equal opportunities for socio-economic independence.
SOS Podgorica, Montenegro – SOS Podgorica is a non-governmental, non-profit and non-partisan organization that provides support services to women and children who are victims of violence. Their mission is to eliminate every form of discrimination and violence against women and children through education, providing assistance and support to victims of violence and through cooperation with governmental institutions.