Balkan caravan – Journey through the Western Balkan region

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The IRIS network organized the Balkan Caravan from 8- 13 July, 2024 in six countries of the region – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo*, North Macedonia and Serbia.

The purpose of the Balkan Caravan is the promotion and exchange of good practices in the field of human rights and social inclusion in the Western Balkans. In each of the countries, a Mini Festival of Human Rights is organized by the host organizations and partners of the IRIS network.

The Balkan Caravan traveled through six countries of the region, hosted by our members:

  • Bosnia and Herzegovina – Center for psihological support SENSUS and LIR CD
  • Montenegro – SOS Nikšić and Alfa Centar
  • Albania – Useful to the community and CLR
  • North Macedonia – Center for youth activism KRIK and CDI
  • Kosova* – Down Syndrome Kosova and Center for independent life
  • Serbia – Association of Psychologists Novi Pazar and ASB

The Balkan Caravan consisted of the following organizations: Association Altruist Mostar, Volunteers of Montenegro, Association Halfway there, Defending the rights of people with disabilities – Medpak, Real act of kindness and Jesuit Refugee Service Serbia.

 

  1. Day of Balkan Caravan in Mostar: A Day of Creativity and Education

The first day of the Balkan Caravan was spent in the city of Mostar, hosted by “Psychotherapy Sensus”. Event was warmly opened by our grantee, “Ray of Hope” who conducted a brooch-making workshop, bringing creativity to the participants. Following this, hosts guided participants through their photo exhibition and conducted a workshop on Human Rights and Mental Health.

 

In addition to these activities, there were held presentations from our guests from the association “Halfway There” and “Volunteers of Montenegro”, who showcased their projects and contributions. The first day of the Balkan Caravan was filled with creativity, education, and collaboration.

 

 

 

  1. Day of Balkan Caravan in Nikšić: Empowering Women and Raising Awareness

On the second day, Balkan Caravan arrived in Nikšić where it were welcomed by partners from Alfa Center Nikšić and grantees from Montenegro, SOS Nikšić and SOS Podgorica.

SOS Podgorica showcased their project “Together for better services for women and children”  through presentation, while SOS Nikšić organized an event in the main city square. At this event, they promoted their online service for victims of stalking, directly informing the women of Nikšić on how to recognize stalking and how to seek help.

Following these activities, participants had an opportunity to visit mural – “OsnaŽENE – vidljive”, featuring Frida Kahlo and Judith Heumann. These women are portrayed not only as symbols of feminism but also as women with disabilities, emphasizing their empowerment and resilience.

 

 

 

 

  1. Day of Balkan Caravan in Elbasan: Raising Awareness and Empowering Rural Women

Balkan caravan spent the third day in Elbasan, Albania with hosts CLR and grantees – Psycho social center Vatra and Useful to the Community. There was organized raising awareness campaign in the main square where grantees informed citizens about their work and presented the handmade products of their beneficiaries.

Moreover, Balkan caravan visited center from organization Useful to the community, where were organized dialogue between local decision-makers and members of this organization about issues and challenges that rural women faces in their daily lives.

Final activity of this day was meeting in the Municipality of Elbasan with local organizations and representatives from the Department of Social Services of the Municipality of Vlora and the Directorate of Social Services of the Municipality of Elbasan. Participants discussed and exchanged their practices and challenges which lead to common conclusions in improving the services offered to citizens.

 

 

  1. Day of Balkan Caravan in Skoplje: Art, Music, and Inclusion

Balkan caravan arrived to Skopje at the Center for Youth Activism KRIK. We were joined by our grantee HERA and our partner from Macedonia, CDI Macedonia.

Participants had the opportunity to explore their facilities, admire artistic paintings and products made by beneficiaries, and enjoy in talk with colleagues from other countries. There were organized a dialogue between local institutions, local organizations and participants where they discussed situations in each country and shared the possible solutions for similar problems that they are facing. Additionally, participants gained a gift which are T-shirts that beneficiaries printed. They learned a printing process from workshops that were held through IRIS grants.

 

 

 

  1. Day of Balkan Caravan in Pristina: Advocating for Disability Rights

The fifth day Balkan Caravan spent in Prishtina with host, Down Syndrome Kosova. With representatives from public institutions, civil society, and members of Down Syndrome, participants had the opportunity to discuss issues related to the rights of individuals, with a special focus on disabilities and exchanging ideas and good practices.

Participants were particularly delighted by a musical performance by one of their talented beneficiaries. Additionally, there were presented artworks from the beneficiaries, including beautifully crafted greeting cards. Hosts showed participants their space and presented their work in order to transmit their good practices to others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Day of Balkan Caravan in Novi Pazar

The last day of Balkan caravan was spent in main park and hosted by the Association of Psychologists in Novi Pazar. The day featured open-space events with presentations from 20 organizations, offering a variety of workshops, exhibitions, and showcases of their work.

In addition to the outdoor stands, there were presentations of projects and initiatives by Iris grantees, including the Altruist Association from Bosnia and Herzegovina, NVO Medpak from Albania, the Jesuit Refugee Service from Serbia and the Evo Ruka Association from Serbia. The association “Halfway There” also held a quiz for youth on internet safety, engaging and educating participants on this important topic.

 


This activity, Balkan Caravan is held in the framework of the EU-funded project “Strengthening capacities and policy engagement of community service providers – IRIS PROGRESS”, funded by the EU. Project partners on the project are ASB (Germany), Center for Labour Rights (Albania), CDI (North Macedonia), Alfa Center (Montenegro), Center for Independent Life (Kosovo*) and LIR CD (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Balkan Caravan – Call for participants

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In the framework of the EU-funded project “Strengthening capacities and policy engagement of
community service providers – IRIS PROGRESS”, IRIS Network is organizing Balkan Caravan and is opening a call for participants.

 

ABOUT BALKAN CARAVAN

Balkan Caravan is an eight-day event which purpose is to promote and exchange best human rights and social inclusion practices in Western Balkan countries. Balkan Caravan will visit each of the Western Balkan countries participating in Iris Progress project (Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo*, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina). In each of the countries a Mini Human Rights Festival will be organized by host organization and partners of Iris network.

The duration of the whole Balkan Caravan will be 6 days (plus 2 days for travel to the Balkan caravan
and return) – 1 day in each city / country. It will take place from 8 – 13 July 2024. The 6 selected
participants for the Balkan Caravan will be divided into 2 groups. Group 1 will travel through BiH,
Montenegro and Albania in the duration of 3 days and Group 2 will travel through North Macedonia,
Kosovo* and Serbia in the duration of 3 days.

The Balkan Caravan route is as follows: Mostar (BiH), Niksic (Montenegro), Elbasan (Albania), Skopje
(North Macedonia), Pristina (Kosovo*) and Novi Pazar (Serbia)

ABOUT CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS

Through this Call for Balkan Caravan participants from 6 Iris Network member
organizations will be selected. The selected participants will travel with the Balkan Caravan through
Western Balkan countries mentioned above and participate in the Mini Human Rights Festival,
organized in each country, by presenting a best practice from their organization in form of a 10 minute
video to the festival participants.

 

What do we expect from you?

· To prepare a 10 minute video about your organization’s best practice(s) in the provision of
social services and protection of human rights of vulnerable groups. The selected participants
will present their video at the Mini human rights festivals as part of Balkan Caravan. The video
should be in your native language.
· Willingness to learn about and exchange best practices with Iris Network members and other
CSOs in WB countries
· Recognize the need to increase professional capacity in provision of social services to
vulnerable groups, protection of human rights and transfer know how to your organization
· Willingness to travel as part of the Balkan Caravan through WB countries (Albania, North
Macedonia, Kosovo*, Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina)

 

How to apply

If you are interested in participating in the Balkan Caravan please send:
· 10 minute video about the best practice(s) of your organization
· your CV (1 page)
· 1 page cover letter that clearly states your motivation and your objectives/learning outcomes
from the Balkan Caravan
· Recommendation Letter from your current employer – IRIS Network member
to iris@iris-see.eu by 21 June 2024

 

Assessment of applications

The assessment will be based on the application submitted by the candidate. Please clearly indicate
in the motivation letter of your application:
· How the participation in the Balkan Caravan will impact your professional and your
organization’s capacities

Terms and conditions

The following costs will be covered:
· Travel costs to the city where the meeting point of the Balkan Caravan participants will be,
travel during the Balkan Caravan and return travel costs to your city
· Accommodation costs
· Meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner during the Balkan Caravan

 

Please note that this Call is open only to staff members and/or volunteers of IRIS Network member
organizations.

Granting facility of IRIS Progress – Newsletter 2024.

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In the past period, IRIS Network awarded 13 small grants to its members to improve their social service provision and enhance local initiatives for advocacy in the social sphere.

 

This newsletter presents stories of our members, their innovative projects, and steps towards achieving our common goal – advancing social inclusion and providing support to the most vulnerable groups in our community.

Newsletter is available here – Granting Facility of IRIS PROGRESS

 

This Newsletter is realized within the framework of the project “Capacity strengthening and policy engagement of community service providers – Iris Progress”, funded by the European Union

TENDER FOR PROVISION OF MENTORING FOR LICENSING AND INCREASING QUALITY STANDARDS SERVICES – Tender ref.no.: PDT BOS 2303-001

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We are informing you that on 29.03.2024. the organization LIR Civil Society is opening the procurement for provision of mentoring for licensing and increasing quality standards services, reference number PDT BOS 2303-001, within the project “Strengthening capacities and policy engagement of community service providers – IRIS PROGRES” funded by the European Union, represented by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia.

 

All interested bidders may send a request for the tender documentation to the e-mail lircd@blic.net.

 

The deadline for submitting offers is April 15, 2024. at 12:00 hours.

TENDER FOR PROVISION OF MENTORING FOR LICENSING AND INCREASING QUALITY STANDARDS SERVICES – Tender ref.no.: 2022/441-183-P3

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We are informing you that on 29/03/2024 the organization NGO Alfa Centar is opening the procurement for provision of mentoring for licensing and increasing quality standards services, reference number 2022/441-183-P3, within the project “Strengthening capacities and policy engagement of community service providers – IRIS PROGRES” funded by the European Union, represented by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia.

 

All interested bidders may send a request for the tender documentation to the e-mail alfacentar@t-com.me .

 

The deadline for submitting offers is April 15, 2024. at 12:00 hours.

TENDER FOR PROVISION OF MENTORING FOR LICENSING AND INCREASING QUALITY STANDARDS SERVICES – CLR-IRIS 2022/441-183

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We are informing you that on 25.03.2024. the organization Centre for Labour Rights (CLR) is opening the procurement for provision of mentoring for licensing and increasing quality standards services, reference number CLR-IRIS 2022/441-183, within the project “Strengthening capacities and policy engagement of community service providers – IRIS PROGRES” funded by the European Union, represented by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia.

 

All interested bidders may send a request for the tender documentation to the e-mail info@clr.al

 

The deadline for submitting offers is April 8, 2024. at 12:00 hours.

TENDER FOR PROVISION OF MENTORING FOR LICENSING AND INCREASING QUALITY STANDARDS SERVICES – Tender ref.no.: IRIS – CDI 07-01/2024

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We are informing you that on 20.03.2024. the organization Community Development Institute (CDI) is opening the procurement for provision of mentoring for licensing and increasing quality standards services, reference number IRIS – CDI 07-01/2024, within the project “Strengthening capacities and policy engagement of community service providers – IRIS PROGRES” funded by the European Union, represented by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia.

 

All interested bidders may send a request for the tender documentation to the e-mail info@cdi.mk

 

The deadline for submitting offers is April 4, 2024. at 12:00 hours.

TENDER FOR PROVISION OF MENTORING FOR LICENSING AND INCREASING QUALITY STANDARDS SERVICES – Tender ref.no.: CIL-IRIS 2024/ KOS* T1

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We are informing you that on 20.03.2024. the organization Center for Independent Life (CIL) is opening the procurement for provision of mentoring for licensing and increasing quality standards services, reference number CIL-IRIS 2024/ KOS* T1, within the project “Strengthening capacities and policy engagement of community service providers – IRIS PROGRESS” funded by the European Union, represented by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia.

 

All interested bidders may send a request for the tender documentation to the e-mail qjp_2001@hotmail.com

 

The deadline for submitting offers is April 4, 2024. at 12:00 hours.

TENDER FOR PROVISION OF MENTORING FOR LICENSING AND INCREASING QUALITY STANDARDS SERVICES – Tender ref.no.: IDC – IRIS 2022 SER T4

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We are informing you that on 29.02.2024. the organization Initiative for Development and Cooperation is opening the procurement for provision of mentoring for licensing and increasing quality standards services, reference number IDC – IRIS 2022 SER T4, within the project “Strengthening capacities and policy engagement of community service providers – IRIS PROGRES” funded by the European Union, represented by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia.

 

All interested bidders may send a request for the tender documentation to the e-mail procurement@idcserbia.org .

 

The deadline for submitting offers is March 15, 2024. at 12:00 hours.

 

 

Mentoring for licensing and increasing quality standards – IRIS Network

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The IRIS Network is launching a Call for Mentoring support program for IRIS national networks member organizations from 6 countries: Albania, Kosovo*, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Overall objective is to achieve stronger capacity of the CSOs to impact on decision making process in protection of human rights and anti-discrimination policies of marginalized groups in WB region

Specific objectives:

  1. a) to increase quality of social services provided to vulnerable groups through service licencing
  2. b) to increase organizational capacity and contribute to institutional sustainability
  3. c) to apply the Human Rights Based Approach and gender mainstreaming into programming

 

IRIS Member organisations fulfilling the following criteria are eligible to apply:

  • Be a publicly recognised, legal non-profit making entity under the relevant laws, where such laws exist;
  • Are a local organisation;
  • Registered minimum 1 year before this Mentoring program is announced;
  • Located and operating within the target countries;
  • Working in the area of social inclusion and provision of social services on local level;
  • Have a clearly defined focus for improvement of delivery of the social services;
  • Have clear decision-making mechanism independent from the government;
  • Have strategic determination towards acquiring state licence for provision of social services in the targeted country;
  • Are able to prove basic human, technical and institutional capacities for acquiring licence.

 

Main output of this Call is: at least 30 CSOs initiated the licensing process or have developed strategic / action plan for specific social services in accordance with CSO needs and required documentation for licencing process in accordance with standards for development of services; at least 30 CSOs are applying the Human Rights Based Approach and gender mainstreaming into programming.

 

How to apply and procedure to follow?

Applications should be written in English language. Applicant must submit and filled out next documents:

With application documents, Applicants must send the following additional documentation (scanned):

  • Scanned copy of Registration of organization;
  • Scanned copy of Statute of organization;

 

All documents should be submitted in electronic format, with scanned pages where signature and stamp is needed.

Incomplete applications, applications submitted by any other means and/or forms than provided in this document will not be taken in consideration.

 

Deadline for submission of applications

Applications should be sent to email address of partner in each country which are listed below and Cc: iris@iris-see.eu no later than 1st of March 2024 with email subject stating “Mentoring program – CSOs”.

Serbia – IDC Serbia – jelena.l@idcserbia.org

BiH – Local Initiative for Development Civil Society (LIR CD) – maja.stojcevic@lircd.org

Montenegro – Alfa Center – alfacentar@t-com.me

North Macedonia  – Community Development Institute (CDI) – cdi.zivorad@gmail.com

Kosovo* – Center for Independent Living – qjp_2001@hotmail.com

Albania – Center for Labour Rights – gertjanahasalla@gmail.com