Donor: International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Duration: April 2019 – September 2019
The project is implemented under the program of the Swiss-Serbian Migration Partnership, which was created based on the expressed needs of the competent institutions of the Republic of Serbia. The goal of the program is to contribute to strengthening and improving of the social protection of migrants in Serbia through increasing the availability and quality of social services and support programs in local communities. Within this program, the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights will conduct a project aimed at strengthening the capacities of the centers for social work and youth workers, as well as the improvement of cross-sectoral cooperation with the active involvement of the migrants themselves.
This project seeks to expand the community-based protection services that are provided to vulnerable migrants through capacity building of centres for social work, municipal youth offices and other actors. By improving access and availability of social care services and community-based protection programs migrant population will be less vulnerable and more likely to integrate into Serbian society.
BCHR will work on improving the capacity of local actors working with migrants and particularly unaccompanied children through series of trainings on the rights of the child.
Current social protection models will be assessed through participative research. Research will be directed at both the migrants and service providers, with focus on vulnerable groups and with attention to gender sensitive issues. Field research through focus groups and individual in-depth interviews with migrant population and professionals will be conducted as part of an inclusive and participative process. A sustainable strategy model for greater coordination aimed towards local protection and psychosocial service providers including centres for social work, youth offices, NGOs and institutions will be created. The strategy will propose clear rules of conduct among different state institutions, included in the system of migrant protection for a coordinated system alongside uniform practice and compatible action while increased accountability for mandated responsibilities should be enabled.
Youth workers will receive training on international law and social rights of migrants to gain understanding of their particular needs and vulnerabilities. The curriculum of the training will consist the following topics: refugee rights, working with young refugees, outreach and detached methodology, integration of refugees through youth work activities, social inclusion and cohesion and cross-sector cooperation.
