24 months  (22 December 2009 – 21 December 2011)
 

Project aims at development of a model for an inclusive welfare system which promotes effective and efficient social policy at all levels, and demonstrates social innovation, thus contributes to the reduction of poverty, inequality and social exclusion.
 

(1) To improve system of social services to improve quality of life of socially excluded groups;
(2) To promote and secure pluralism of services through strengthened professional capacities to address key issues of socially excluded groups;
(3) To raise awareness across municipalities of Zenica-Doboj Canton of the mixed model of social care and of social inclusion; and
(4) To reduce the deliberate marginalization or segregation of individuals or groups within a local community
 

Društvo socijalnih radnika Zeničko-dobojskog kantona
NGO Alternative – Kakanj
 

Social policy makers and service providers (both, existing and potential ones) at the local and cantonal (where relevant) level, like: public institutions/authorities, local NGOs, and beneficiaries of social services.
 

Public officials (municipality/canton), Centers for Social Work, and other public and private social care institutions and service providers, local NGOs, and representatives of beneficiaries of social services, etc. It is estimated that around 600 beneficiaries will be directly involved in this action. Geographical target are at least six municipalities of Zenica-Doboj Canton, where around 10% of population (over 30.000 inhabitants) is registered as direct beneficiaries of some kind of social services.
 

(1) All stakeholders joint efforts to overcome the difficult situation within the field of social care (the individual and isolated efforts of individual institutions/organizations are sporadic);
(2) Key actors in the field of social welfare at the local level, have compatible capacities to promote the principle of social inclusion of endangered groups and individuals and to raise awareness within the wider community about active participation in the fight against social exclusion;
(3) Institutional framework for the cooperation and coordination of state and non-state actors in the field of social welfare is in place
(4) The social care activities targeting the reduction of social exclusion influence those elements of exclusion that are not only the consequences, but also the causes, of increased poverty
 

(1) the replication of the model derived from experiences from Zenica and Kakanj in at least four new municipalities, including support to design of municipal plans of development of social protection);
(2) further improvements in monitoring, evaluation and review of existing municipal plans of development of social protection,
(3) capacity building activities for public servants, NGOs and private sector, on participatory planning, community needs assessment, SWOT analysis, quality control standards and assessment tools, etc.
(4) public awareness campaign on benefits of mixed system of social care in the local community,  and
(5) dissemination of good practice.
 

European Union (EIDHR)
Royal Netherlands Embassy (MATRA/KAP Program)