Social inclusion is an important factor in empowering people from vulnerable groups living in the Municipality of Raška. It is one of the three activities implemented within the project "Building and Working Toward Inclusive Raška - European Housing Support and Active Involvement Program." This project is supported by socially disadvantaged families belonging to the Roma community, women victims of domestic violence and people with disabilities.

The project includes three support packages: 1) housing support, 2) active inclusion (employability, employment) and 3) good governance through the introduction of anti-discrimination rules of conduct for persons in the public and private sectors.

A total of 25 families (about 75 people) shall be supported with improved current housing conditions and improved community integration. Members of supported families shall receive support in exercising social and economic rights, but also in strengthening work competencies in order to improve their labor market status.

A total of 18 families from the local Roma community shall receive housing support through the new-built social housing in the settlement of Kučevski lug in Raška. Further two families from the same Roma community shall be housed in two social houses on the territory of the Municipality of Raška. Five persons with disabilities and/or women victims of domestic violence shall improve their living conditions by rehabilitating, adapting or reconstructing their houses by allocating and installing construction material packages.

50 members from 25 families who are project beneficiaries shall be mandatory involved in trainings organized by private employers and public companies toward improve employability. All of this is aimed to: activate members of beneficiary families into the wider community, reduce the risk of social exclusion, increase individual employment capacity and create preconditions for fuller realization of social entitlements and other rights.

The project is implemented by the Municipality of Raška with partners the Center for Social Work Raška and the civil society organization Ecumenical Humanitarian Organization from Novi Sad. The donor of the project is the European Union and it is co-financed from the funds of the Municipality of Raška. The value of the project is 796,100 euros. The duration of the project is from July 1, 2021 to October 30, 2022.

The project "Building and Working Toward Inclusive Raška - European Housing Support and Active Involvement Program" is implemented within the program of Support of the European Union to social housing and active inclusion. The program in Serbia is implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

Holder: Municipality of Raška; Partners: Center for Social Work Raška and Ecumenical Humanitarian Organization;

Tags: http://social-housing.euzatebe.rs/rs; https://www.raska.gov.rs/; @unops_serbia

Grant Manager: Sladjana Jovanovic> sladjana@ehons.org