Paul Wafer, Head of DFID Serbia office, visiting a social inclusion project in Paraćin, implemented by recently reformed social welfare centre

Since 2002, DFID has been supporting the social welfare reform initiatives of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. With our assistance the ministry has started supporting community-based social services in municipalities across the country. The decentralisation of services to the local level is a key priority.  

The Government of Serbia has a national strategy for the development of social welfare which was adopted in December 2005. The Strategy takes forward commitments from the PRSP (Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper) such as achieving better targeting, putting in place specific programmes for particularly vulnerable groups like the Roma and refugees, developing professional standards, and improving the public’s knowledge and understanding about the different types of social services that are provided. 

With its last project that started in 2006, DFID has been assisting the Serbian Ministry of labour and social policy to develop social protection services of better quality, to deliver them in a more efficient way and to make them more accessible to citizens. This is to be achieved by:

• Improving functioning of the Ministry of labour and social policy to plan and coordinate diverse system of social protection services. This process includes legislation improvement, developing standards, licensing  and control system for provision of social services at decentralized manner
• Improving ability of municipal administrations and local organisations to plan, finance, manage and deliver quality social services in their municipalities
• Development and providing support to new, community based and needs driven social protection services
• Building a sustainable financing system, which ensures more equitable delivery of social services to vulnerable groups

Success story

Support makes a change

At 18 years of age, Sinisa Vukojevic has grown up without parental care, and this year faces the daunting challenge of living on his own. Every year Serbia sees some 300 young people just like Sinisa, who has relied on the social welfare system during childhood, via the care offered by institutions or foster families, and is now looking to become a self-sufficient adult. 

The major challenge these young adults face is in finding a job that would enable them to live a decent independent  life - something that is further threatened by Serbia’s high unemployment rate, which is close to 20%.

Since 2002, DFID has been supporting the social welfare reform initiatives of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy to combat problems just like this one. Social welfare reform takes on commitments from Serbia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), such as developing professional standards, improving awareness of the types of social services on offer and establishing programmes for vulnerable groups of people, such as young adults without parental care.

An example of how the reforms are helping improve people’s lives is in the response to the problem facing young adults in Sinisa’s position. Serbia’s Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, (with the cooperation of both the Chamber of Commerce and National Employment Agency), organised a job fair in Belgrade for youngsters leaving institutions this year, and plans more events across the country.

Out of 50 youngsters who attended the fair, eight of them have so far found employment.

One of these is Sinisa, who grew up in an institution for children without parental care in Pancevo. He came into contact with his current employer, a chain of hypermarkets called Tempo, when he submitted his CV to them at the fair.

“I was offered a job position in sales,” says Sinisa. “At the moment, I have a three month contract, with a possible extension after the probation period. I am very happy with this job. I graduated in year three from agricultural school and now I am undertaking further education in order to finish the fourth grade of secondary school and at the same time I can keep working.”

Around 40 companies participated in the fair, the first of its kind ever organised in Serbia. It has proved a valuable way for qualified youngsters to establish direct contact with potential employers, and in the long run may even lessen the burden on the social welfare system itself.

“Once they obtain the necessary qualifications, finding employment for youngsters without parental care is the most important thing for them”, said Minister Rasim Ljajic at the fair’s opening. “Reform of the social welfare system also includes activities that prevent further dependence on the social welfare system for people who are qualified and able to work.” 

DFID has also supported the Ministry in its activities aimed at improving communication with the public and in other extraordinary events like the job fair.