Tim za socijalno uključivanje i smanjenje siromaštva

Social innovation is viewed as “new ideas that work”. A social innovation can be a practice, process, product, service, business model, instrument and methodology, or a combination of all of the above, aimed at providing a better response to an unmet need or social issue.

In late February 2019 the Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction Unit of the Government of the Republic of Serbia called on local self-government units from Šumadija and Western Serbia, and from Southern and Eastern Serbia, in partnership with local civil society organizations, to become initiators of social innovation that places people at the centre, improves the everyday life of all citizens and changes social relations, recognizing new methods of cooperation and a readiness to create new ties that promote intersectoral cooperation, with the aim of responding to key social needs of vulnerable social groups in their local communities.

In this regard, two one-day trainings for applicants were held in Belgrade on 15 and 16 April 2019, as part of the public call “Advancing the Status of Vulnerable Social Groups through the Development of Innovative Models for Social Inclusion at the Local Level”, for project proposals that have passed the first round of evaluations. The topic was social innovation and project logframe. The training was attended by nearly 40 representatives of local self-government units and civil society organizations.

The Programme of local initiatives for social inclusion and poverty reduction – Support to the development of innovative models for social inclusion – LIP 2 is being implemented for the second time by the Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction Unit of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, with support by the Swiss Government through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The programme is being implemented with the aim of improving the status of vulnerable groups in society (women, youth, Roma, migrants, persons with disabilities), particularly those living in rural and extremely impoverished areas, through the improvement of existing and setting up of new/innovative approaches, and/or innovative measures/services/programmes in local communities.