First forum session in the South-East Planning Region

The holding of the first forum session on March 10, 2022 announced the start of the process of Regional Community Forums in the South-East Planning Region, financially supported by the Ministry of Local Self-Government and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation through the project “Sustainable and Inclusive Balanced Regional Development 2” phase. ”

The first forum session was divided into two parts, as project ideas and solutions were proposed in two Programs, as follows:

  • Program for projects through MLS / SDC Grant Scheme and
  • Program for balanced regional development for 2022 with indicatively planned funds for 2023 of MLS / BRR.

In the first part of the Grant Scheme Program, it is planned to allocate funds for a project of at least 320 thousand euros. For that purpose, the forum participants who were from different categories of citizens from the South-East Planning Region (from the Units of Local Self-Government, Municipal Councils, NGOs, business sector and other interested citizens) had the opportunity to identify and define priority regional issues for each of previously identified priority areas.

In the second part of the day, the participants proposed project ideas for the Program for balanced regional development for 2022 with indicatively planned funds for 2023, where about 750 thousand euros are available for the implementation of projects of regional importance.

Over 70 participants in the forum actively participated in identifying the problems affecting the South-East region, discussed, and also proposed solutions to overcome the problems in order to improve the living conditions of all citizens in the region, which is of particular importance for successful implementation of the regional forum process. In the following period, based on the identified challenges from the first forum session, conceptual solutions will be developed for both Programs that will be further presented to the Council for Development of the South-East Planning Region and to the present participants in the second forum session, which is planned to take place at the end of April 2022.

The project „Academy for reintegration of marginalized persons” – an example of how a region can be developed sustainably in the field of social inclusion

Creating equal opportunities for socially disadvantaged persons in employment, improving the services offered in the region through the Program for reintegration into society, opportunities for further education, vocational training and other forms of learning through working with modern food production machines. These are part of the results achieved through the project implemented by the Centre for development of the South-East planning region in partnership with the Association for counseling, treatment, reintegration and re-socialization of persons addicted to psychoactive substances – “IZBOR”.

The idea was enrichment of the Program for reintegration of socially vulnerable persons, that is offered in the region, with modern resources that will help create conditions for sustainable development through smooth delivery of services and products to end users: vulnerable groups of citizens in need of training and employment, companies in need of skilled workers and buyers in need of quality and safe organic agricultural and bakery products.

Exactly that was made possible through the implementation of the project, the existing services in the South-East region were improved for better inclusion of the marginalized persons in the labor market through procurement of equipment intended for organic production of fruits and vegetables, bakery, packaging and labeling of powdered and granular products, gardening and floriculture. With the help of the purchased equipment and the Programs offered by the Association “IZBOR”, socially disadvantaged people can acquire skills that will contribute to being independent, useful in society and qualified in the labor market.

During the implementation period, three persons were employed who currently acquire work skills within the Reintegration Program, and in the next period, additional employment of persons who are already in the rehabilitation phase in the Association “IZBOR” is expected.

This approach fully complies with the EU’s priorities and strategies in the fight against social exclusion by providing quality jobs, better and better quality of life for vulnerable groups and people who have been on the unemployment list for a long time due to their lifestyle.

The duration of the implementation of „Academy for reintegration of marginalized persons“ was 9 months within the project Sustainable and inclusive balanced regional development, financed by the Ministry of local self-government and the Swiss Agency for development and cooperation.