Project Title: Better Social Inclusion through strengthened IRIS CSOs Network
Lead applicant:
The LIR Civil Society (LIR CS)
Kralja Petra II no. 9, 78 000 Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Phone/Fax: +387 65 538 216, 051 926 260
Contact person: Biljana Zgonjanin, biljana.zgonjanin@lircd.org
Website: www.lircd.org, https://www.facebook.com/lircd.org
Co-applicant:
Arbeiter-Samariter- Bund Deutschland e.V. (ASB)
Aleja Bosne Srebrene 60, 71 000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Phone/Fax: +387 33 468 366
Contact person: Elmir Bojadžić, elmir.bojadzic@asb-see.org
Website: www.asb-see.org, www.asb.de
Implementation Period: 01.01.2021. – 01.01.2024.
Project amount: 544,823.00 EUR
Geographical area: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Project Description:
The intended impact of the Action is to empower IRIS CSOs network to be effective, capable, transparent and accountable independent actors to support vulnerable groups, to improve their capacity for dialogue with governments influencing policy and decision-making processes and to promote Social Entrepreneurship. The Action envisages a balanced mix of capacity building, advocacy actions, social policy influencing and awareness raising followed by activities directly contributing to reduce social exclusion of vulnerable groups, building a more resilient and inclusive society, promoting social innovation-social entrepreneurship and advocating for positive societal changes in the communities. Through both of the Pillars of Activities, LIR CD and ASB will strengthen capacities and efforts of CSOs social service providers, public official and SDI local municipalities to provide analysis, advocacy and monitoring of reforms in the Social service delivery (SSD) sector at entity and national level. Also, by involving a wide range of public stakeholders from beginning in the events like Advocacy campaign, Peer review, Shadow report the action will improve the environment for civil activism and state-civil society dialogue at national level on SSD reforms. Finally, by supporting CSOs network to reach quality standards through Annual briefings, Social academy-promoting and developing SE, Trainings, SGF, Mentoring, the partners will contribute to improvement of the legitimacy, transparency and accountability of CSOs providing social services in BiH. Additionally, the financial assistance will be provided to CSOs social service providers as third parties. Also, the visibility of the action and of the EU funding will be secured throughout conducting project activities, media campaign and media caravan to reinforce freedom of expression and promote equality in the media.
Overall objective:
Empowerment of the CSOs to be effective and accountable independent actors and to improve their capacity for dialogue with governments influencing policy and decision-making processes and legislation related to social development.
Specific objectives:
1. To enhance the impact of civil society by strengthening capacities of CSOs network of social service providers for actively engaging in social inclusion and innovative services,
2. To engage in structured civic dialogue with governments at all levels promoting CSOs’ involvement in public decision-making and reform processes to improve social service delivery for vulnerable groups and increase awareness of role and importance of social entrepreneurship.
Final beneficiaries: The Action is focused on two main final beneficiaries and target groups:
1. Socially Vulnerable groups (elderly people, PwDs, GB/DV, Youth at risk, Migrants/EVI), at least 450 participated in Living Library, Forum Theatre and Family Group conferences workshops.
2. Network CSO Beneficiaries: a) at least 30 IRIS network members-CSOs social services providers build their capacities; b) at least 15 CSOs received grants to initiate advocacy /social innovation-entrepreneurship pilot projects; c) at least 10 CSOs received mentoring programme to increase accountability, effectiveness and standards for development of social services, d) at least 60 member of IRIS network trained on organisational planning-efficient management, accountability, good governance, networking, fundraising, e) at least 45 CSOs and Gov’t representatives trained-Social enterprises academy-promotion of SE.
Target groups:
a) CSOs social service providers (IRIS network and developing Social enterprises), b) 3 Ministries in charge for the implementation of the social welfare policies in BiH and 70 municipal public officials from 14 SDI municipalities directly involved in public-civil partnerships in SSD sector among key beneficiaries of local governments and other public institutions involved in implementation of social welfare policies and SE, c) All users of social services.
Project activities: The action is consisted of two main pillars – directions of intervention:
Pillar 1: Empowering CSOs network-social inclusion of vulnerable groups:
1.1 Partnership building and network meetings,
1.2 Small Grant Facility (SGF) to initiate advocacy issues/ social innovation – entrepreneurship pilot projects
1.3. Mentoring programme for CSOs
1.4. Peer review instrument as monitoring tool
1.5 Social academy-development of SE
1.6 Organisation of Living library, Forum Theatre and Family Group Conferences workshops – tool for social inclusion in practice
1.7 Training for CSOs on social policy monitoring tools and evaluation of policies
1.8 Training for CSOs organisational planning-efficient management, accountability, good governance, networking and fundraising.
Pillar 2: Social Policy Influencing and Awareness raising
2.1 Gap Assessment-development in social innovation, SE, social services and funding
2.2. Public hearings to present Gap assessment
2.3 Advocacy campaign for positive societal changes
2.4 Annual briefings – improvement of quality of CSOs standards
2.5 Annual Shadow reports for monitoring efforts
2.6 Promotion of the CSO role in decision making process/Case studies on innovative social inclusion practices
2.7 Media campaign
2.8 Social Media caravan
Project results:
R1. Increased quality of social services provided by CSOs through capacity building activities/adequate Mentoring, Training, Workshop and SGF thus making CSOs more accountable partner in the SSD sector, R2. Increased social development and use of civil society networking initiatives for increased impact on SSD sector and SE though partnership meetings, public hearings, media campaign and advocacy actions envisaged in the SGF and LAP, R3. Dialogue between CSOs and government institutions significantly improved to enable direct influence on SSD sector through monitoring efforts -shadow reports, peer review, media caravan, R4. Public reforms of SSD sector in BiH successfully influenced through conducted Advocacy campaign and prepared LAP.