Summary of organization’s strategic orientation
Association for Development of Creativity is the association of citizens founded in Aleksinac in February 1997, with the aim of improving of the local community and developing civic values. Since 1997 up to now, more than 5,000 young people and adults of different cultural, social and ethnic backgrounds have undergone the Association’s programs and projects. Associates of the Association are constantly improving their work and their capacities, contributing to the development of the local community as well as the development of civil society in Southeast Serbia.
The Association implements projects and programs intended for young people, the elderly, women and all other categories of residents belong to any form of marginalized groups today, not only in the local community but also in the wider area.
Field of action: active participation in the development of local communities, strengthening citizen activism by supporting civic initiatives as well as the cooperation of all community members with the aim of developing the potential and quality of civil society. Areas of activity: – Strengthening civil society and transformation of public authority into a service for citizens by creating conditions for communication and mutual positive influence between civil society and public authority; Empowerment and active inclusion of marginal groups in social flows; Advocating for gender equality and supporting civil initiatives; Creation of conditions for more intensive involvement of young people in public life; Strengthening own capacities; Providing support and assistance to marginalized groups.
Summary of the supported project
The project foundation is based on real data on the unpreparedness and ability of citizens to react in various crisis situations. Security issues affecting women and other vulnerable groups in local communities are rarely taken into account when formulating local security policies.
The “Extraordinary” project is intended to empower women’s organizations and women in three regions of Serbia (Nišava, Kolubara and Pirot) in the field of action in emergency and crisis situations and, accordingly, the improvement of public security policies at all levels.
The project target groups:
- Women’s CSOs from 3 regions (18 organizations of which 3 are leadership and 15 are local rural or urban women’s organizations) for participation in trainings, workshops and the consultation process.
- Women from three regions, rural and urban environments, participants in research and empowerment workshops.
- The representatives of decision-makers, local authorities and public institutions from 6 municipalities in 3 regions (Aleksinac and Ražanj – Nišava, Lazarevac and Mionica – Kolubara, Pirot and Babušnica – Pirot region) for the research and consultative process.
Project goal(s)
The general objective is the contribution to the strengthening of civil society organizations for their stronger and more active role in the creation and promotion of peaceful inclusive societies.
Specific objective(s):
- The improvement of the women’s CSOs capacities for greater social action in crisis and emergency situations and improving local security policies.
2. Promotion of security and stability and sensitizing the wider public for planned and organized action in crisis situations.
Beneficiaries
Generally, the project “Extraordinary” is intended to empower women’s organizations and women in three regions of Serbia (Nišava, Kolubara and Pirot) in the field of action in emergency and crisis situations and, accordingly, the improvement of public security policies at all levels.
- The project strengthens women’s organizations in three regions of Serbia, their capacities for responding in emergency situations. It also strengthens the security capacities and acting in emergency and crisis situations. Furthermore, the organizations strengthen themselves for better management in crisis situations and the establishment of crisis management, which improves their management capacities.
- Women from the involved regions are more informed about security and crisis situations and encouraged to become more intensively involved in the work of local women’s organizations. Furthermore, the women are encouraged to take greater role in activism in their own local environments, and to increase knowledge about acting in crisis situations.
- The representatives of decision-makers, local authorities and public institutions receive new resources. They also get opportunities for the development of quality local policies in the area of security and to increase the degree of gender equality. The representatives are provided with the opportunity to network, exchange the experience and to establish cooperation with other participating municipalities and organizations.
- All other CSOs, citizens, representatives of institutions and local administrations, the media in all three involved regions are more informed about organized action in crisis situations. They feel safer and have a safe environment.
Main activities
1. Research;
2. Strengthening the CSOs capacities;
3. Volunteer training in emergency situations of local women’s CSOs;
4. Empowerment workshops;
5. Consultative process:
5.1. Initiative meetings;
5.2. Round tables;
6. Campaign:
6.1. Media campaign;
6.2. Final event.
