Summary of organization’s strategic orientation:
CEPORA – Center for Positive Youth Development is a CSO from Belgrade, founded in 2011, with the vision that every child has optimal conditions for positive development. Our team consists of experts from science and practice in the field of social and humanities, with many years of experience in working with children and young people from different social groups. The activities of the association are focused on: 1) direct work with children and youth through the organization of a large number of always free programs for children and youth in various social environments; 2) empowering other experts who work with children and youth in the fields of social protection, education, youth work and culture and art, through the organization of training programs, trainings, conferences, round tables and forums and the preparation of publications for practitioners in these fields; 3) improvement of the child and youth care system through the implementation of advocacy initiatives, primarily in the areas of social protection and youth work, namely through participation in working groups, organizing events for networking, exchange and improvement of cooperation between the public and civil sectors, making comparative analyzes and research with the presentation of research results, making proposals for policy improvement, cooperation with the academic community and participation in important sector events. So far, we have successfully implemented over 120 local, national and international projects in which over 20,000 young people have been directly empowered. In addition to permanent employees, a large number of professional and scientific associates participate in the work of the organization, as well as over 90 volunteers on an annual basis. We have a developed program of scientific research work and experience in leading research projects at the national level. We are especially focused on supporting young people in alternative care. In the CSO sector, we have built a position as an expert organization and we actively participate in the work of three associations focused on working with children and youth (NAPOR, KOMS, MODS), and through our work and the work of the association, we contribute to improving the image of the civil sector in society and strengthening trust in CSOs.
Summary of the supported project:
The project includes the implementation of two groups of activities: the implementation of a national survey on the resources and capacities of CSOs to provide support to young people after the end of alternative care and the organization of a national conference focused on the promotion of CSO resources and the networking of CSOs and the public sector in the area of support for young people in alternative care. As a result of the conducted research, a publication will be created with the results of the research on the resources and capacities of CSOs to provide support to young people after the end of alternative care and a catalog of available support programs. Publishing the catalog will clearly map the resources and capacities of CSOs for the implementation of youth support programs after the end of alternative care. The organization of a national conference in which about 100 experts from the public and civil sector from different geographical areas will take part, along with well-designed activities at the conference aimed at connecting, raising motivation and emotional engagement of participants, will contribute to a high level of networking of public and civil sector actors aimed at supporting young people in alternative care. Interactions at the event and additional incentives through the performance, examples of good practice and work in small groups will increase the readiness of the public and civil sector to cooperate in the field of providing support to young people after the end of alternative care. By clearly informing the actors of the public sector in the field of social protection (centers for social work, homes for children and youth without parental care and centers for family accommodation and adoption) about the active resources of CSOs in the field of support for young people in the process of independence, the promotion of CSOs as partners that provide quality programs to support young people in the process of independence, as well as encouraged direct cooperation processes will contribute to the goal of CSOs being recognized as a significant and active resource in providing support to young people after the end of alternative care.
Project goal(s):
General goal:
Improving the recognition of civil society organizations as an important and active resource in providing support to young people after the end of alternative care in Serbia.
Specific objectives:
- Mapping the resources and capacities of civil society organizations for the implementation of youth support programs after the end of alternative care.
- Raising the readiness of the public and civil sector for cooperation in the field of providing support to young people after the end of alternative care.
Beneficiaries:
Two key target groups will benefit from the project:
- Civil society organizations that implement programs for young people from vulnerable groups
- Representatives of the public sector from the social protection system
Final beneficiaries are: young people without parental care in the process of becoming independent, i.e. young people leaving the system of alternative care (institution-based and foster care accommodation).
- Through the implementation of a national survey on the resources and capacities of civil society organizations to provide support to young people after the end of alternative care, the available support programs provided by CSOs will be mapped, the results of the research and the catalog of support programs will be presented as part of a publication that was distributed to over 150 public sector actors from the social protection system.
- Through the realization of the national conference, over 100 actors from the social protection system from the public and civil sectors will be networked and their motivation for cooperation in the field of support for young people leaving the system of alternative care will be raised.
Main activities:
Activity 1. National research
Activity 1.1. Preparing a research study
Activity 1.2. Desk analysis
Activity 1.3. Field data collection
Activity 1.4. Data analysis and processing
Activity 1.5. Preparation of a publication with research results and a catalog of support programs provided by CSOs
Activity 1.6. Dissemination of the publication to public sector actors
Activity 2. National conference
Activity 2.1. Organizational preparation of the conference
Activity 2.2. Conducting the conference
Activity 2.3. Promotion of the conference
