Belgrade, 16 December 2024 - As part of the "European Union Support to Social Housing and Active Inclusion" programme (EU SHAI), the event was held today, which marked the opening of the house for supported living for youth leaving the social care system in Belgrade.
There are too few services of this kind for young people who face great challenges. That is why this support of the European Union through UNOPS is so important. Young people who leave the system of alternative care - and there are dozens of them every year - cannot continue without support. Our house will provide an opportunity for nine young people to have safe accommodation while they become independent with the support of counsellors. That path is not easy, but it cannot even begin without a roof over your head and the warm and persistent support of those who want and are able to support. The European Union already enables ADRA to find and support thousands of those who are in a situation of homelessness and extreme poverty. Now we can also work on prevention, to prevent young people in particular from getting into that situation, said Igor Mitrović, Director of ADRA.
The “Step toward independence” project is implemented by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) with the overall aim to improve the provision of open community-based social care services to support the independent living and social inclusion of the most vulnerable young people.
“As we witness today, EU supports social inclusion and socioeconomic inegration of most vulnerable groups. We are determined to address every inequality and leave no one behind In this case we will contribute to the activities of our colleagues in ADRA, to facilitate the integration into the community of young people leaving the social care system”, said Elvira Alonso Rodriguez, Head of the First Department of Operations at the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia.
“And today I am privileged to share this moment where through ADRA we will support nine young people to have a basis for a better life”, she added.
Within the project, a house with three apartments was purchased and adapted, which will ensure adequate housing for nine young persons leaving the social care system. The apartments are also fully equipped with furniture and household appliances.
“Today we witness the tangible results of our collective efforts, which will provide a home, a fresh start, and a brighter future for nine young people leaving the social care system. Youth represent the future, and this project goes beyond housing—it offers them opportunities to pursue education, find employment, and develop the skills needed to become independent and thrive. This milestone is a testament to the joint efforts of UNOPS, the European Union, national institutions and civil society organizations to provide adequate support to the most vulnerable population”, said Michela Telatin, Director of the UNOPS Serbia Multi-Country Office.
In addition to the provision of adequate housing, young people will be provided with tailor-made support in order to reach their full potential. This includes improving everyday life skills through different workshops and consultations, as well as comprehensive support in education and employment to ensure their better inclusion in society.
"For young people like me, these programs mean much more than just a roof over our heads – they teach us how to stand on our own two feet and how to rely on our strengths and potential, but also to recognize opportunities in the environment and not miss out on opportunities”, says Lazar, who is a beneficiary of the social care service Supported housing for youth.
ADRA also organises different workshops at their Community Centre, aimed at providing young people with relevant information and resources, empowering them in the process of becoming independent, as well as finding educational or employment opportunities that fit their aspirations.
“Now I know that I have something to offer - not only in school but also outside of it. At the workshops, I realized how important it is to work on myself, for example, how to deal with stress, how to develop healthy interpersonal relationships and how important a support network is or how to present myself to a future employer and how an interview should be conducted on working conditions”, says Anđela, who attends the workshops organised by ADRA.
The project is implemented with the “European Union Support to Social Housing and Active Inclusion” programme, funded by the European Union (27 million Euros) and implemented by UNOPS. Through 19 social housing and active inclusion projects, the Programme aims to provide adequate housing solutions and tailor-made active inclusion measures for 350 vulnerable families. In addition within the Programme, five small-scale infrastructure projects have been implemented, to improve living conditions in the substandard settlements across Serbia. This project is a part of the last Open Call aimed at providing support to civil society organisations, through the provision of new premises for the provision of social care services and the establishment of new and improvement of existing innovative open community-based social care services.