EU4SocialCare (Enhancing Local Social Care Services partnerships with citizens and toward EU Standards)
Lead UNICEF Albania & co-lead World Vision Albania
Beneficiaries:
The Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MoHSP);
Academics/Universities;
14 Municipalities part of the program;
NGOs;
Families living in poverty, adults, children at risk of exclusion, people with disabilities, women and children, and survivors of violence and abuse.
12.2023-12.2026
Overall Objective
Enhancing Local Social Care Services partnerships with citizens and toward EU Standards:
(1) support to establish and/or extend existing social care services at the municipal level;
(2) support to establish and/or extend specialized social care services focused on specific needs of municipalities.
Summary of the Project
The project, “Enhancing Local Social Care Services partnerships with citizens and toward EU Standards”, is an initiative between UNICEF Albania (UNICEF as the lead applicant) and co-applicant World Vision in Albania (WVA).
The Action intends to strengthen the local partnerships and capacities to plan, establish, extend, and deliver social care services in the 14 targeted municipalities (Gjirokaster, Vore, Cerrik, Librazhd, Kavaje, Kurbin, Kukes, Kruje, Pogradec, Korce, Kamez, Vlore, Elbasan, Durres) scaling up positive models of social service delivery supported by UNICEF&WVA in other municipalities that respond best to the local context and priorities defined in Local Social Plans of targeted municipalities.
The Action aligns closely with the Albanian Government’s priorities in the sector, which revolve around advancing social care reforms that promote social inclusion and equal opportunities, advancing the decentralization of social care services.
Furthermore, the Action will enhance the policy dialogue between grassroots civil society organizations, local and central level toward access, equity and informed decision making addressing the priorities of citizens. Specifically, the Action is designed based on the following building blocks:
Expanding Coverage: The Action aims to broaden the reach of social care services, ensuring that a larger segment of the population can access and benefit from essential support and assistance.
Enhancing Inclusiveness: By adopting an inclusive approach, the Action seeks to cater to various social groups’ diverse needs and requirements, particularly those at risk of exclusion and marginalization.
Improving Effectiveness: The Action strives to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of social protection programs, advancing the decentralization of social care services and ensuring that they deliver meaningful and tangible benefits to the intended beneficiaries.
Enhancing Shock-Responsiveness: Recognizing the challenges posed by unforeseen shocks and crises, the Action is designed to support a system that can better respond to emerging needs and provide necessary support to families and individuals at risk during difficult times.
Activities
– Support establishing new and/or extended community-based services in 10 LGs;
– Capacitate the targeted Municipalities on Community-Based Services;
– Engage, Train and Supervise Youth Volunteers for Outreach work;
– Establish Specialized Services;
– Provide technical support and mentoring to professionals for specialized service delivery;
– Foster networking among professionals;
– Enhance Management Capacities for Integrated Case Management through the electronic register;
– Strengthen Municipal Capacities in Implementing and Monitoring Local Social Care Plans;
– Advocate for funding allocations to support effective case management and service delivery.
Results
– Established new or extend community based and integrated social care services and further strengthen a structured approach to case management, standards of services and outreach work through the mobile and homebased services to support families and individuals at risk of exclusion;
– Provision of specialized social care services (for women and children with disabilities and survivors of violence); and tailored capacity building and mentoring for frontline professionals to ensure adequate quality of integrated services;
– Strengthened municipal capacities to establish and deliver social care services in the long run and ensure financial and policy sustainability for the social care services.
