Background

The NoVA project aims to establish effective partnerships between national and local institutions and implement integrated services in order to respond to the needs of the beneficiaries of minimum income benefits in the Republic of Serbia. The project should test various support measures in order to prepare a plan for the development of inter-institutional models and accompanying support measures and services for the active inclusion of vulnerable individuals in the labor market.

Objectives

Overall Goal: To contribute to improved position of vulnerable groups in Serbia, to their increased employability and better integration into the society.

A Specific Project Objective: Reducing barriers to social services and access to the labour market of the most vulnerable groups in Serbia, through integrative approaches and new partnerships of different stakeholders. This will be done by testing innovative approaches and gathering robust evidence through the support of the beneficiaries of minimum income benefits in the Republic of Serbia to decrease barriers to social and labour market integration, and new partnerships between authorities/policy makers, non-governmental organizations and businesses. Through access to services that will enable them to integrate in the labour market, the action will enable those in most vulnerable situations to gain sufficient resources and adequate income for life in dignity, thus meeting the requirements of the European Pillar of Social Rights (Pillar 14).

Expected results

• Identified and tested effective support measures for unemployed persons from vulnerable groups, based on robust data gathering and sharing of good practice with peers from EaSI countries
• Improved access of most vulnerable groups to the labour market, through application of a specific activation mix and provision of specific measures of individualized support
• Increased activation and employment of the most vulnerable groups
• Developed strategy for model replication and scaling up, including developed proposals for policy improvement
• Improved use of existing public support measures in the field of employment and social protection, as well as measures to promote cross-sectoral cooperation at the local level.
• Established new mechanisms for an integrative approach to support vulnerable groups on national and local level
• Improved coordination between stakeholders in social protection, employment and other relevant fields.

Project partners

• Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs
• Ipsos Strategic Marketing
• Center for Social Policy
• National Employment Service
• The Red Cross of Serbia
• The Social Protection Institute of the Republic of Slovenia

Documents

• Opinion Poll: Activation Factors and Barriers for Work and Employment of Social Financial Assistance Beneficiaries (.pdf)

News

• Results of the Opinion Poll Published: Activation Factors and Barriers for Work and Employment of Social Financial Assistance Beneficiaries 
• Introductory Course Held Under the “New Partnerships and Opportunities for Innovative and Sustainable Approaches to Social and Labour Market Integration of Vulnerable Groups (Nova)” Project

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The NoVA project is conducted by the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, together with the project partners from Serbia and Slovenia.

Project funded by EaSI Programme

Project duration: 2021-2024