Municipality of Sečanj - More Accessible and Responsive Social Service System in Sečanj (MARS4) project
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Municipality of Sečanj |
PROJECT TITLE: More Accessible and Responsive Social Service System in Sečanj (MARS4)
VALUE: EUR 93,009
DURATION: 12 months
PARTNER: Center for Social Work of the Municipality of Sečanj
BENEFICIARIES: Unemployed women interested in providing home care services, adults and the elderly who need assistance in performing daily life activities, local authorities in Sečanj, and employees/professional workers of the Center for Social Work.
Based on the data from the Republic Statistical Office, the municipality of Sečanj is demographically categorized as extremely old, with a total of 8,796 adult residents, and the aging index of the population in Sečanj is significantly higher compared to other regions. The assessment of the needs of adults and the elderly falls under the jurisdiction of the Center for Social Work of the municipality of Sečanj. A home assistance service was established locally in 2016 to alleviate the pressure on social and health care institutions, and to provide dignified aging for the elderly, support independence, and promote healthy habits in daily activities. This service is currently provided by 9 caregivers to elderly individuals in 7 populated areas, which are: Sečanj, Sutjeska, Krajišnik, Jaša Tomić, Neuzina, Jarkovac, and Boka. There is an increasing pressure on social protection institutions in the municipality, which lack sufficient capacity to care for all elderly individuals without adequate family support, and who are unable to utilize or lack community resources in their settlement. Expanding the home assistance network would help better cover the needs of the older population, as well as encourage their stay in a natural, family environment.
To enable adequate assistance to a larger number of the oldest citizens, it is necessary to develop a system of cooperation among relevant institutions at the local level. The project represents a significant step towards improving the quality of life of older individuals and other vulnerable groups within their homes. In addition to providing the necessary home assistance service, it also empowers women (through training and employment) and promotes gender equality.
The planned project activities aim to improve home social protection services: A minimum of 5 unemployed women, caregivers, will be trained in home care and then home care will be provided for at least 100 vulnerable elderly individuals. These services will include daily assistance in activities of daily living (ADL) such as bathing, dressing, and eating, as well as medical care including medication administration, wound care, and monitoring of vital signs. Each elderly individual will have a personalized care plan tailored to their specific needs, ensuring they receive the appropriate level and type of care.
In addition to training, the initiative aims to empower these women by providing them with stable employment opportunities, thereby increasing their economic independence and social status. Ongoing support and mentorship will be provided to help them succeed in their new roles.
The most important project activities include:
- Equipping caregivers to provide services: including the purchase of bicycles to ensure that staff can efficiently and professionally deliver their services;
- Purchasing a special vehicle for transporting elderly individuals and people with disabilities, guaranteeing their access to necessary services and activities, which is a key step in ensuring access and mobility of elderly individuals and people with disabilities to basic services and activities.
- Conducting a Baseline Analysis on the provision of home care services;
- Providing home care services, developing home care services, and reaching the most vulnerable population in the municipality of Sečanj. The goal is to increase the coverage of users and enable/support the provision of services in remote rural areas of the municipality;
- Field campaigns, which will be conducted to raise awareness about the availability of home care services and encourage individuals who meet the criteria to access the support they need.
- The development of Social Protection Strategies with the establishment of partnerships with relevant stakeholders to design a well-rounded strategy that will meet the diverse needs of the community, especially vulnerable groups such as the elderly and people with disabilities.
- Development of an information, monitoring, and contact system aimed at efficient management of information flow, adequate monitoring of service provision, and simplification of communication between stakeholders involved in providing home care services in the municipality of Sečanj.
By improving home care social services, enhancing transportation options, developing a social protection strategy, and implementing a communication system, the project will achieve significant results. These results are expected to contribute to further impacts such as improved quality of life for elderly residents, increased accessibility to social services, and improved community support systems.
The sustainability of this action for home care service in the municipality of Sečanj will mean the ability to continue and develop this initiative over time, providing ongoing benefits and improvements to the community it serves.
Contact person in the project team: Dragana Marton (draganag01@gmail.com)