On 23 September 2021, the final conference of project “Inclusive community” was held in Osijek. The conference was opened with welcoming words of deputy mayor of City of Osijek, Dragan Vulin.
At the conference partners presented joint achievements and innovations created through cross-border cooperation project in the field of social inclusion, development of the concept of inclusive communities and the provision of social services.
Jelena Kamenko Mayer from DKolektiv – organisation for social development (Osijek) and Danijela Korać-Mandić from Novi Sad Humanitarian Centre presented the activities of social centers in Osijek and Novi Sad, which were launched as programmes of these organisations to provide support, services and activities that contribute to social inclusion and overcoming alienation for more than 300 beneficiaries. The premises of both centres are renovated with project funds.
Vedran Radanović from the Croatian Red Cross City Branch organisation of the Red Cross of
Osijek presented the work of the social service, which was established and renovated during the project, and enabled the provision of humanitarian aid, distribution of clothes and medical equipment for more than 2,500 beneficiaries in need.
The e-social card system was developed by the City of Osijek and presents an innovation that has improved the system of providing and monitoring of social services for all beneficiaries in Osijek. E-social cards enable greater availability and efficiency of services such as housing, transportation, assistance, social benefits, services in the field of culture and recreation, for at least 850 beneficiaries. The e-social cards and their functioning was presented by Head of the Administrative Department for Social Welfare, Pensioners and Health of City of Osijek, Romano Kristić.
During the conference, long-term social plans in Osijek and Novi Sad, developed through a participatory process during the project were presented by Gordana Stojanović from the City of Osijek and Danijela Korać-Mandić from Novi Sad Humanitarian Centre.
In the second part of the conference, study visits were organised to partner organisations (City of Osijek, DKolektiv – organisation for social development and Croatian Red Cross City Branch organisation of the Red Cross of Osijek), as well as other social service providers in Osijek (Centre for missing and abused children, Community service centre “Klasje” and Community service centre “Me just like You”). In parallel with the study visits, a cross-border exchange of senior volunteers involved in the project was organised.
