Returning to new opportunities

About the Programme

Donor: Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusamenarbeit (GIZ), German Agency for International Cooperation and Development (GIZ)

The project is being implemented in 10 countries, including Serbia as part of the Migration Program for Development II

Duration: June 2019 – June 2020

Requested extension of the project in June 2020

Programme Partners: Christian Humanitarian Organization "Bread of Life" provides administrative support to the project partner, the Entrepreneurial Development Center, responsible for the implementation of project activities.

The Entrepreneurship Development Centre, with its many years of experience, provides active knowledge sharing between organizations, users and the community.
The Entrepreneurship Development Centre Association is a non-governmental and non-profit association, established to develop the small and medium enterprises sector in Serbia.

The mission of the Entrepreneurial Development Centre is to help residents of rural parts of the city and hard-to-employ categories of the population to more easily secure their economic independence through training, work practice, mentoring and constant support.

A series of practical training for occupations was organized, which should prepare the participants for independent work as soon as possible.

Brief description of the program

Context and main problems

Poverty, lack of opportunities and economic exclusion are the main reasons for economic migration. These problems are particularly seen in the peripheral/rural parts of Belgrade and in multiethnic areas (such as the Sremcica area).

The target group

The target group includes returnees under a readmission agreement, potential migrants, especially people below the poverty line, the Roma population, refugees and displaced persons, young people from a predominantly rural/semi-rural environment and other categories under direct threat of social exclusion.

Among these, the Roma population is a particularly economically vulnerable and marginalized group in society. The unemployment rate among Roma is very high, exceeding 40%, and is especially evident among Roma women. The poor educational structure of the Roma population and their non-competitiveness in the labour market are the main obstacles to their employment. Other categories of marginalized residents include Roma refugees, Roma returnees under readmission agreements, internally displaced Roma, etc.

Among potential migrants, special attention is given to young people from predominantly rural areas who are unemployed and with no prospects for the future.

Primary goal of the project:

The aim of the project is to develop and improve the communication and entrepreneurial skills of the target group (by increasing skills in different areas based on cross-sectoral coordination), and to provide jobs through self-employment or new employment (at least 10 new jobs) in order to prevent further migration.

The specific objectives are:

• 1. Development of innovative approaches which contribute to solving the problem of the employment of marginalized and hard-to-employ groups.
• 2. Development of entrepreneurial infrastructure through local partnerships between civil society organizations and the business sector, as well as the public.
• 3. Promotion of non-formal education, volunteering and internships as ways to gain work experience and additional knowledge.

The project activities are fully in line with the Returnees Programme, as the conditions for (re) integration into the labour market and economic stability of both returnees and the local population support their dignified return.

Main goal:

The main goal of the project is to prevent further migration through job creation and entrepreneurial learning in the local community. This is achieved through the development of non-formal forms of education in order to increase the involvement of the target group in work processes (additional employment/self-employment), and their psycho-social empowerment through the acquisition of additional practical and theoretical knowledge, volunteering, work practice, business networking and mentoring through activities in the Education Centre of the main partner.

Activities - trainings:

• 1. Initial course of entrepreneurship (legal basis of business, business planning and sources of financing, standardization and quality standards, marketing planning) - interactive training. Attended by all programme participants (about 80).
• 2. Beginner communication skills course - interactive training for all programme participants.
• 3. Professional development for the following professions:
  •  Basics of bookkeeping and marketing course - interactive training for at least 10 participants,
  •  Beauty care course - interactive training, training for at least 10 students,
  •  Course on the basics of wood and metal processing - interactive training, training for at least 25 participants
  •  Beekeeping course - interactive training, training for at least 20 students

Internship - unpaid practical training in local companies:

About 65 participants/volunteers will go through internships by volunteering and practical work in the project partner companies such as Carpentry Workshop, Metalworking Workshop, Beauty Salon, Bookkeeping and Marketing Agency and “Agrocluster” Apiary.

Cumulative results:

The provision of services provided by this project (business information/advice, education, counselling and mentoring) will improve the education of the target group in the following way:

•  80 potential entrepreneurs will be educated in various aspects of business and communication skills
•  65 people will be trained within the professional development program and will be included in practical training, which will increase their employability and work experience
•  65 people of the target group will directly connect with the local economy through practical training and work practice and increase their chances for employment over time
•  20 people of the target group passed the beekeeping training and will receive 60 basic hives for the formation of the future apiary
•  At least 10 new companies will be established in the SME/agriculture sector