European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument Latvian, Lithuanian and Belarussian Cross-Border Cooperation Programme. Project “Project for the socially vulnerable groups of people to improve the volunteer care system in Lithuania, Latvia and Belarus” (LLB-2-157)
Project implementation period: December 2013 – December 2014
General objective: to facilitate the territorial cohesion of border zone of Latvia, Lithuania and Belarus, focusing on the development of health care and social services.
Project target group: Inhabitants of the Latvian, Lithuanian and Belarussian border region, seniors, people with disabilities, people with continuous social assistance (in total ~2,000).
Project partners: association “Lithuanian Red Cross” (leading partner), association “Latvian Red Cross”, association “Belarussian Red Cross”.
Project will improve the quality of life and social welfare of seniors and people with disabilities in the border regions of Latvia, Lithuania and Belarus, creating a sustainable volunteer services network for the local communities organised by the Red Cross associations. The necessity of social care services in all three partner countries has increased significantly in regard to the rapid ageing of people (especially in countryside), illnesses, poverty and social exclusion. The state institutions cannot satisfy the increasing demand for social care and try to create partnership with non-governmental institutions. In line with the laws and regulations, the Red Cross associations help the state administration. The Red Cross associations have obtained experience, mobilising volunteer resources, organising help schemes on the community level and providing social care for seniors and people with disabilities, and socially vulnerable people. This experience has to be developed and improved via cooperation.
Project results:
- 12 day care centres have been established (1 in Latvia);
- 5,200 home visits were organised (1,600 in Latvia);
- Programme for training of 250 volunteers was developed (80 volunteers in Latvia);
- A manual and consulting digital platform was developed, summarising volunteer work experience;
- International summer camp of volunteers was organised;
- Cross-border cooperation in the sphere of volunteer care system was strengthened.
- Total budget of the programme: 267,691 €
Programme co-financing: 240,21.90 €
Additional information on the project activities is available here (presentation).
The association “Latvian Red Cross” is responsible for the content of this publication and the publication cannot be used to represent the views of the European Union.