European Union invests additional EUR 4.4 mil for social housing and active inclusion of vulnerable groups
The programme envisages sustainable housing solutions and active inclusion measures for people with disabilities, young people without parental care, women victims of domestic violence and the Roma population
The European Union and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), through the "EU Support to Social Housing and Active Inclusion" (EU SHAI) programme, are announcing the Second open call to local self-governments to submit proposals for social housing and active inclusion projects.
The goal of this open call is to provide housing support for families in a sustainable and responsible way, through the construction of multi-family buildings and family houses, and the purchase, reconstruction and adaptation of apartments and houses. Complementary active inclusion measures will be mandatory and they include support in the field of education, improvement of employability, employment and self-employment and access to various social protection services.
After the EU’s initial donation of 10.2 million EUR awarded earlier this year for the social housing and active inclusion projects in 19 cities and municipalities, the total budget for projects selected during the second open call is 4.4 million EUR, and it will be possible to apply for the funds until 15 November 2021. All local self-governments in Serbia, except those already awarded a grant through the EU SHAI programme, are eligible to participate.
"We leave no one behind, especially not those who need our help the most. The EU promotes equality, solidarity, tolerance and inclusion - in short, the right to a decent life. That is why we have set aside 27 million euros for the "EU Support to Social Housing and Active Inclusion" programme, within which projects are already being implemented in 19 cities and municipalities that will provide decent housing for 421 families and empower them to be financially independent.
Only in the last five years the EU donated and invested over 115 million EUR to improve the living standards of the most deprived. During this period more than 60 projects have been successfully implemented by municipalities, centres for social work and NGOs in 110 towns and municipalities, bringing direct benefits to more than 15,000 people across the country.
With the Second Open Call we are announcing today, we invite local self-government units to apply and help their residents from vulnerable social groups - women victims of domestic violence, children and young people without parental care, the Roma community and people with disabilities - groups that are most at risk of poverty’’, said Emanuele Giaufret, Ambassador of the EU Delegation to Serbia.
All information about the Second open call and application documents are available on the Open Calls page.
All interested self-government units will be able to get answers to questions about the Open call and the Programme during online information sessions that will be held every day from 11 to 14 October, from 11:00 to 13:00.
This Open call is announced within the program "European Union Support to Social Housing and Active Inclusion", for which the European Union has allocated 27 million euros. The programme is implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in partnership with the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, and in cooperation with the Ministry of European Integration.