Strengthening Cross-Border Support Networks for the Integration of Vulnerable Migrants in Western Balkans
Our Balkan Refugee Network members are collaborating closely on the cross-border project designed to strengthen their capacities and establish local and cross border network to facilitate integration of vulnerable migrants in North Macedonia and Serbia. This initiative aims to enhance local and regional cooperation by connecting local grassroots, creating inclusive opportunities, and empowering migrants through tailor-made entrepreneurship and vocational training support. Together, we are addressing complex, long-term challenges of social and economic integration of migrants in local communities across Western Balkans.
On course of the project, representatives from civil society organizations from different Western Balkan countries including Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina took part in cross-border exchanges, sharing views and best practices regarding integration, cultural exchange, employment, training and empowerment of vulnerable foreigners, to build prospects for regional advocacy and to foster joint cross-border actions in the future. In addition to fostering regional cooperation, the project also focuses on building strong local support modules for economic integration of vulnerable migrants in Skopje and Belgrade. Recognizing the importance of personalized approaches in migrant integration, both APC and Legis are implementing specific targeted activities to promote migrant economic empowerment and social inclusion.
In Serbia, APC’s social entrepreneurship, a food production initiative Utočište, launched in 2019, enhances and promotes social cohesion and economic empowerment of marginalized migrants, through development and provision of trainings for improving migrant employment skills/opportunities and through work within local communities. By training vulnerable migrant mothers, women, and youth, APC raised their skills and chances for finding new employment opportunities. By supporting employment of migrants in local community, helping them in finding and in maintaining employment, in socializing and interaction with locals, social bakery Utočiste enabled migrants and locals to learn about both refugee and local cultural and dietary specifics, and eventually increased migrant chances to integrate into the local labour market and into respective local community. Within this framework, APC provided free pastry production, baking, cooking and selling training for those migrants staying into local community; building participants’ capacities in food production and sales, helping them even to manage small food businesses effectively or even helping them to start their own small businesses. The most successful products created during the training were added to the Utočište menu. In this manner project helped building sustainable economic migrant integration model in Serbia.
In North Macedonia, Legis supported a Palestinian refugee woman in developing and launching a traditional embroidery course for the members of local community and migrant population. This initiative fosters cultural exchange while providing valuable skill-building opportunities for migrants and local residents alike, strengthening social ties and mutual understanding. Upon completion of the initial training course, advanced and expert-level classes will be developed for local citizens and socially responsible companies as an income generated activity after the end of the project, which will help sustain the program financially in the future and further deepen interactive and inclusive opportunities within the local community.
Through the project, our network is creating sustainable pathways for integration by combining cross-border collaboration with locally tailored support, setting conditions for more inclusive and resilient communities across the Western Balkans.
Our project Support networks for integration of vulnerable migrants in North Macedonia and Serbia is financially supported by EU and the FOSTER initiative, and realized by Asylum Protection Center (APC/CZA) and NGO Legis through partnership with BRMC and Danish Refugee Council (DRC).
