At the heart of innovative and sustainable social services lies the person and their needs. These services are designed to adapt to the individual, rather than forcing the individual to fit into a rigid system. This was the key message expressed by social service providers from Latvia, Croatia, and Ukraine, who shared their experiences at the Society Integration Foundation (SIF) event on creating innovative social services, “Your Experience, Your Value.”
Helena Babič, President of the Croatian association What About Me, emphasized that innovation emerges from bold decisions, ideas, and observing changes in people’s lives elsewhere.
“It is not luck that creates social innovations, but purposeful work and the belief that you can help. An essential aspect of innovative social services is replacing temporary solutions with long-term support,”
she explained. Her organization works to replace homeless shelters in Croatia with permanent housing solutions. The innovative part of their service includes a trust and information helpline and street outreach to connect directly with their target group.
In Latvia, the multifunctional center “Open Doors in Bethany” demonstrates that “band-aid” solutions do not work in social services — to create lasting impact, problems must be addressed more broadly. It was the first center in Latvia to provide services for adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), not only for children.
Director Diāna Mekša highlighted plans to expand, including opening a facility for people with more severe ASD and establishing group homes:
“One center cannot meet every need, but it creates room for innovation both for us and for others.”
Another example of long-term benefit is making social services more accessible and adapting existing services to the specific needs of target groups. The Kuldīga Municipality Social Service runs an innovative program of educational sessions for parents, “10 Conversations About Parenting,” which provides current and future parents with practical, applicable knowledge about their role, child development, and family cooperation.
Director Sarmīte Segliņa explained:
“The cycle was designed to improve family circumstances, and although it is aimed at parents, the whole family benefits. It gives children the experience of a healthy family environment, which is then passed on to future generations. Over time, public understanding of social support has changed — programs that provide education and support are becoming increasingly important, not just material assistance.”
The most challenging environment for developing new social services is Ukraine, where war conditions require support not only for affected groups but also for those providing aid. Such conditions force the creation of broad, multi-directional support systems, often working with very limited resources and relying heavily on international organizations.
Dmytro Chornyi, Chief Specialist of the International Relations and Investment Department of the Executive Committee of Nizhyn City Council, explained:
“The main goal for new service providers in Ukraine is to help as many people as possible — to support war victims, veterans, and help people return to daily life. It’s about creating maximum positive impact with minimal resources. It’s too early to imagine what future innovations will be needed, but they will certainly be extensive.”
Alda Sebre, Director of SIF’s Department of Social Cohesion, stressed:
“Social innovations are not just ideas — they are a real way to bring about change, improve people’s lives, well-being, and ensure dignified living conditions. The Society Integration Foundation’s goal is to help such innovations emerge in Latvia’s social service sector. We remind everyone that the submission of applications for social innovation ideas is ongoing. Those who have been invited to submit detailed project proposals to receive financial support for developing social services must do so by 10 May.”
The recording of the online experience-sharing event “Your Experience, Your Value” is available on SIF’s Facebook page. The event is part of the ESF+ project “Support for New Approaches in the Provision of Community-Based Social Services”, implemented by the Society Integration Foundation, which aims to promote social innovation and develop modern, needs-based, community-oriented services.
This information was prepared by the Society Integration Foundation within the ESF+ co-financed project No. 4.4.1.1./1/24/I/001 “Support for New Approaches in the Provision of Community-Based Social Services.”
The Society Integration Foundation is responsible for the content of this information.
