On March 31 at 15:00, the Society Integration Foundation (SIF) invites social service providers and stakeholders to an online storytelling event on the creation of innovative social services, “Your Experience, Your Value.” Four social innovators from Latvia, Croatia, and Ukraine will share their stories about creating and implementing social innovations, the challenges they have faced, the lessons learned, and their personal motivation. SIF invites participants to gain inspiration, new knowledge, and ideas for their current work or future initiatives, as innovations in the field of social services can bring about changes that help address pressing issues and foster a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable society.
Two representatives from the NGO sector will share their experiences – Diāna Mekša, Head of the multifunctional centre “Open Doors in Bethany” (Latvia), and Helena Babić, President of the association “What About Me” (Croatia).
The multifunctional centre “Open Doors in Bethany” in Riga provides social rehabilitation services for children and adults with autism spectrum disorders. The centre’s goal is to promote maximum independence for these individuals, improve their quality of life, and enable them to live with dignity. It is one of the few organizations in Latvia that provides support to people with autism spectrum disorders after they reach adulthood. Its innovative approach lies both in serving a target group for which there are no equivalent providers in Latvia and in the way the centre is designed and how the work with young people is carried out.
The association “What About Me” is the first organization in Croatia to implement the “Housing First” program. Its introduction in Pula has shown how essential cooperation is at local, regional, and national levels to effectively reduce or even end homelessness. The service also introduces innovation through its dedicated trust and information helpline and street outreach work with the target group.
Innovative, community-based social services in the public sector will be presented by Sarmīte Segliņa, Director of the Social Service Agency of Kuldīga Municipality, and Dmytro Chornyi, Chief Specialist of the International Relations and Investment Department of the Executive Committee of Nizhyn City Council, Ukraine.
The Social Service Agency of Kuldīga Municipality offers an educational program for parents — “10 Conversations on Parenting” — designed to provide practical and easily applicable knowledge about parental roles, child development, and cooperation within the family. The innovation of this service lies in its simplicity and accessibility: the program focuses on the basics of parenting, offering practical and proven knowledge that helps parents with everyday challenges. To maximize accessibility, the sessions are held as close as possible to residents’ homes. This allows parents to receive the support they need in their own communities, fostering stronger and more understanding family relationships.
Nizhyn Municipality has developed innovative social services in close cooperation with NGOs in response to the social challenges caused by the war. Dmytro Chornyi will present three services: the veterans’ space “Nezlamni” (Unbroken), a women’s crisis room and social centre, and a mobile social service.
The live-streamed event, with sign language interpretation, will be available from 15:00 to 17:00 on Delfi.lv, SIF’s Facebook page, and on a dedicated event website, where participants will also be able to ask questions. International presentations will be translated into Latvian. To receive the event website link and an email reminder, please register here: https://ej.uz/pieredze_SI
The online storytelling event “Your Experience, Your Value” is part of the SIF-implemented ESF+ project “Support for New Approaches to the Provision of Community-Based Social Services,” which aims to promote social innovation in the field of social services by ensuring the development of modern, needs-based, and relevant community-based social services.
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 to the Provision of Community-Based Social Services.” The Society Integration Foundation is responsible for the content of this information.
