Support for Families of Informal Waste Collectors - Training for Family Assistants

The first training session for selected family assistants from 12 local self-governments, who will provide support to families of informal waste collectors over the next 18 months, was held on 23-24 May, 2024 in Belgrade.

Apatin, Bač, Valjevo, Kula, Loznica, Obrenovac, Odžaci, Prijepolje, Ruma, Sremska Mitrovica, Ub, and Šid are the local governments involved in this activity implemented by the "PRO Programme - Local Governance for People and Nature", with the support of the Swiss Government.

Support for families is part of a broader initiative in the context of modernizing the waste management system, which will lead to the closure of 15 municipal landfills and the development of six regional waste management centers. As a result, many informal waste collectors will face the loss of their livelihoods.

The goal is to enable them to earn an income and have better access to public services relevant for social inclusion (healthcare, education, and social protection) by engaging a family assistant as a key contact person for connecting with support providers, advocacy, and assistance in exercising certain rights, services, and measures according to identified needs. Family assistants in selected municipalities will monitor and support the implementation of the Individual Households Support Plans by informing, guiding, and motivating the families for future changes.

In addition to training family assistants to improve the quality of support provided to families and assist in implementing support plans for 75 families from the priority target group, the Programme will support 42 local self-governments covered by the new regional centers in establishing systemic policies, structures, and processes to address the rights and needs of informal waste collectors.

The training sessions are conducted by UNICEF and the Center for Social Policy, with the support of UNOPS and UNFPA, as part of the "PRO - Local Governance for People and Nature" Programme, jointly implemented by UN agencies in Serbia – UNOPS, UNICEF, UNFPA, and UNEP, in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Serbia and with financial support from the Government of Switzerland.