TRAINING ON NON-DISCRIMINATION AND WORK WITH VULNERABLE GROUPS FOR YOUTH OFFICE COORDINATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF CIVIL SOCIETY

Belgrade – The OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Serbia, with the technical support of the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, are organizing a training course for Local Youth Office coordinators and representatives of non-governmental organizations on the topic of "Working with Vulnerable Young People and the Principles of Non-Discrimination."

So far, over 160 Youth Office coordinators, their associates and representatives of NGOs have undergone the said training course. 

The training course is organized as a four-day program and is an attempt to comprehensively cover the field of non-discrimination and work with vulnerable groups.

Those who undergo the training course will receive certificates. The training course contents are in accordance with the Guidelines for Standards Covering the Work of Youth Offices and include the following topics:

General knowledge about the principles of non-discrimination, inclusiveness and vulnerable groups; Vulnerable groups (such as members of ethnic communities, women, persons with disabilities, refugees and displaced persons, the young living on the street); Terminology, their position and the possibilities for improving their position; How to make the environment more sensitive to the problems of vulnerable young people; The inclusion of the principle of non-discrimination and inclusiveness in the work of Youth Offices, as well as in their projects, initiatives and activities; Reactions in cases of discrimination at the local level and advice on who to turn to; Reactions in cases of discrimination (models and methods, free legal aid received from the municipalities, NGOs and universities, the proceedings before independent institutions and legal protection); The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality - the most common cases that this independent body has dealt with; The inclusion of the principle of non-discrimination in the work of Youth Offices, strategic documents and local action plans; Panel discussion with the organizations that have examples of good practice with the projects with  inclusive components; Making the local community more sensitive to the issues of vulnerable groups through the use of different methods, such as lectures, workshops, panel discussions, video material, including the participation of professors and experts from non-governmental organizations and institutions that promote the idea of ​​human rights or working with vulnerable groups.

The coordinators and representatives of NGOs will have the opportunity to comprehensively review the area, but also to hear concrete solutions, exchange ideas and possibly consider joint actions of Youth Offices and non-governmental organizations at the local level.

The training course will be held in Belgrade from October 6 to 9, 2015. The information on the venue, along with the program, will be subsequently submitted to the participants.

Applying for participation in the training course runs until September 28, 2015.

Costs of transportation, training materials, accommodation and meals shall be borne by the OSCE Mission to Serbia.

It is necessary that persons interested in participating in the training course submit their names, organizations/Youth Offices, cities/ municipalities of origin and the amounts of travel expenses. During the selection procedure, preference will be given to those Youth Offices and civil society organizations whose representatives haven’t yet undergone this training course.

For any further questions, please contact Nevena Nikolic, the coordinator of the training course of the Belgrade Center for Human Rights – at nikolic@bgcentar.org.rs or on 0648246513.

Source: National Youth Council of Serbia and Coordination Body