The social initiative “E-Associate – Implementation of a digital solution for monitoring the work of personal assistants” was launched as part of the project “Reintegrate II – Further support for sustainable (re)integration of returnees in Serbia.” A training session will be organized in Novi Pazar for the employees of the Association of psychologists Novi Pazar, who are the main users of the application.
The social initiative “E-Associate – Implementation of a digital solution for monitoring the work of personal assistants” represents the introduction of an innovative digital solution for the efficient delivery and monitoring of social protection services.
The application aims to:
- Improve communication within the organization providing social protection services – among professional workers and associates,
- Enhance communication between service providers and users, and
- Establish a centralized system that will track all communication with stakeholders.
The overall goal of this social initiative is to improve the quality of the child’s personal assistant and personal assistance services through the development of a digital solution (application) for monitoring the work of personal assistants and personal assistants.
The application also includes a notification option to help associates respond more quickly and not miss deadlines. Additionally, parents of children using the child’s personal assistant service will have access to the application. In situations where a child is sick or for any other reason does not attend school, the parent will be able to enter this information into the application, making it available to the service provider and the personal assistant. Furthermore, the parent has the option to verify the monthly report of their child’s personal assistant. Access to the application and use of the data will only be allowed to authorized persons who have been provided with a password to access the program or data.
The introduction of the application as a new digital tool will enhance the process of providing social protection services by the Association of psychologists Novi Pazar, which could become an example of good practice for other actors in the target areas. The activities of this project are one of the few attempts to establish a unified system for monitoring the work of individuals engaged in providing social protection services in the city of Novi Pazar, as well as in Serbia in general. Therefore, the project aims to facilitate the monitoring of the position of children with developmental disabilities and disabilities in Novi Pazar.
The innovativeness of this social initiative is also reflected in the establishment of a new, modern communication channel, making it easy for associates and professional workers to access information relevant to the provision of social protection services.
This is one of five social initiatives launched as part of the Reintegrate II project, aimed at strengthening the local social services system.
The total value of the project for the City of Novi Pazar is 310,000.00 euros. Information about project activities, open competitions, and more will be available on the project website, as well as on the websites of the City of Novi Pazar, partner organizations, the association Merhamet Sandžak, and the Regional Development Agency SEDA.
The project is led by the German organization ASB (Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund), with the implementation partner Initiative for development and cooperation (IDC) from Belgrade. The project’s beneficiary districts are the Pirot, Rasina, and Raška districts. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), with support and co-financing from the City of Novi Pazar, and it will last until April 2025.