Eastern European Social Policy Network – Bridging research & practice

First Building Bridges Summer School on Social Welfare took place at the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, in Vienna

Twelve participants from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia and Ukraine successfully completed the Building Bridges Summer School on Social Welfare (BB Summer School) at the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, in Vienna, Austria, from 10 to 14 July 2017. Researchers, practitioners and CSO representatives gathered to foster channels of learning, communication, and partnerships. The main outcomes of the BB Summer School include: the learning of best practices, the exchange of knowledge and experiences, the development of collaborative work, and the strengthening of the Eastern European Social Policy Network (EESPN). The Summer School’s key event, the EESPN Public Forum, was hosted by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection. Together with approximately 45 people, the key note speakers Dr. Cartwright and Ms Marić approached the question of ‘Divided Society – Cohesive Europe?’.

Please find outputs on the BB Summer School here:
Short report_BB-Summer School

The summer school is co-funded by the Central European Initiative.

Bridge Building Summer School on Social Welfare

The European Centre together with the CEI-Central European Initiative implemented the ‘Bridge Building Summer School on Social Welfare‘ to buil capacities and overcome societal challenges from January until August 2017.

Integrated Case Management for Employment and Social Welfare Users in the Western Balkan economies

The European Centre together with UNDP – Istanbul Regional Hub implements ‘Integrated Case Management for Employment and Social Welfare Users in the Western Balkan economies‘ from July until November 2017. It contributes to the project ‘Promoting Inclusive Labour Market Solutions in the Western Balkans’.

New Publication: Bridge Building Workshop papers

The publication “Bridge Building: Knowledge Exchange in Social Welfare Policy and Research -Innovative Approaches in Labour Market Policy and Health and Long-Term Care in Eastern Europe” compiles Workshop papers presented at the launch event ‘Building Bridges in Social Welfare Policy in Eastern Europe’ (19 September 2016; Vienna). It provides a snapshot of contents for further discussion and, ideally, for mutual learning among the wider European community. It highlights the findings from scholars and experts when examining innovative approaches implemented in their countries. The publication consists of a total of eight papers: four papers offer insights into research and good practice in the field of labour market policy and four papers provide information on findings from the area of health and long-term care.

Project ‘Innovating health and social care in rural areas – New approaches for Macedonia’

The European Centre together with its partners: Municipality of Krivogaštani (Macedonia); LAG AGRO Lider (Macedonia); Austrian Embassy, Skopje; Austrian Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection; implemented the project ‘Innovating health and social care in rural areas – New approaches for Macedonia’ from March 2016 to September 2016.

Project ‘PAWCER – Public Attitudes to Welfare, Climate Change and Energy in the EU and Russia’

The European Centre together with its partners (GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, Germany as co-ordinator) implements the project ‘PAWCER – Public Attitudes to Welfare, Climate Change and Energy in the EU and Russia’ from July 2016 to September 2018. The goal of the PAWCER project is to conduct comparative research on public attitudes to welfare, climate change and energy, all of which are relevant to understanding conflict, identity, and memory. While economic challenges threaten the fundamental relations of solidarity in European welfare states, climate change is likely to become the leading environmental driver of human conflict, and energy to continue fueling geopolitical tensions.

The Launch event ‘Building Bridges in Social Welfare Policy in Eastern Europe’ as starting point of the EESPN

The European Centre organised the Launch event “Building Bridges in Social Welfare Policy in Eastern Europe” that took place on 19 September 2016 in Vienna. It aimed at exchanging expertise from researchers, policy makers and practitioners on Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Macedonia*, Moldova**, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine. Scholars and experts with expertise in innovative approaches in labour market policy, health and social care (long-term care) arrangements in the above-mentioned countries discussed recent research findings and good practice implementation. As a result of the event, the Eastern European Social Policy Network, in short EESPN, was launched gathering researchers, civil servants of respective ministries and other public authorities as well as civil society organisations to intensify exchange and mutual learning in social policies. For more information see following link.

* The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

** Republic of Moldova