Sustainable social protection – Support to social services in local communities in Serbia (SOLIS)
Strengthening inclusive and community-based social protection in Serbia
ASB South East Europe and IDC – Initiative for development and cooperation launched the project “Sustainable Social Protection – Support to Social Services in Local Communities in Serbia (SOLIS)” with the aim of improving the inclusion of persons with disabilities and strengthening sustainable social protection systems at the local level in Serbia. The project responds to long-standing structural challenges within the Serbian social protection system, particularly in underdeveloped municipalities where social services remain limited, underfunded and insufficiently accessible for persons with disabilities and their families.
The project will be implemented from November 2025 until September 2028 by ASB South East Europe / Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Deutschland e.V. and IDC Serbia – Initiative for Development and Cooperation, in partnership with municipalities, social welfare centers, civil society organizations and organizations of persons with disabilities from Southeastern and Southwestern Serbia. The project covers the municipalities of Pirot, Dimitrovgrad, Babušnica, Bela Palanka, Knjaževac and Svrljig in Southeastern Serbia, as well as Raška, Novi Pazar, Tutin and Ivanjica in Southwestern Serbia.
Why SOLIS?
Despite Serbia’s economic growth in recent years, persons with disabilities and vulnerable families often remain excluded from social and economic progress. Investments in social protection services at the local level have stagnated for years, while many municipalities continue to struggle with limited human and financial capacities for the development of community-based services. Existing services are often concentrated in urban centers, insufficiently adapted to the specific needs of beneficiaries and unavailable outside regular working hours. Innovative approaches, such as inter-municipal cooperation and social entrepreneurship in the field of social services, remain largely underdeveloped in Serbia.
According to the project analysis, many local communities covered by SOLIS have particularly high percentages of persons with disabilities, while simultaneously facing a lack of functional local support systems and sustainable social services. Families caring for children and young persons with disabilities often experience chronic physical, emotional and financial pressure due to the absence of comprehensive institutional support. Women and mothers are especially affected, as caregiving responsibilities frequently lead to social isolation, reduced employment opportunities and long-term economic insecurity.
Establishment of a regional respite care service
One of the central components of the SOLIS project is the establishment of a regional respite care service in Southeastern Serbia. The project foresees the reconstruction and equipping of a regional respite care center in Temska near Pirot, which will provide short-term accommodation, professional support and inclusive programs for children and young persons with disabilities. The center will be designed as an inter-municipal social service model intended to support beneficiaries from multiple municipalities and to contribute to stronger regional cooperation in the field of social protection. The respite care service responds directly to one of the most urgent gaps identified during consultations with families, social welfare centers and organizations of persons with disabilities in the project regions. Currently, there is no licensed respite care provider in the targeted municipalities, while existing day-care services are unable to provide support during weekends, emergencies or longer periods of care. Through SOLIS, families will gain access to temporary, safe and professional support, helping reduce caregiver burnout, preserve family stability and prevent institutionalization.
Strengthening local cooperation and participatory planning
In parallel with direct service development, the project will strengthen local social protection systems through the creation of inter-municipal working groups, development of local social initiatives and support to participatory planning processes involving municipalities, civil society organizations, social welfare centers and beneficiaries themselves. Two regional inter-municipal working groups — one in Southeastern Serbia and one in Southwestern Serbia — will jointly work on planning and improving social services, exchanging experiences and creating sustainable cooperation mechanisms between municipalities.
Social entrepreneurship and sustainability
The project also promotes social entrepreneurship as an innovative approach for strengthening the sustainability of social services. Through trainings, advocacy activities and exchange of best practices, SOLIS seeks to encourage diversification of funding sources for social services and support the development of locally sustainable social protection models. IDC Serbia, as a member of the national Council for the Development of Social Entrepreneurship and a co-founder of several social enterprises, brings significant expertise in this field.
Building on regional experience and partnerships
In addition, the project builds on the long-standing cooperation between ASB and IDC, including joint implementation of previous BMZ-funded projects focused on social inclusion, reintegration and support to persons with disabilities. Through the IRIS Network and regional cooperation platforms coordinated by ASB and IDC, SOLIS will also contribute to wider knowledge exchange and promotion of innovative social service models across Serbia and the Western Balkans.
Long-term impact and project vision
The overall objective of the project is to contribute to the realization of the rights of persons with disabilities and their families, while supporting the development of sustainable, accessible and community-based social protection systems in Serbia. By the end of the project, SOLIS aims to improve local social policies, strengthen institutional and civil society capacities, establish new sustainable services and improve the quality of life and inclusion of at least 700 families in the targeted regions.
