Improving the capacity of women’s organizations for the effective volunteer management

The project is aimed toward improving the capacity of NGOs and institutions for effective volunteer management, which will contribute to the quality of assistance and support for women who have survived gender-based violence and discrimination.

Violence against women is gender-based and it represents a global social problem. Croatia has harmonized its legislation with EU standards, but there are problems in implementation. According to the statistical indicators of Ministry of Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy and Croatian Bureau of Statistics, there is an increasing pressure on institutional capacities and demand for services. Social services are most often unevenly developed and regionally (un)available. Therefore, the Council of Europe and the Croatian Government recommends that social inclusion of marginalized and socially vulnerable groups should be tackled by additional strengthening of social service providers and the development of services at local levels, particularly within NGOs. Due to the economic crisis in the country and insufficient funding leading to insecurity and affecting the sustainability of the majority of NGOs providing social services, NGOs are increasingly relying on volunteer contribution and are investing efforts to involve volunteers in their activities. On the other hand, coordination and management of volunteers requires certain capacities and monitoring system that NGOs are often unable to effectively ensure and implement due to the lack of financial resources, although it is well known that effective volunteer management is one of the important motivational factors for volunteers.

Target groups of this project are:

1. partner organizations which engage volunteers to assist and support women who have had experienced violence and discrimination as well as representatives of Social Care Centre Bjelovar, who will strengthen capacities for management and coordination of volunteers. They will also assist and support women who have had experienced violence and discrimination.
2. volunteers who will be educated for volunteering in NGOs to assist and support women who have had experienced violence and discrimination, and will be included in our organizations.
3. representatives of institutions, other participants and citizens to whom we will provide information on volunteering opportunities in partner organizations.

The project is aimed toward improving the capacity of NGOs and institutions on the territory of Bjelovarsko-bilogorska county, City of Zagreb, Ličko-senjska, Požeško-slavonska i Primorsko-goranska county for effective volunteer management, which will contribute to the quality of assistance and support for women who have survived gender-based violence and discrimination.

By implementation of this project partner organizations will be strengthened for the implementation of effective volunteer management, which will contribute to their sustainability as well as the sustainability and quality of the programs they implement. Partner organizations operate in different parts of Croatia and are not equally developed, due to many reasons, and mostly because of the regional differences. Partner organizations will also exchange experiences and knowledge and improve co-operation with the social care centers, which represents an important link in providing effective assistance to women victims of violence.
Promoting volunteering and encouraging social activism carried out throughout the project will contribute to enhanced citizen participation in social life, the creation of local networks and the creation of a sense of responsibility for solving problems that exist in communities.