Improvement of Quality and Accessibility of Social Services in Mid-Baltic Region

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Similar demographic and social changes occur in the regions of Latvia and Lithuania: there is an aging population; an increase in the number of people with various functional disorders; the risk of poverty in rural and peripheral areas increases. In order to minimize the impact of these changes, the Zemgale Planning Region, together with the municipalities of Latvia and Lithuania, has developed a project aimed to improve the accessibility and quality of social services and implementing social inclusion measures for people with disabilities, children, young people and seniors in the regions. In two years, a new social service will be created in Jaunjelgava, improved group apartments in Dobele, a well-equipped new multifunctional center in Viesīte, in which seven different social inclusion measures will be implemented: training on healthy lifestyle, family relationships, life skills, leisure activities, as well as physical lessons, improved service apartments in Auce for adults with functional disorders. During the project, two camps will be organized between 60 and 80 youths of both countries with functional disorders in Zemgale and Rokiskis. The Joniškis Art School Youth Center will carry out repairs and improve the methodology for working with at-risk youth, while in the day care center in Kretinga new rehabilitation methods will be tried. Social work specialists will participate in the five experience exchange trips to municipalities in Latvia and Lithuania. In order to ensure long-term quality of social services and inclusive measures, a quality management system will be implemented within the project, by the evaluation of the involvement of the partners organizations, managers, employees, clients and society. As a result of the project, social services and inclusive activities are becoming more accessible to at least 942 people with disabilities, children, young people and seniors in the Central Baltic region.

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