Meeting in Tallinn, Seminar in Riga

In the framework  of the project “Network of social services for disadvantaged women in Baltic sea region” two events have been arranged in Tallinn and Riga.

One-day meeting to establish network was conducted  in Tallinn on October 04, 2021. Representatives of 20 NGOs from Belarus, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden (some of them joined on-line) met in the hotel “Ibis” so that  to get acquainted, to discuss the main problems faced by the organizations providing assistance to women from vulnerable groups and discussed networking. As well a number of issues were discussed. Among them: Is gender-specific support preferable for women with drug and alcohol problems, HIV-infected, etc. Is the network interaction of organizations providing assistance to women from vulnerable groups in the Baltic Sea region sufficiently developed? Is it necessary to create a network of organizations providing assistance to women from target groups? Should networking be limited to organisations that are mainly or only focusing on women, or their activity may include that kind of work along with providing services to other target groups? May the network include organizations with different ideologies? Participants of the meeting expressed joint opinion that the need of creation of a network of organisations supporting vulnerable women in Baltic sea region is a long overdue and expressed a desire to continue contacts for network creation.

On October 5-6, 2021 the seminar “Multi actors services and cooperation for vulnerable women” was arranged by DIA+LOGS in  Hestia Hotel Radi un Draugi in Riga  (Latvia). 15 participants from Finland,  Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden took part in the seminar. Liesma Ose, Senior Expert, project “Development of Professional Social Work in Municipalities”, Department of Methodological Management and Control, Ministry of Welfare. Visiting professor, University of Latvia, social work programme, made the presentation "Needs, challenges, responses, cooperation: multi-sectoral public services for disadvantaged women".  IIuta Lace from  center Marta reported services for women exposing to violence. Andris Veikenieks, board chairperson of NGO AGIHAS presented the project “Breast milk for newborn babies of HIV+ women”, and Gunta Timma of NGO BaltHIV told listeners about  support person services and self-support groups for HIV infected persons.The experience of  Riga Municipality support services for families with disabled children was presented by Juris Osis, Head of employment, social work and practice research divisin, riga city council departmtoldent of welfare. Agita Seja, HIV prevention and addiction program coordinator of NGO DIA+LOGS introduced participants to services for HIV affected community. All presentations caused interest among listeners and a broad discussion. As well participants of the seminar got the opportunity to get acquainted with the activity of DIA+LOGS directly in the workplace.