Social Business Incubator provides preparatory vocational trainings to job-seekers in Mitrovicë/a

November 25, 2015 by DRC Kosovo

In August 2015, the DRC Social Business Incubator (SBI) offered three-month preparatory vocational training courses in carpentry, welding, high construction, low construction, auto mechanics and hairdressingto 25 (20 male and 5 female) job-seekers registered at the Regional Employment Office in Mitrovicë/a.

According to the Memorandum of Understanding between DRC and the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MLSW) it was foreseen that the most successful trainees will be referred to the Regional Vocational Training Center (RVTC) in Mitrovicë/a for further advanced trainings.

DRC SBI mentors in coordination with RVTC Mitrovicë/a have organized the testing of trainees in September and 10 candidates were referred to the Regional Employment Office Mitrovicë/a with the recommendation to continue with three-month advanced trainings in RVTC Mitrovicë/a. The 10 selected trainees started advanced trainings in October 2015.

Following the success of this round of preparatory trainings, DRC SBI and the Regional Employment Office Mitrovicë/a have held info sessions and started the registration process of new job-seekers.

In November, trainings started with a new group of 22 applicants; 19 of them are from RAE communities, Roma Mahalla and 2 Korriku/Sitnicko naselje(5 candidates are female) and 3 Albanians from north Mitrovicë/a.

The Social Business Incubator is funded by Sida as part of the 'Support of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in Mitrovicë/a' project.

Mid-term evaluation tracks progress of Sida-funded project “Support to Roma, Ashkalia and Egyptian Communities in Mitrovicë/a”

October 27, 2015 by DRC Kosovo in Business Incubator, Community development, Economic development

During October 2015 DRC organized an internal mid-term project evaluation of the Sida funded “Support to Roma, Ashkalia and Egyptian Communities in Mitrovicë/a” Project.

In order to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the project components: education and economic development, and the handover process itself, DRC Kosovo has welcomed Mr. Mikkel Nedergaard - M&E expert from DRC HQ in Copenhagen.

From 19-22 October 2015, Mr. Nedergaard conducted intensive consultations with all relevant project stakeholders, by facilitating focus group discussions on education and economic development components and individual interviews with relevant parties, such as the Deputy Mayor of Mitrovicë/a municipality, NGO “RADC” Director and the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian leader.

At the end of field activities Mr. Nedergaard facilitated a brainstorming session with DRC program staff and Country Director, where the status of the Action Plan for handover process and its benchmarks have been reviewed in detail while reflecting on progress, identified gaps, obstacles and concerns of the stakeholders.

DRC invites Mitrovicë/a Municipality to visit Business Incubator in Bulgaria

April 15, 2015 by DRC Kosovo in Economic development

The DRC Social Business Incubator team invited Mitrovicë/a Municipality representatives, Mr. Erol Zekerija, Deputy Mayor for Communities, and Mr. Mehmet Bajrami, Coordinator in the Department for Public Services and Infrastructure, for a 3-day best practice exchange visit in Bulgaria.

The aim of the visit was to exchange best practices regarding the design and running of Business Incubators and effective ways of providing business support services to start-up micro-enterprises.

The delegation from Mitrovicë/a first visited the Business Incubator - Entrepreneurship Promotion Centre in Gotse Delchev. The Director of the Business Incubator Ms.Rosita Djambazova introduced their activities and events held in the Centre. The Business Incubator targets start-up businesses, established companies, agricultural producers, minorities as well as unemployed job-seekers. Similar to the DRC-run Social Business Incubator (SBI) in Mitrovicë/a, businesses in need of support services can rent workspace at the Incubator and take advantage of business, computer and language trainings.

Businesses supported by the Business Incubator

With support from the local municipality and central government, the Business Incubator supports a wide range of businesses and initiatives in the region including textile, furniture, agriculture/food processing, tourism sectors.
The Incubator also generates income from providing vocational trainings and trainings for job seekers through contracts with the local employment center. The sustainability of the Incubator is therefore a combination of income generated through service provision and public funds. In addition, the Incubator is working towards establishing a more formalized Public Private Partnership (PPP) with the local and central government on vocational trainings and other services offered by the Incubator.

The Mayor of Razlog Municipality and the Deputy Mayor of Communities Mitrovicë/a Municipality exchanging emblems of their cities.

For the delegation from Mitrovicë/a, the visit to the Business Incubator in Gotse Delchev and surrounding municipalities provided valuable insights, which they will be able to put into practice in their work with the Social Business Incubator (SBI) in Roma Mahalla, Mitrovicë/a. The SBI currently offers, subsidized workspace and business trainings to micro-businesses as well as preparatory vocational trainings. The SBI is supported by Sida through the Support to Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities in Mitrovicë/a project.

Social Business Incubator in Roma Mahalla offers certified preparatory vocational trainings

October 10, 2013 by DRC Kosovo in Business Incubator, Economic development

Newly constructed Social Business Incubator annex to host vocational trainings

Following an MoU signed with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Danish Refugee Council's Social Business Incubator in Roma Mahalla is now offering a pre-preparatory vocational training programme to youth from Roma Mahalla and the Mitrovicë/a region. In close cooperation with the Regional Employment Centre (REC) Mitrovicë/a, DRC identified teachers and mentors to train participants in:

High/low construction
Metal processing
Carpentry
TV/Radio service

Starting on 3 October 2013, 21 trainees registered through the Regional Employment Centre Mitrovicë/a will attend trainings and get the opportunity to gain basic skills that will facilitate their further vocational education. Trainings with qualified mentors will take place three times a week and last for the duration of three months. Graduates of the programme will receive certificates issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, which will enable them to pursue more advanced vocational trainings in the future.

With this programme, DRC's Social Business Incubator contributes not only to the existing employment and vocational training infrastructure in the Mitrovicë/a region, but also establishes closer links between members of the RAE and majority community.

The Social Business Incubator in Roma Mahalla is part of the economic development component of the Kosovo Stabilisation of Roma, Ashkalia and Egyptian Communities Project in Roma Mahalla Mitrovicë/a funded by Sida.