NEWSLETTER No. 3

KRALJEVO

Activities and role of NGO Forum-Kraljevo in solving problems of the local community:

Volunteer management – is the title of the workshop organised on 17 October by CRNPS/CRNPSCS and held at the premises of Social Development Centre "Lingva" in Kraljevo. The workshop was attended by representatives from 22 NGOs from Central Serbia. The following topics were addressed: motivation for volunteer work; elements of volunteer management; setting up a foundation for successful volunteer programme; relationship between staff members and volunteers; interview, organising and training of volunteers; rewarding and dismissal; supervising and evaluation. The lecturers were: Jelena Pavlovic, Ruzica Dabic and Melanija Kolosnjai Nenin.

Blythswood Care and Jersey Aid for Europe Foundation donated humanitarian aid that arrived on 15 October at LINGVA Social Development Centre in Kraljevo. The shipment, consisting of 16 tonnes of medical equipment, clothes, food and furniture, is intended for the Health Centre “Studenica“ in Kraljevo, the Rehabilitation Centre 'Agens', the Gerontological Centre in Mataruska Banja and the village clinic in Belusici, as well as for the refugees and IDPs accommodated in collective centres. In the next seven days, the distribution of aid will be carried out by volunteers active in the NGO Forum - Kraljevo. 

A meeting between representatives of 30 international and 3 local NGOs, active in the territory of Central and South Serbia, was organised on 10 October, in Kraljevo, by UNHCR FO Kraljevo. Activities and plans of the attending organisations were presented at the meeting, relating to the problems of displaced persons and refugees. The meeting was also attended by the Programme manager of NGO Forum - Kraljevo.

Within the project "Promotion of pluralism by strengthening NGOs and the civil society in Serbia", co-financed by the European Commission, with Hellenic Development Network "European Perspective" as the project holder, Radovan Milicevic was guest at the Globus Radio on 10 October, Programme Manager of NGO Forum-Kraljevo. In a one-hour broadcast Mr Milicevic talked about the role and activities of NGO Forum undertaken in solving key problems of the citizens in the local community.

Representatives from Olof Palma International Centre from Stockholm and Belgrade Office, came for a one-day visit to NGO Forum – Kraljevo on 25 September 2002. The delegation visited the collective centre "Stari aerodrom" hosting 180 displaced persons of Roma nationality from Kosovo, where they became familiar with the problems these people are facing. The guests from Sweden also visited  "Lingva" Social Development Centre in Kraljevo, where the project coordinators presented them with the activities aimed to help the most socially vulnerable categories of the population in this municipality.

The Assistant of the Health Minister in the Government of Serbia, Dr Zoran Maricic, within his one-day visit to Kraljevo on 21 September, visited the Social development Centre LINGVA, where the project coordinators presented him with the activities of the Centre. Mr Maricic expressed his satisfaction with such a rich programme being realised in Kraljevo Municipality.

Representatives from 15 NGOs from Krusevac, took part in the seminar organised on 16 September by CRNPS in cooperation with CRNPSCS/ NGO Forum. The seminar addressed the following topics: Historical development of NGOs in Serbia; Project’s anatomy and elements; Fundraising; Public relations and volunteer management. The lecturers were Branka Petrovic, Marija Kolin, Ruzica Dabic and Zoran M. Markovic. The seminar was organised within the project "Strengthening institutions of the civil society-NGO capacity building and development of regional networks in Serbia", financially supported by the European Commission.

The High Delegation of Norwegian People’s Aid from Oslo and representatives from the Office for South-Eastern Europe from Belgrade came for a one-day visit to Kraljevo on 5 September 2002. The Delegation, consisting of Nils Rohne, coordinator of NPA activities abroad, Berid Overgard and Mads Almaas, coordinators of the Desk for Europe, Bjorn Clark Nilsen, RR and Claudio Feo, PgM, visited 5 collective centres hosting displaced persons and refugees from Kosovo and Croatia, where they became familiar with the problems these people are facing. The guests from Norway also visited "Lingva" Social Development Centre in Kraljevo, where the project coordinators from the Centre presented them with the activities aimed at helping the most socially vulnerable categories of population in this municipality.

In the period from 14 to 23 August, a group of 49 children of IDPs and refugees, between the ages of 10 and 17, living in Kraljevo, spent their summer holiday in Buljarice (Montenegro). During their stay, the children had all kinds of sports activities; swimming lessons, football, basketball, volleyball... The camp was organised by the NGOs ARE from Belgrade and NGO Forum from Kraljevo. The children’s camp was financed by Norwegian People’s Aid from Belgrade.

Anne Randall Johnson, Community Development Director from ACDI/VOCA, on CRDA project, visited LINGVA, Social Development Centre, on 15 August, where the project coordinators presented her with the regular daily activities. Mrs Johnson expressed her satisfaction with such a rich programme being realised in Kraljevo Municipality.

Claudio Feo, Programme Manager in NPA for South-Eastern Europe and Mrs Elfie Dorum, Supervisor in the organisation Pragma AS from Oslo visited the Social development Centre Lingva on 8 August, where they became familiar with the programme activities (7 projects) financed by Norwegian People’s Aid. The guests from Norway also visited two collective centres in Kraljevo Municipality, where they spoke to the beneficiaries of the Centre about their everyday problems. Radovan Milicevic, Programme Manager of NGO Forum - Kraljevo, informed the guests from Norway of the most urgent problems in Kraljevo Municipality.

Blythswood Care and Jersey Aid for Europe Foundation donated the shipment that arrived at the Social Development Centre Lingva in Kraljevo on 6 August. These two humanitarian organisations from Great Britain, in cooperation with the Regional Centre of Civic Action (RCGA) LINGVA - Kraljevo, provided help that consisted of 10 tonnes of clothes, footwear, blankets, children’s beds, toys and prams, as well as  5 tonnes of vegetable preserves, biscuits and pasta. This was intended for 1400 refugees and IDPs from Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo, accommodated in 24 collective centres in the territory of Kraljevo Municipality. Volunteers from NGO Forum- Kraljevo will in the next seven days distribute the listed items to ultimate beneficiaries. In line with the agreement between the British humanitarian organisations and RCGA Lingva - Kraljevo, this is the first shipment out of several planned to arrive in the next year for the most socially vulnerable citizens of Kraljevo.