Our Project operates at the heart of the National Deinstitutionalization Strategy 2018-2027 and the New Law on Social Protection
The Global Objective is to support long-term and sustainable inclusion of persons with disabilities as equal and active citizens of their communities and the society at large, by supporting and enhancing the implementation of the new National Deinstitutionalization Strat
egy 2018-2027. The Specific Objective is to support the establishment and improve the availability of community-based social services across the country and reduce the number of children and adults with disabilities who live in long-term residential institutions for social care. Our Technical Assistance project offers support on implementation of the Law on Social Protection by developing bylaws and rulebooks, establishing a national effective Monitoring and Evaluation system for community based social services; our project will also support the mid-term evaluation of the implementation of the new National Deinstitutionalization Strategy 2018-2027 and its Action Plan. We offer a wide spectrum of Capacity Building activities; 25 credited trainings, seminars and workshops to social professional in the Centers for Social Work, the Employment Service Agency, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, Units for Local Self-Governments, Institute of Social Activities, existing public and private social providers and institutions from other sectors; also provision of direct on-the-spot technical support to service providers at local level. Our support and efforts are, furthermore, focus on development of Municipal Social Plans for the improvement of the availability of community based social services and technical support in establishing or expanding social services at local level. We are part of the EUD and MLSP Coordinated work on the Deinstitutionalization Strategy. Additionally, we have an extended Visibility and Communication Strategy promoting activities and campaigning at local and national level. OUR PROJECT TEAM
Our team includes an extended pool of renowned International and Local Experts:
Maria Marinakou is our Team Leader/Senior Expert. She is from Greece and has more than 25 years of professional experience and engagement in managing projects, training and capacity building in the areas of social inclusion / disability / activation/ social work /social services and design of social policies. Monika Gabanyi is our Key Expert 2/Senior Expert. She is from Germany and has more than 25 years of professional experience and engagement in managing projects, social and health system development, training and capacity building in the areas of long term care/ social inclusion/ integrated service provision in community care supporting people with mental and physical disabilities as well as the elderly. Bojan Petak is our Project Director, representing the Consultant (EPTISA). He has been working for EPTISA as Project Manager/Project Director since 2010, covering all the Western Balkan countries, with the last 5 years focusing especially on projects in North Macedonia. His expertise is coordination and management of EU funded projects particularly related to social inclusion and protection, socio-economic development, as well Infrastructure. She is a social worker and has been involved and actively contributes in the fields of social protection and social development for youth, women and marginalized communities. In addition, through her work, she actively engages in and conducts research on the rights of children and persons with disabilities in the areas of social and health care. Mihaela Narcisa Stoichici-Vârlan is our Senior Non-Key Monitoring and Evaluation Expert. She is from Romania and she has over 15 years of professional experience in designing and implementation of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, methodologies and tools in the social field (social inclusion, social services). Aleksandra Georgievska is our Non-Key Monitoring and Evaluation National Expert. She has extensive experience in design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation activities in the area of social protection, social inclusion, inclusive labour market and inclusive and integrated education. Biljana Dukovska is our Senior Non-Key Expert on Social Protection with focus on developing and establishing social services on local level. She has over 15 years of experience in the CSO sector, advocating for participation and working together on policy recommendations with different vulnerable groups mostly on poverty eradication, socio-economic issues, sustainability and societal development. Sashko Jovanov is our Junior Non-Key Expert on Social Protection with focus on developing and establishing social services on a local level. He has 15 years of engagement in project management, training, social services and policies at the local level (the elderly, people with disabilities, people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis); special adult education programs and protocols form minimum standards for professional home care. Radomir Trajković is our Junior Non-Key Expert for Training Needs Assessment and Training Support. He has 15 years experience in operational management of environmental and social inclusion projects. Data collection, processing and analysis for research purposes, as well as public relations for training implementation purposes are the main fields of his specialty. Elena Simonoska is our the Junior Non-Key Expert - Awareness Raising Expert, with a 17 years professional experience in public relations and policy advocacy activities, mainly working with civil society organizations and donor founded projects. Looking forward to cooperating with you!
