Family Assistants Strengthen Support for the Most Vulnerable Families
Support was provided to families of informal waste collectors in 12 local self-governments
- Srpski
- English
Inđija, 26 May 2026 - Family assistants engaged through the PRO – Local Governance for People and Nature programme have been providing direct support to families of informal waste collectors in 12 local self-governments, helping them access their rights, services and support available within their communities.
At a closing meeting family assistants and their mentors exchanged experiences from their work with families, shared good practices and reflected on lessons learned that can contribute to strengthening support for vulnerable families in the future.
Throughout the programme, family assistants helped families gain better access to health, education and social welfare services and services for children and parents. In cooperation with other relevant stakeholders in the field, they supported families in accessing employment opportunities. At the same time, through continuous mentoring, they strengthened their own knowledge and skills for working with families facing multiple challenges.
Experiences from the field showed that trust, continuous support and a strong community presence are key to successfully connecting families with available services and support programmes. Participants concluded that the family assistant model has significant potential for further development and wider application within systems that support the social inclusion of vulnerable families.
Mentors highlighted the progress family assistants achieved in assessing family needs, building trust, communicating with institutions and coordinating different forms of support. Family assistants, in turn, emphasised that mentoring played a crucial role throughout the programme and was particularly valuable in helping them navigate complex situations and challenges encountered in the field.
These activities were implemented as part of the PRO – Local Governance for People and Nature programme, jointly implemented by UNOPS, UNICEF, UNFPA and UNEP in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Serbia and with the financial support of the Government of Switzerland.
