As part of the project "Strengthening the resilience of older persons and persons with disabilities during COVID-19 and future crises", a two-day introductory (Kick off) meeting of partners was held, via the Internet, which lasted for two days, on January 27 and 28, 2021.

The meeting was held within the framework of an international project that will last for three years and which will be realized through cooperation at regional level.

This project is implemented with support of the European Union, the Austrian Development Agency and the Austrian Red Cross.

The partners are National Red Cross Societies and civil society organizations from the region: Albanian Red Cross, Red Cross of Montenegro, Red Cross Society of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Red Cross of the Republic of North Macedonia, Albanian Association of Gerontologists and Geriatricians, Association Humanity of Northern Macedonia, Association for help and support HAJDE of Bosnia and Herzegovina, National Organization of Persons with Disabilities of Serbia, Caritas Kosovo, Association of the Blind of Montenegro. In addition, the partners are AGE Platform Europe and European Disability Forum networks, which work in advocacy at European level through the engagement of organizations of older persons and persons with disabilities. The project is coordinated by the Red Cross of Serbia, and experts of the Red Cross of Serbia Natasa Todorovic and Milutin Vracevic are in charge of creating and implementing the project in Serbia.

The first regional online meeting within the project was attended by 46 representatives of partner institutions and organizations. The meeting was organized so that all partners involved in the project could get to know each other and get more detailed information about future activities and the work plan. The meeting was also attended by Emma Asciutti as the EU representative.

The project involves experts from the region tasked with advocating for the empowerment of older persons and persons with disabilities at national level.

The primary goal of the project is to help preserve the physical and mental health of the most vulnerable part of these populations  through organizing widely available psychosocial support services that include providing relevant information, psychological first aid and referral to professional support services.

The project, through the engagement of the expertise and experience of a large number of civil society actors, works to empower older persons and persons with disabilities at several levels. At the most direct level, the goal is to help preserve the physical and mental health of the most vulnerable in these populations through material and financial assistance tailored to the needs, but also through the organization of widely available psychosocial support services that include provision of relevant information, psychological first aid and referral to professional support services when needed.

The project also envisages direct work with local communities through support for local initiatives that will increase the participation of older persons and persons with disabilities in social processes and decision-making on topics that concern them most.

The implementation of the abovementioned activities will be preceded by the research part, is carried out in cooperation with the SeConS Development Initiative Group. The research will gather information and formulate recommendations for improving public policies, so that long-term care services for older persons and persons with disabilities in the Western Balkans will be more accessible in the future, both in regular and emergency situations.