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Description
The number of people aged 75+ will double over the next 15 years. There is a lack of social services deinstitutionalization (DI) initiatives in Poland. A national strategy in this area is currently being prepared, nevertheless there is an urgent need for greater involvement of NGOs in this process, especially the local organizations, operating in their communities.As part of the project we want to strengthen the role of NGOs and social economy entities in deinstitutionalization of social services. The project is focusing on advocacy. Its aim is to develop recommendations on the role of organizations in deinstitutionalization processes to be adopted by the government, selected administration bodies as well as provincial governments.Recommendations at the national level as well as 16 regional deference documents will be prepared in the course of the project. Moreover several activities in the field of monitoring the law on social services, implementation of the national DI strategy, as well as regional draft polices will be carried out in the scope of the project. A monitoring report will be prepared every two months. Thanks to the project’s implementation, the subjective role and voice of the NGO sector as a social services’ provider will be strengthened. One of the outcomes of the project will also be an attempt to establish 16 regional so-called Social Service Platforms. The project will benefit NGOs providing social services themselves and (indirectly) individuals who are elderly, chronically ill, suffer from disabilities, in crisis of homelessness, in foster and other 24/7 institutional care centers. The project is implemented in partnership with the Czech Association of Social Service Providers (APSS ČR) which is an umbrella body for app. 1,200 member organizations. The partner has extensive know-how and experience as far as implementing deinstitutionalization processes and angadging NGOs in the process is concerned.
Summary of project results
The project aimed to address key challenges in the deinstitutionalization (DI) process, which involves transitioning from institutional care to the provision of social services within local communities. In Poland, approximately 2.5–3 million people require daily living support due to disability or advanced age, while the existing system provides assistance to only 400,000 individuals. At the same time, the number of people aged 75+ is expected to rise sharply in the coming years.
The challenges include the insufficient scale of community-based support, the need to create alternatives to 24/7 institutional care, and the risk of marginalizing NGOs in the implementation and delivery of social services. The NGO sector, which already provides over 57% of social services in Poland, should play a central role in developing national and regional strategies and programs. A lack of NGO involvement in the DI process risks the domination of the commercial sector, where profit-driven goals could compromise the quality of services and the dignity of those in need.
The project’s aim was to strengthen the role of NGOs in the planning and implementation of deinstitutionalization and to secure their position as key providers of social services within local communities.
The project was enabling the development and promotion of recommendations on the role of NGOs in deinstitutionalization, aimed at adoption by government administration. Advocacy activities included drafting national recommendations for the implementation of the DI strategy and social services development (developed by a multidisciplinary team of experts) and 16 regional recommendations in the same area. Over the course of the project, more than 16 statements and appeals concerning various aspects of social policy were prepared.
Monitoring activities focused on social services legislation, the implementation of the national DI strategy, and regional plans in this area, targeting social organizations and other social economy entities. The project included 16 regional seminars and 2 national conferences. It was implemented in partnership with the Czech Association of Social Service Providers (APSS ČR), which represents 1,200 organizations delivering social services. The partner''s expertise in deinstitutionalization processes and NGO engagement was instrumental in designing the project and influencing the DI process. The partner prepared a report on its experience, participated in the project’s opening seminar and final national conference, and contributed to brochures on deinstitutionalization.
The project strengthened the sector of organizations delivering services within the deinstitutionalization process and reinforced the role of non-profit entities in providing social services. Long-term benefits included establishing the role of NGOs in the creation of Regional Plans for Social Services Development and Deinstitutionalization.
As a result of the project, NGOs will not only participate in the creation of these plans but also in their monitoring. Furthermore, in at least nine regions, regional leaders trained through the project were successfully integrated into teams developing regional plans for social services development and deinstitutionalization. In the new programming period, several initiatives supporting social services development have been outlined, with NGOs set to play a key partnership role in their implementation.