More information
Description
Non-profit organisation Dress for Success Maribor was founded by Larysa Podhostnik from Ukraine and Larisa Vidovic from Bulgaria. The war in Ukraine has changed the lives of millions of people. More than 8,000 refugees from Ukraine have found refuge in Slovenia, and many have nowhere to return. From the war''s beginning our volunteers were helping in humanitarian warehouses. Ukrainian refugees needed another help.
Due to the current world situation we decided to establish the Free Integration Help Centre for Ukrainian refugees in Slovenia. We are assisting them with language support at many government''s organisation.
Our Free Integration Help center for Ukrainian refugees has been operating since August 17, 2022 and supports citizens of Ukraine in Slovenia. The free integration help center operates within the framework of the signed agreement with Employment Service Maribor. We help people recover, integrate into a new environment and encourage them to integrate into the Slovenian business and entrepreneurial communities. The integration help center covers areas based on the best practices from Europe, such as: accommodation in a new country, professional and language support, employment counseling, referral to work, adaptation to a new society.
Ukrainian refugees in Slovenia can join the conversation, participate in programs and access resources, establish a relationship with experts who can help them start a new life in a new country.
Activities:
Daily assistance and advising
Providing the necessary information for Ukrainian refugees who have just moved to Slovenia
Monthly workshops
Summary of project results
The integration help center supports Ukrainian refugees in creating a new life in Slovenia and provides additional assistance and guidance for their professional paths. The project is aimed at encouraging participants to develop entrepreneurial ideas, and the first steps into social entrepreneurship can be an effective approach in reducing unemployment among participants and creating new employment perspectives, not only at the local and regional level but also at the national and European levels. One of the challenges was integrating children aged 10 to 18 years old.
Among the center’s visitors were newly displaced individuals who arrived in Slovenia in 2023 and those who relocated here at the start of the invasion in March-May 2022 and decided to stay in Slovenia. The integration help center held 8 workshops and organized a group visit to a Career Fair. We also provided assistance and counseling to displaced persons from Ukraine who expressed interest in registering new businesses or relocating their existing businesses to Slovenia. Additionally, a “Sports and Social Training for Ukrainian and Slovenian Youth” was conducted in collaboration with the basketball club Borut Besedič – Čiro.
From May 10 to November 10, 2023, we helped 247 individuals displaced from Ukraine. 114 displaced individuals from areas such as Maribor, Ljubljana, Ptuj, Ormož, and Murska Sobota participated in the workshops, 7 individuals found employment, 5 displaced individuals from Ukraine received this help and counseling, two of whom established businesses in Slovenia.