During the implementation of the project “Developing capacities and providing support to frontline workers assisting refugees and migrant children in South Eastern Europe” participants underlined the importance of the experience and knowledge sharing among frontline workers from different countries involved in the crises, especially since they are facing many mutual challenges and working with the same target groups.
This webinar aims to bring social workers from different countries in the region to share their experiences and good practices and to create a platform for frontline workers from different countries to establish and maintain future collaboration and support to each other on issues related to the refugee/ migrant crises. During the webinar three presenters with an extensive practical experience in child protection will share their good practices, with an active participation of other participants.
About the Facilitator:
Stephanie Delaney is a social worker and service manager, with an outstanding experience working directly with children and families at risk, including counselling and therapeutic interventions for families, risk assessment and best interest determination, and child protection investigations. Ms Delany will also bring her experience in working with a wide range of different international agencies in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East and developing toolkits and capacity building packages for practitioners, fieldworkers and counsellors.
About the Lecturers:
Vahida Hujzerović (employee of the Slovene Philanthropy, Slovenia) currently coordinates the project of psychosocial assistance to children refugees and their families accommodated in the asylum centers in Slovenia. She holds BA in teaching, MSc in Social Pedagogy and has more than 20 years of experience in working with different target groups (refugees, children, youth, school workers, helping professionals, older people, CSOs, volunteers, state institutions, governments, international agencies, and other related). In addition to the experience in working with refugees in exile countries (during the war in ex-Yugoslavia for example), she has longstanding experience in working in (post)conflict and otherwise affected countries and in the area of humanitarian and development cooperation in general.
Elena Vilarova Velkovska currently works as a National Officer in Child Protection in Emergency for UNICEF in FYRO Macedonia. Ms Vilarova Velkovska contibutes to scaling up child protection components of emergency response programs and identifying opportunities to work with other sectors to strengthen overall protections for children and families. In addition, she is involved in monitoring the trends and evidence of child protection risks and advising on the child protection response, as well as elaborating necessary procedures and guidelines in the area of child protection in emergencies. Prior to UNICEF, Ms Vilarova Velkovska worked as an Education methods specialist for a Centre for non-formal education TRIAGOLNIK in Skoplje. She was in charge of designing and delivery of training programs for different beneficiaries. She is experienced in youth work in community, strategic development of social institutions in Macedonia, strengthening the capacities of child protection professionals and children, as well as in advocacy and lobbing in child protection related fields. Elena Vilarova Velkovska holds a Bachelor degree in Social Politics and Social work and a Master degree in Management of Strategic Communication.
Marina Uzelac has been working since 2005 as a project manager at NGO Slovene Philanthropy, Program Migrations, mainly focusing on unaccompanied and separated children. Her work mainly consist of: managing and coordinating projects on the field of migrant children (especially separated/unaccompanied children), advocacy work for improvement of reception condition and treatment of separated/unaccompanied children, lobbying and raising awareness on the issue of separated/unaccompanied children. In addition, Ms Uzelac is involved in preparing initiatives and proposals for stimulating system changes and solutions for separated/unaccompanied children, providing legal guardianships for separated/unaccompanied children, as well as in supporting legal guardians at their work. She has experience in organizing seminars and trainings for volunteers and experts on asylum and migration related issues, providing trainings for guardians of separated/unaccompanied children, and works as a researcher in the field of separated/unaccompanied children in Slovenia, as a member of Separated Children in Europe Programme.