CENTRE FOR INFORMATIVE AND LOGISTIC SUPPORT OF THE CITIZENS NEW CONTACT – SKOPJE

Total budget: MKD 330.000

Timeframe: 6 months

CONSTITUENTS

Our members, the volunteers who have been temporarily engaged by the organization, individual donors and our supporters who are individuals and associations from abroad, mostly from the EU countries (Sweden, Slovenia, Denmark, Germany, Austria) and Switzerland. As our constituents, we also have our collaborators from the local institutions, as well as CSOs with whom we have cooperated on the topic of migration and with whom we have been building a migration network in the country.

ON THE PROJECT SUPPORTED BY CIVICA MOBILITAS

Info Migrant 2020

BACKGROUND

In the period of world pandemics caused by COVID-19, a serious challenge at global, national and local level is the timely information, taking action, logistic support of the citizens, safe transport, as well as the organizational set-up of the institutions and their preparedness to respond to these challenges.

It is crucial that the centre for informative and logistic support of the citizens “NEW CONTACT” with this action provides the necessary support to the citizens in conditions of exceptionally unclear and risky situation for the society and the public health. The need to protect the most vulnerable categories of citizens and inform them in the situation of global pandemics is huge. “NEW CONTACT” is one the few organizations which organizes this kid of informative action intended for migrants, i.e. people from the diaspora, as well as citizens who travel and reside abroad, in need of quick information or contact to the institution in charge in Macedonia.

GOALS AND RESULTS

Goal: The goal us to support all Macedonian citizens, especially the most vulnerable groups, the elderly, the children and people with disabilities in the Republic of North Macedonia, but also those who stay or have travelled abroad, and have found themselves in other countries and have the need of logistic support for administrative and communication service with an institution in charge in R.N. Macedonia and establish a bridge, i.e. better cooperation and openness of the institutions and their bigger accessibility for the citizens. At the same time, we should contribute to a more transparent, accountable and socially inclusive governance at national and local level.

Objective: The objective of the action is to establish a bridge of communication with the institutions in charge where the communication has been interrupted, and support the citizens who are in urgent need of response when it comes to protection of their health and safety when travelling, with a special focus on the most vulnerable categories, in order to minimize the consequences of Covid-19 pandemics, but also to reestablish cooperation and openness of the institutions for urgent administrative, social and other type of service for the citizens.

RESULTS

1. Quick coordination for informing the citizens about the effective humanitarian and volunteer activities and the possibilities of using them;
2. Informed public;
3. Provided legal aid and security advice for all citizens and most endangered groups;
4. Established indirect communication between the citizens and the institutions via our organization as a “communication bridge” in urgent situations;
5. Translated information on the web page in three languages (Macedonian, English and Albanian);
6. Strengthened capacities of the staff for web page management;
7. Open Info Centre with a 24/7 open line, and a web page with the most recent information;
8. Established cooperation network of CSOs working on migration.

ACTIVITIES

1. Web page upgrade (possibility for quick information);
2. Translation of information, in English;
3. Translation of information, in Albanian;
4. Training in web page management;
5. Training in good governance and management, structure, adoption of new systems and procedures for information on the health situation in RN Macedonia;
6. Preparing a manual for web page administration;
7. Organizing a 24/7 info center for contact with the citizens;
8. Public debate with the participation of the state institutions on “informing at migration”;
9. Activities to renew the migration network, with joint actions;
10. Exchange of information and promotion of results.

Web page