Bridge Building Peer Reviews and Trainings

Mutual Learning Activities in BB countries

BB Peer Reviews

PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR

PROJECT TEAM AT THE EUROPEAN CENTRE

Magdi Birtha, Sabina Gjylsheni, Kai Leichsenring, Amalia Solymosi, Monika Hunjadi, Eszter Zólyomi, Selma Kadi, Felix Wohlgemuth, Elif Naz Kayran, Cassandra Simmons, Leonard Geyer, Veronica Sandu, Rahel Kahlert

PROJECT PARTNERS

Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Armenia

National Observatory on Labour Market and Social Protection Issues / Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population of Azerbaijan

Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia

Employment Agency of the Republic of Kosovo

Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Moldova

Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of North Macedonia

Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs of Serbia

Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine

and other partners in those countries and in Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Montenegro.

Additional key experts of the European Centre and from beyond (EU, local BB experts)

BACKGROUND

As part of its Bridging (BB) Function, the European Centre established collaboration with stakeholders in eleven EU accession countries, potential EU accession countries and Eastern Partnership countries (BB countries). Among other things, the European Centre with the support of the Austrian Federal Ministry for Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, signed Memoranda of Understandings (MoUs) between respective ministries in the BB countries. Due to the regular exchange between the European Centre and the ministries needs for research-based and policy-relevant knowledge on social policy are expressed constantly. By implementing mutual learning activities in the BB countries, the European Centre provided answers to countries' needs related to the better coping with the health and social consequences of COVID-19 and to fighting poverty, especially for vulnerable groups. The project corresponded to the principles, objectives and priorities of the three-year programme of Austrian development policy from 2019 to 2021.

AIMS

The project pursued three priority strategic goals, which were (1) topic-related, (2) target group-oriented and (3) focused on structure-changing:

Topic-related goal: Coping with the health and social consequences of COVID-19;
Target group-oriented goal: Improving the social situation of women and girls as well as of vulnerable groups; and
Structure-changing goal: Sustainable strengthening of the social and health systems.

METHODS

Through a needs assessment at the beginning of the project, the specific topics of the mutual learning activities were constantly fine-tuned with the ministries and actors in the partner countries. Consequently, the following actions were implemented and methods applied:

Peer (and Policy) Reviews: Six peer/policy reviews were carried out online. They promoted mutual exchange of experience and knowledge transfer about the situation on a selected topic in the host country and in the respective peer countries.
Trainings: Four trainings were carried out online. These enabled participatory learning on a specific topic in a partner country.
Hands-on pilot: The pilot project was developed by building on the results of the peer reviews and training sessions and provided detailed recommendations for actions on a selected topic for the BB countries.

The project was monitored and evaluated.

ACTIVITIES/MILESTONES

Six peer reviews from host countries and partner countries: The added value of the peer reviews laid in the mutual exchange and multilateral learning between (potential) EU accession countries, Eastern Partnership countries, and EU / AT experts:

BB Peer Review in Social Welfare: The integrated policy approach applied for vulnerable groups of society with the Active Inclusion Integration Platform (AIIP) of the Republic of Kosovo (21-22 June 2022; online)
BB Peer Review in Social Welfare: The design of the social assistance benefit in Moldova: Improving targeting and supporting employment (6-7 September 2022; online)
BB Policy Review in Social Welfare: Monitoring and Evaluation for Social Protection Programmes (12-13 December 2022; online)
BB Peer Review in Social Welfare: Deinstitutionalisation of children and persons with disabilities, hosted by North Macedonia (8-9 February 2023; online)
BB Policy Review in Social Welfare: Gender Equality and Care for relatives (5-6 June 2023; online)
BB Policy Review in Social Welfare: Policy measures to mitigate the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on vulnerable groups (7-8 November 2023; online)

Four trainings from partner countries: Bilateral trainings took place with a partner country, the European Centre and experts with focus given to participatory knowledge transfer. In contrast to the peer reviews, this format deals with specific topics and approaches to solving challenges with participants from one partner country only.

Training for the Ministry of Social Policy Ukraine (15-16 December 2021; online): Ageing and long-term care
Training for the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy North Macedonia (7-8 June 2022; online): Financing social services
Training for the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs Armenia (20-21 June 2023; online): Quality assurance in delivering social services – From commissioning to monitoring performance
Training for the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection Moldova (15-16 November 2023; online): Innovation in long-term care and quality assurance in delivering social services

Hands-on pilot: The pilot scrutinized how the partnership principle was implemented in the Bridge Building (BB) countries of the European Centre. It was an unique attempt to gather insights on corresponding practices applied by BB partners. The report can be downloaded here. With the support of the European Centre, recommendations were drawn for action in the BB countries. The hands-on pilot was implemented to support the sustainability of knowledge transfer beyond the activities in the context of peer reviews and training with the final aim of the implementation of the policies in the context of national strategies.