The Program for direct assistance and support includes a variety of services created specifically to help and support the trafficked persons. All services provided are aimed at overcoming the victims trauma through activities for stabilization and in advanced stages of the process of support, their empowerment and full integration in the environment.
The program includes following services:
- Providing safe housing;
- Providing humanitarian aid;
- Medical aid;
- Specialized psycho-social counseling;
- Legal advice and representation on the court;
- Education and additional professional qualification;
- Enhancing skills for searching for a job;
- Coordination and cooperation with relevant organizations and institutions.
Program for accompanying social work for socially risk categories
Aimed specifically for persons under high risk to become victims and trafficked persons outside shelter, which besides services of the program for direct assistance and support additionally provides:
- Individual and family counseling;
- facilitating access to appropriate services at the local level; and
- long-term emotional support.
Working with children returnees from EU countries
Includes activities aimed at providing individual support to parents and children in order to facilitate integration in the social environment and includes:
- Humanitarian Aid;
- Timely involvement in the educational process for the children;
- Help and support in the provision of health and social care;
- Help to the children for easing the process of inclusion in the society after returning from the EU countries;
- Individual and family counseling;
- Facilitating access to appropriate services at the local level; and
- Long-term emotional support.
Program to support asylum seekers
Open Gate is implementing a program for vulnerable categories of persons in the process of migration that need urgent intervention, professional assistance and support in R. Macedonia. The program applies to persons who are placed in the Center for asylum seekers, and belong to the following categories of persons:
- Unaccompanied minors;
- Families;
- Single parents with children;
- Victims of sexual and gender-based violence.
The objectives are multiple and include assistance to the above mentioned categories for successful inclusion in the normal processes of social life, specifically their successful integration into society. Additionally, the aim is social mediation between the needs of these people and support system that is created by the state and is available for asylum seekers.
- The activities within the program include:
- Individual psycho-social counseling of program beneficiaries;
- Educational – occupation workshops;
- Basic lessons of Macedonian language;
- Raising awareness of the public about the phenomena of migration and needs of asylum seekers in the country.
Outreach activities for refugees and migrants (Gevgelija)
From August 2015 in Migrant Reception Centre near the Macedonian-Greek border, outreach teams of Open Gate La Strada Macedonia is working 24/7 with partners form UNICEF Skopje and UNHCR. Mobile teams work to reunite children with their families and provide a safe place for children to play. There is an operational child-friendly space, where children can be active, draw, play, dream about their future and receive emotional support. The experienced professionals conduct outreach work with new asylum seekers and persons in refugee like situation, specifically with the families, women, children, single parents, gender and sexual based violence victims, unaccompanied minors and as well man showing signs of trauma.
Outreach team of social workers & psychologist provide primarily:
- Identification of risk categories
- Psycho-social support
- Referral to other services for specific cases; through direct cooperation and coordination the mobile teams refer the specific cases that need additional services and support.
- Humanitarian aid
Outreach team of pedagogues and other professionals providing:
- emotional support to children
- occupational therapy
- basic education
- services to children