The fifth workshop of the Systems Innovation Lab was held on 29 October 2025 at the premises of the Republic Institute for Social Protection in Belgrade, organized by the Network of Organizations for Children of Serbia (MODS) and the Republic Institute for Social Protection (RZSZ), within the project “Caring Communities – Transnational approaches for multiple transformative changes in home care and community development in the Danube Region.”
The workshop brought together experts from the field of social protection, representatives of relevant institutions, and civil society organizations. Participants were welcomed by Slavica Milojević from the Republic Institute for Social Protection.
Workshop
The workshop was dedicated to exploring possibilities for establishing a sustainable model of financing social protection and long-term care services.
Two thematic sessions were presented to participants:
Social Security – System and Structure
In the introductory presentation, Saša Stefanović analyzed the concept of social security and its main pillars – compulsory social insurance (health, pension, unemployment, and long-term care insurance), family support programs, and measures aimed at reducing poverty and social exclusion.
It was highlighted that social security systems encompass both tangible components (people, resources, services) and intangible elements such as relationships, values, and perceptions, which together shape the efficiency and sustainability of the entire system.
Long-term care insurance model – The German example
Prof. Dr Berthold Dietz (Protestant University of Applied Sciences Freiburg) presented the German model of social long-term care insurance, which operates within the country’s social protection framework.
This model is based on the principles of solidarity and personal responsibility, prioritising home care over institutional care.
Its goal is to preserve the autonomy of care recipients and alleviate the burden on families through a combination of financial benefits and care services, with contributions from all insured persons.
Through discussion, participants developed a shared vision and an initial model that could ensure stable and continuous financing of social protection services in Serbia.
About the “Caring Communities” Initiative
The initiative aims to improve the quality of life of people in need of long-term care and support by fostering cooperation among diverse stakeholders and building innovative and interregional structures in the field of social protection.
Special emphasis is placed on developing models for continuous financing and sustainability of services that enable people in need of care to live with a greater quality of life and remain in their family environment.
The project “Caring Communities – Transnational approaches for multiple transformative changes in home care and community development in the Danube Region” is supported under the Danube Region Transnational Cooperation Programme and involves 25 partners from nine countries, running from January 2024 to June 2026.