ARISE SCHOOLS: Intersectoral cooperation
Date: Jan. 26, 2024

In this final installment, we follow three primary schools in Serbia, Vozd Karadorde Primary School in Aleksinac, Vuk Karadzic Primary School in Cuprija and Vuk Karadzic Primary School in Nis, to find out how they established cooperation with local government, social and non-profit institutions.

Some of these schools have a significant proportion of learners belonging to socially vulnerable groups and are facing issues such as absenteeism, lack of parental involvement and dropping out during the transition from primary to secondary education. Others deal with challenges related to providing an adequate school environment for learners with disabilities.

Schools’ participation in international projects helped raise awareness of these issues, which in turn compelled the local community to react. The school staff interviewed in the videos highlight cooperation with social services, the Red Cross and the Youth Office as especially beneficial in reducing dropout rates and acquiring the necessary resources to accommodate learners with disabilities, like sensory rooms and personal assistants.

Impressions from several government officials are also featured to show insight on the cooperation process from the perspective of the state. The officials interviewed in the video also offer recommendations on how to facilitate dialogue between different sectors and encourage problem solving by forming intersectoral teams. 

Check out the video!

If you want to learn more about some of the schools featured in the video, you can visit the website of the Primary School Vuk Karadžić in Ćuprija, and give Primary School Vožd Karađorđe a follow on Facebook!