Spirit of Youth officially launches the "Osnaži 2026" project — a six-month psychosocial support programme in Belgrade for women survivors of domestic violence and for the professionals who work with them.
The programme is being delivered with the support of the Secretariat for Social Protection of the City of Belgrade and, over the course of six months, focuses on empowering women and strengthening professional support within the local community.
Why Osnaži?
Domestic violence remains one of the most serious social issues in Belgrade. Women — as the most frequent victims — face not only physical violence, but also psychological, economic and emotional abuse that deeply affects their daily lives. Many of them lack sufficient information about the forms of support available, or the personal capacity to break the cycle of violence.
On the other hand, professionals working with this group — psychologists, pedagogues, social workers, counsellors — often lack specialised knowledge and practical tools. The gap in education and coordination further reduces the effectiveness of the local support system.
Empowering survivors and training professionals are not two separate things — they are two sides of the same change. One without the other cannot make a lasting difference.
What the programme delivers
Through individual psychosocial counselling and group empowerment workshops, the programme will support women in building confidence, recognising their own resources, and learning about available protection and support mechanisms.
In parallel, training and educational workshops for professionals will be organised, alongside an exchange of experiences and good practices from the sector. The aim is not only to strengthen individual capacities, but also to support longer-term improvement of the wider support system.
Who is delivering the project
The project is being delivered by Spirit of Youth in partnership with the Student Union of Belgrade, an organisation with years of experience in educational and socially engaged programmes. Activities will take place across Belgrade, in line with the principles of confidentiality and dignity.
More about the programme, its activities and objectives is available on the Osnaži 2026 programme page.
