The Centre “Living Upright” organizes personal assistance service for disabled persons.

With this campaign, we aim to urgently provide funds in the total amount of 557,000 dinars (4,743 euros) for 720 hours of service in Subotica and 456 hours in Novi Sad.
Personal assistance is a social service that enables independent living for disabled persons, and the person who assists provides it in relation to basic personal needs, household needs and social needs for those activities that those of us who need assistance cannot physically do alone in the way we would if we could. According to the Law on Social Welfare, the financing of this service is the responsibility of cities and municipalities or the ministry responsible for social protection pays dedicated funds to underdeveloped municipalities. It is currently available in less than 30 municipalities and cities for about 300 people.

However, in most municipalities and cities, including Novi Sad, the transport, sick leave, and annual leave allowance are not financed, as well as the right to other paid time off in accordance with the Labour Law, but the assistants are hired under the service contract and, apart from compulsory health insurance, they have no other right guaranteed by employment. The Centre concludes a working contract with the assistants, abiding the Labour Law. However, in such circumstances, there are risks of up to 2.8 million dinars (22,844 euros) of shortage this year.

The second reason for fund raising for PA services to two person is that instead of assessing the need for support, the financing of the PA service is granted only to persons who have exercised the right to increased allowance for assistance and care of another person. If a person exercises the right to the basic allowance, they are not granted the financing of assistance from the budget of the municipality/city, and the need for service is not assessed even though it is provided for in the Rulebook on Detailed Requirements and Standards for the Provision of Social Services. This is the reason why one person does not exercise the right to finance the personal assistance service from the budget of the City of Subotica, for 4.5 years and the Centre organizes it through donations and its participation in financing, and for one person from Belgrade we organize it for a year. This year’s costs amount to 2.3 million dinars (19,586 euros). While working with the competent authorities to urgently overcome obstacles to the smooth and permanent provision of services in the optimal scope and with respect of all labour rights of the assistants, we also need your immediate support.
We invite you to donate so we can bridge the gap until the cities where the Centre organizes the service respond to requests with a lasting and sustainable solution.
BUDGET:

RSD 341,000.00 (EUR 2904) for 720 hours of PA to the user in Subotica for the period from June to August 2022 including 22 days of annual leave and
RSD 216,000.00 (EUR 1840) for the annual leave allowance the assistants of three PA users in Novi Sad for the period from June to August 2022 (i.e. for 456 working hours)

TOTAL:  RSD 557,000.00 (4,743 EUR)

You can support the campaign by donating online through the online platform of the Reconstruction Women’s Fund (when donating in the Company Name field, type “Donation for the Centre Living Upright” or by payment to the Centre’s account: 340-11001286-31 with Erste Bank.

Donated: 562.615,00 din, 101,01%