Thursday, 09 September 2010
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Group 484 Print E-mail
Group 484 in figures:
  • Active for 13 years
  • Over 100,000 beneficiaries   
  • Active in more than 70 towns  
  • Volunteer and associate network with over 500 people
  • Over 100 realised projects  
  • Thousands of realised workshops, round tables, public events
  • Full membership in 3 international networks
  • Partner and associate with over 100 domestic organisations
  • 17 full-time employees 
Group 484 is a non-governmental organisation founded in 1995 to support the organisation of 484 refugee families who had found refuge in Serbia after fleeing Krajina and Operation “Storm” of the Croatian Army. From these 484 families, Group 484 takes its name. The founder of Group 484 was Jelena Šantić, a renowned ballet dancer and peace activist, who was awarded the Pax Christi International Annual Peace Prize in 1996.

From this initial group of enthusiasts who provided humanitarian, psychosocial, legal and informative assistance to refugees from Croatia and Bosnia and then to displaced persons from Kosovo, Group 484 has become a formalized and structured organisation using a systemic approach to issues of forced migration. Direct assistance has been gradually given way to greater educational and research work in order to influence decision makers to craft durable solutions. Group 484 also works to empower forced migrants and local communities, especially youth, to be open and tolerant toward diversity among peoples. Since its establishment, Group 484 has been also empowering its staff and the organisation as a whole, transforming it into a modern organisation capable of meeting the needs of beneficiaries and responding to migration challenges in the region.

Ever since it was founded, through its programmes Group 484 has provided support and assistance to over 100,000 beneficiaries. We have worked in more than 70 towns in Serbia, formed a strong and efficient network of associates, initiated and participated in regional initiatives.


We realise our activities through three programmes, based on our strategic directions

Support to forced migrants
  • We provide direct assistance to the most vulnerable population through medical, social, psychological and legal support. More than 100,000 people have been beneficiaries of the programme of direct support.   
  • We have been doing research work, gathering information, creating reports and recommendations, organising advocacy meetings, analysing legislations…
  • We contribute to systematic, durable solutions brought by the state through legislations.

As a main organisation topic, migration, and especially forced migration, is our basic programme focus. We have been working with refugees and IDPs, returnees and asylum seekers, in partnership with national and international organisations, as well as with state organs and international organisations.




 
Work with youth
  • Direct work – educational and artistic programmes, camps, campaigns, seminars, local actions, trainings, creative workshops, etc …Over 10,000 of youth have gone through our programmes.
  • Advocacy activities – advocating for systematic solutions, i.e. a responsible attitude towards youth within strategic, national documents and in the practice of local self-governments.

Our activities are considerably focused on youth, with the emphasis on our orientation towards migrations issues, the issues of interculturalism and interethnic cooperation. Furthermore, youth are in the organisational focus as a group that has been particularly affected by poverty.

Our associates, volunteers and participants in many activities are young people: youth with the status of forced migrants, domicile youth; members of majority and minority ethnic groups, as well as different vulnerable groups of youth.
 
Regional cooperation in the field of migration
  • Regional conferences, regional research teams, trainings for journalists, round tables, analyses, recommendations

Our activities in Serbia have their natural continuation in the region and the international surroundings. We cooperate with professionals and cognate organisations from Europe. With our colleagues from Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonia, Croatia, BiH and Albania, we research the developmental potential of migration. At the same time, at international gatherings, particularly those organised by the European Commission in Brussels, we advocate for solving the problems of sustainable return of forced migrants in the region.

 
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