Leading an active life in Slovenia

The programme of social activation for women of Albanian descent “Leading an active life in Slovenia”, implemented by the Maribor Adult Education Centre, was designed to address the extensive net migration of foreign women citizens from third countries, particularly in the Podravje region. In ​​Maribor, Ptuj and Slovenska Bistrica the number of Albanian women has, compared to 2016, nearly doubled in 2019, mainly due to the fact that these women move to be reunited as a family. Most of them are wives of construction workers from Kosovo who have to deal with language barriers and poor knowledge of how the Slovenian public system works. Husbands are absent most of time and the wives take on all the family responsibilities and thus remain inactive and often overlooked in the local social environment.

By participating in the programme, the women have expanded their informal and formal social network, visited various locally-based institutions and met with potential employers. An intercultural mediator participated in the programme and interpreted from Slovenian into the participants’ mother tongue and vice versa. By being involved in the work process the women gained new knowledge and practical experience. The training took place in old people’s homes in Maribor and Ptuj (they learned how to do individual work, such as ironing, washing, waitressing, cleaning and helping in the kitchen) and in cleaning services. 15 women participated in the programme and two of them found employment.

 PHOTO: Maribor Adult Education Centre