Niš, 20–21 October 2025 – As part of the ongoing cooperation between Returning Point and the National Employment Service (NES), the third workshop titled “Enhancing Cooperation and Support for NES Migration Service Centers” was held in Niš. The two-day event brought together representatives of MSCs from Belgrade, Subotica, Novi Sad, Vranje, Kraljevo, Bor, Kruševac, and Niš, with the aim of strengthening the capacity of MSC staff in working with returnees.
The first day focused on refining a draft internal document – the Guide for Returnees, developed by Returning Point to facilitate the work of MSCs and provide comprehensive support to returnees through an integrated approach with local institutions. Participants exchanged experiences, mapped challenges, and proposed concrete improvements to enhance future work with returnees.
On the second day, a meeting was held at the NES Niš branch to provide international and local partners with a better understanding of the work of Migration Service Centers and the model of returnee support developed by Returning Point.
The following participants attended the meeting:
- Boban Matić, Director of the NES Niš Branch
- Adrijana Cicović, Head of the Department for Projects and International Cooperation, NES
- Dijana Todorović, Representative of Loopia Niš
- Jelena Manić Petronikolos and Aleksandra Urošev, UNDP Serbia
- Ann Charlotte Malm, Head of Swedish Development Cooperation in Serbia (SIDA / Embassy of Sweden)
- Snežana Vojčić and Selma Keljalić, SIDA / Embassy of Sweden
- Uroš Živković and Bojana Miković, Returning Point
The meeting aimed to present the work of MSCs and the returnee support model developed by Returning Point in cooperation with local institutions, as well as to exchange information and experiences with international partners. Following the meeting, participants visited the Migration Service Center at the NES Niš branch. The day concluded with an informal “TP cafe” event with returnees in Niš, providing direct insight into the everyday work and needs of returnees at the local level.
Through all three workshops held since 2024, Returning Point has been continuously working to strengthen MSCs at the local level, laying the foundation for effective and comprehensive support for returnees in Serbia. The workshops combine experience sharing, practical exercises, and the development of tools such as the Guide for Returnees, which will serve as an important resource for MSCs in their ongoing work.
