New Partnerships, New Opportunities for Young Roma in Vojvodina
On September 16, 2026, Roma Education Fund Serbia (REF Serbia) and the Employers’ Union of Vojvodina signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in Novi Sad, with the aim of creating a more inclusive business environment and new opportunities for young Roma women and men.
The cooperation will focus on promoting employment, improving access to quality education and vocational training, as well as developing sustainable business models that can contribute to the long-term economic inclusion of Roma women and men across Vojvodina.
The Memorandum lays the foundation for stronger, long-term connections between Roma talent, employers, and the needs of the labour market in Vojvodina. The first steps will focus on identifying concrete employment and skills development opportunities, as well as encouraging greater employer involvement in initiatives that support inclusive employment.
The cooperation will enable closer engagement with employers and a better understanding of labour market needs, while helping to identify concrete employment and professional development opportunities for young Roma women and men across Vojvodina. Through this partnership, existing vocational training and skills development programmes can be better aligned with the real needs of companies, helping young people turn the knowledge and skills they acquire into concrete employment opportunities.
At the same time, closer engagement with the business community will provide a better understanding of current labour market needs, which skills are in demand, where employment opportunities exist, and how education and vocational training can better respond to those needs.
The signing of the Memorandum marks the beginning of this cooperation. The next step is to turn these shared goals into concrete opportunities for education, skills development, employment, and professional growth for young Roma women and men in Vojvodina.
