After a long break, the first face-to-face exchange event took place within the LLI-425 OCTOPUS project. The aim was to find out the cornerstones of multifunctional social service centers in order to improve these services in the Zemgale region.

On March 29, social work specialists from the project partner municipalities visited the newly established Multifunctional Social Services Center in Vecumnieki, which is located in the former historic Red School. The multifunctional center in Vecumnieki is established with the support of three projects and municipal funding, it is currently being registered in the register of social services, and in the autumn it is planned to start providing services to the residents of Vecumnieki and parishes.

On March 30, the specialists visited three multifunctional centers in Biržai district, two of which were established in 2016 in areas with no more than 400 inhabitants. Adapting to demographic change by combining technical and human resources, multifunctional centers set up in former schools or kindergartens provide a range of services. They perform educational functions, offer hobby activities, sports opportunities for both young people and adults, as well as provide hygiene center services to the socially disadvantaged.