Civic Alliance - Latvia has received a response from the Ministry of Welfare (MoW) to the letter addressed to the Prime Minister K.Kariņš “Regarding support provided by the non-governmental sector during the state of emergency”. In the letter, CAL included the lessons learned during the first wave of Covid-19 and called for timely provision of support programs and cooperation with the non-governmental sector to help mitigate the effects of the crisis. The Prime Minister forwarded the letter to the ministries for comments. First to provide a response was the MoW, who praised the contribution and involvement of CSOs in the development of social policy, provision of social services and support, as well as the engagement and reinforcing various social groups, which is especially important during the Covid-19 crisis. The MoW informed that:

• Negotiations are currently taking place with welfare CSOs in order to ensure successful cooperation and continue to provide social services that are vital to the population;
• The MoW continues to work closely with social service providers, including representatives of the non-governmental sector and its partners to provide methodological support and identify needs for personal protective equipment for the most vulnerable populations;
• The MoW has called on the local government to provide support to social service providers operating in their administrative territory as far as possible;
• The call for support in the Covid-19 crisis to social care and rehabilitation centers (SCRCs) was answered by several organizations, whose contacts will be passed on to the interested SCRCs who require volunteers; they will ensure finding volunteers, provide volunteer training in the work environment and ensure the coordination of the volunteer work in the specific organization;
• Each SCRC, in accordance with their budgetary capabilities and the specifics of the volunteer work duties, may agree on the compensation of the costs associated with the performance of the work for the volunteers, providing it in the volunteer work contract.