Ozara Slovenija Nacionalno združenje za kakovost življenja, is a non-governmental (NGO) humanitarian organization, working in the field of social and health care. It offers different forms of psychosocial rehabilitation and support to people with mental health problems. With individual approach and joint planning we enable them to re-include in the social and working environment and also empower them for independent and better quality life. One of the main concerns of OZARA Slovenija is also supporting programmes and self-help and advocacy programmes for people with mental health problems and their relatives. Together with all these programmes, OZARA Slovenija also implements preventive activities, is active in publishing, education and the promotion of mental health. Especially in the last five years we also concentrate on preventive activities trying to provide a solid starting point to assure better mental health of the general population. At the moment we employ a total number of 88 employees (at 22 locations all over the country) and have an own financial department with experts dealing with the financial and accounting issues. Due to the fact that the majority of the funding comes from the government and other public institutions we are subject to continuous revision and controlling.
Enjoying undisputable status of professional authority amongst the private non-profit non-governmental mental health institutions in Slovenia, OZARA brings crucial resources by transferring its knowledge with regard to mental health rehabilitation and the needs identified in the field. The organisation is a member of Mental Health Europe, GAMIAN and EUFAMI.

Ozara Slovenia was established on 3 March1994, when it was entered in the Register of Associations at the Administrative Unit Maribor. It is a humanitarian organization (Decision No MDDSZ. 21502-10/2004/2 of 06/07/2005), acting in public interest in the field of social and health care (Decision No MDDSZ. 017-01-012/96-47, of 12.03.1999).

Ozara Slovenia was founded primarily based on the need for outpatient organized activities for people with long term mental health problems, which did not have the media within the public network of social and health care in Slovenia. Ozara Slovenija offers outpatient forms of psychosocial rehabilitation and support to people with long term mental health disorders to enable them to re-integrate into society and the work environment and contributes to their empowerment, independence and quality of life.

Ozara Slovenia devotes special attention to support programs and self-help programs for the advocacy for people with mental health problems and their families. Besides the above various prevention activities, publishing, education and the promotion of mental health and mental well-being are implements.

Ozara Slovenia is in recent years very active in promoting mental health and reducing prejudice against people with mental health problems. Due to its many promotional activities and sound and systematic work with various media organization in Slovenia the association is highly recognized, which is ultimately proved by numerous publications in the media http://www.ozara.org/medijsko-sredisce/medijske-objave/. In particular, we are proud that our successful work was recognized by the Slovenian Society for Public Relations, since in October 2007 they awarded us the national professional prize intended for the best Slovenian communications programs. Our efforts are also recognized abroad. In 2011 we received a special certificate from the World Association for Suicide Prevention – IASP, for activities already carried out systematically for several years in the field of raising public awareness about suicide. We are also a valued member of various EU co-funded international projects.

Ozara Slovenia operates in 22 locations, in Maribor, Murska Sobota, Slovenj Graz, Ljubljana, Kranj, Novo Mesto, Izola, Koper, Celje, Brežice, Nova Gorica, Črnomelj, Zagorje, Sevnici, Krško, Bohinj, Tolmin, Ljutomer Lendava and Ptuj, Ravne na Koroškem and Jesenice.

Ozara Slovenia currently employs 88 staff in its services and programs. In the almost 19 years since the association was founded 4199 (1871 men and 2328 women) and 1,500 relatives (524 men and 976 women) users took benefit of the programs and services. However, the implementation of all activities would not be possible without the help of many volunteers. In 2012 168 volunteers participated in the association’s programs.

International reference:

* Improved Training Modules and New Opportunities for Care Workers

* SUVOT – Spiced Up Vocational Training

* EmpowerW – Empowering Women and Providers: Domestic Violence and Mental Health

* LeoShape

* Empowering LGT Young People – A P2P Model