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Third Regional Freelance Conference – “Freelance is for Freedom!”

The Third Freelance Conference, titled “Freelance is for Freedom!”, brought together around 200 freelancers, professionals, students, entrepreneurs, mothers, and institutional representatives to explore the evolving landscape of digital and independent work across North Macedonia. The event served as a dynamic platform for learning, collaboration, and empowerment—strengthening the role of freelancers in the modern economy and promoting the future of work as independent, flexible, and global.
With seven panels, workshops, mentorship sessions, and international speakers, the conference offered a comprehensive look into the opportunities, challenges, and skills shaping the freelance sector today.

Donors & Supporters

Donors:

  • Central European Initiative (CEI)
  • Sava Penzisko
  • A1 Macedonia

Supporters:

  • Diners Club Macedonia
  • Wines of Macedonia
  • SkillSpotterZ
  • Training & education partners: Semos Education, SMX Academy, Next Gen Academy, Avenga Academy, M6
  • Coworking Spaces: Startup Club Skopje, CoWork 21

Date: 18 October 2025
Location: Cowork 21, Skopje

Project Objective:

The objective of the Third Freelance Conference was to accelerate the development of the freelance and digital work ecosystem in North Macedonia by:

  • Providing freelancers with practical tools, knowledge, and networks to strengthen their careers.
  • Addressing key policy issues such as taxation, legal classification, social protection, and pension access for freelancers.
  • Showcasing new opportunities for global digital work, remote collaboration, and cross-border freelancing.
  • Empowering underrepresented groups—including women and young professionals—to pursue freelance work sustainably.
  • Enhancing regional exchange with speakers and experts from CEI member states.

Project Implementation

Implementation Period: August – October 2025

Impact Foundation coordinated the full planning and delivery of the conference, from speaker curation and program design to logistics, media outreach, and partnership building. The event included:

  • A full-day program of seven panel discussions, interactive workshops, and mentorship sessions.
  • International participation from experts across Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Ukraine, Poland, and Romania.
  • A blended format combining educational content, skill-building, networking, and policy dialogue.

Activities

1. Panel Discussions & Workshops

The program covered essential themes for freelance success, including:

  • Taxation, legal status, and administrative procedures
  • Access to social and pension insurance
  • Digital marketing, client communication, and personal branding
  • Global remote-work trends and cross-border platforms
  • Women’s empowerment through freelancing
  • Emerging digital tools, including AI and LinkedIn strategies

2. Mentorship & Skills Development

Participants engaged in sessions dedicated to:

  • LinkedIn optimization
  • International job applications
  • Remote-work career planning
  • Freelance business development
    These practical workshops equipped attendees with actionable strategies to strengthen their competitiveness in global markets.

3. Third Pension Pillar Contribution

All participants were offered a 500 MKD contribution toward the Third Pension Pillar, fully covered by Impact Foundation—encouraging long-term financial planning and social security for freelancers.

4. Education & Training Opportunities

Attendees received access to over 20 online courses and exclusive discounts from partner training centers to support continuous learning and upskilling.

5. Media and Outreach Campaign

The promotional campaign included:

  • 64 social media posts, 5 videos, 2 ads
  • PR articles across national media
  • A press release aired by four national TV channels
  • 4 follow-up podcasts
  • 3 written interviews
  • 4 additional TV interviews
  • Launch of the DIGIWORK Viber community for continued communication

Total estimated reach: 45,000+ viewers.

Results & Follow-Up

Key Results

  • Successfully engaged 200 participants from North Macedonia and the CEI region.
  • Strengthened regional cooperation and knowledge exchange among freelancers and digital workers.
  • Provided practical tools that enhanced participants’ professional, financial, and digital capabilities.
  • Supported women through the “Free-lancing for Free-Motherhood” initiative, creating a support network for mothers entering freelancing.
  • Increased financial literacy and long-term planning through SAVA Penzisko’s pension education sessions.

Policy Follow-up

One of the most significant outcomes was the presentation of the advancement of a policy proposal to introduce a Lex Specialis to the Law on Employment, enabling freelancers to voluntarily pay social contributions and gain access to pension, health, and maternity benefits.
This represents a major step toward formalizing freelance work and improving social protection.

Next Steps

  • Continued advocacy for social protection reform for freelancers.
  • Strengthening the DIGIWORK community to foster ongoing learning and collaboration.
  • Expansion of training opportunities with regional partners.
  • Further development of initiatives supporting women and underrepresented groups in freelancing.

Andrijana Serafimovska

Andrijana Serafimovska is the Communications Assistant at Impact Foundation. An ambitious and self-driven individual, with a passion for volunteering to better the quality of life of disadvantaged groups. She is experienced in project management for NGOs and social media marketing.