Project “Establishment of a Youth Centre in the city of Montana“
Implemented in: Montana
Program: “Local development, poverty reduction and enhanced inclusion of vulnerable groups”
Implementation period: 20.10.2020 – 19.12.2024
Lead organisation: Montana Municipality, Republic of Bulgaria
Partner: Hringsjá vocational and educational center (Iceland)
Project summary:
Establishment of a Youth Center in Montana, which will provide comprehensive services for young people related to innovative, educational and non-formal learning; psychological assistance and support; forums on youth problems and challenges; cultural, civic and sports initiatives. The focus is on a wide range of training modules, trainings and clubs based on the informal methodology. The ultimate goal is to build key competencies and skills for personal and professional development. The planned activities are aimed at young people between the ages of 15 and 29; students at risk of dropping out or dropping out of the education system; young people at risk of ethnic minorities; at-risk youth living in small and remote settlements or in economically less developed areas; young people outside employment, education or training (called NEETs); students and young people with a single parent; students and young people from low-education families; young people struggling with various addictions; mediators working with young people from vulnerable groups (including Roma); youth workers; employees of Montana YC; municipal employees; children, parents, teachers, community representatives.
The expected general and specific results are related to: 1. improving the social and economic development of the Montana municipality as a result of the investment and development of the potential of each child; 2. improved and expanded access of young people from the municipality to diverse and up-to-date services; 3. Building fruitful cooperation with Iceland partners; 4. Attraction of young people and people of different ages; 5. Capacity building of MC employees. The main goal of the project is to improve the quality of life of young people in Montana Municipality incl. those at risk and disadvantaged by building appropriate infrastructure, purchasing the necessary equipment and furniture and developing and providing a wide range of programs that meet modern requirements and standards for working with students and young people aged 15 to 29, including in risk and disadvantaged. The specific objectives of the project are related to 1. Provision of activities that support the multicultural approach, protect democratic values and encourage the active participation of the community; 2. Engaging the young people in the activities and initiatives of the youth center; 3. Offering innovative programmes in the field of robotics and new technologies; conducting informal trainings in the field of democratic values, human rights, media and digital literacy, safe use of the Internet, civic and social competence; 4. Providing educational support to young people who are still in formal education, but are at risk of dropping out due to failure and/or difficulties; 5. Provision of individual services for social inclusion of young people from vulnerable groups; 6. Applying a proactive approach for activating the family, the community, the stakeholders and the local public authorities in developing coordinated policies and strategies for the young people at local level; 7. Exchange of good practices and experience at national and international level; 8. Building lasting bilateral relations with the project partner organization in the field of youth policy and work within the project and after its completion; 9. fulfillment of the criteria for obtaining the Quality Label of the Council of Europe; 10. implementation of the standards of work of the Council of Europe – observance of universal human rights, transparent governance and civic participation. The activities and services to students and young people under this project complement the project “Dancing and playing together” under the cross-border cooperation program Bulgaria – Serbia, aimed at young people, their cultural development and their opportunities to create art. Montana Municipality is also developing a project for the construction of social housing under the Investment Programme, OPRD. It is planned that the large families, single parents, homeless people, persons from minorities, etc., accommodated in them, will receive support for social inclusion through educational, social and labor packages under the OPHRD procedure. All these projects complement and offer services and commitment to young people in order to comprehensively improve their social status and opportunities for complete development.
Grant amount: 1 938 284 EUR
Contact: Tihomir Antonov
email: antonov@montana.bg
phone: + 359 96 394 202
address: 1, Izvora Str. 3400 Montana, Bulgaria
