Project: “Vratsa Youth Center – a factor for the development of the Northwest”
Implemented in: Vratsa
Program: “Local development, poverty reduction and enhanced inclusion of vulnerable groups”
Implementation period: 01.07.2020 – 30.06.2023
Lead organisation: Vratsa Municipality, Republic of Bulgaria
Partner: Timis County Youth Foundation, Romania
Project summary:
The project responds to the necessity identified in Vratsa Municipality to ensure that the needs of young people and community, including the members of the vulnerable groups, are met. It aims at expanding the territorial range of the Vratsa Youth Center (VYC), continuing and developing existing activities and conducting new ones, which will increase the diversity, interest and number of young people involved in the activities. The main target group is young people at the age between 15 and 29 years; students at risk of dropping out or already dropped out of the education system; young people at risk of ethnic minorities; young people at risk living in small and remote settlements or in economically less developed areas; people not included in the youth group related to youth participation in youth center activities: including children, parents, teachers, mentors and other representatives of the local community. Secondary target group are educational/Roma mediators; youth workers; employees of the VYC and municipal officials. The main objective is to improve the welfare of children and young people at risk on the territory of Vratsa municipality and to expand the territorial range of work of the VYC at the regional level, by introducing services for children and young people at risk that meet the requirements for obtaining a Quality Mark of the Council of Europe. The main activities of the project are aimed at improving the conditions for equal access to education, training and work; enhancing motivation for inclusion of children and parents from ethnic minorities, creating prerequisites for social inclusion; integration activities for children and young people by organizing common initiatives and changing public attitudes towards greater tolerance for young people at risk. Expected results: expanded territorial range and activities of VYC, more active participation of the target group in the activities of the center; increased capacity of staff in youth center.
The main objective of the project is to improve the welfare of children and young people at risk on the territory of Vratsa Municipality and expand the territorial range of work of the Vratsa YC at the regional level by introducing services for children and young people at risk to meet the eligibility requirements of the Council of Europe Quality Mark. Another important aim and main basis for socialization and realization of young people is education. It should be developed in all areas: both in the field of formal education – in the education system, as well as in the field of non-formal education and lifelong learning. Integrating children at risk into the education system and ensuring access to quality education is a key component of prevention of child neglect, and a tool for developing their opportunities to the fullest extent and for shaping the main tasks that the Vratsa Youth Center intends to accomplish in the coming years. Specific objectives: To improve the conditions and environment for equal access to education, training and work; to enhance the motivation to involve children and parents from ethnic minorities; to create preconditions for social inclusion; to integrate the activities for children and young people by organizing joint initiatives and changing public attitudes towards greater tolerance for youth at risk; to preserve and develop children’s cultural identity through organizing events in an integration environment; to motivate for continuing education; soft skills training; to increase the diversity of activities and involving people of different age groups; to increase the number of young people and persons outside the youth group involved in the activities, in order to ensure that the needs of the young people and community representatives, including those from vulnerable groups, are met; to change public attitudes towards greater tolerance for at-risk youth; to promote young people’s non-formal learning and vocational training; to involve parents in the process of educational, social and professional realization of children and students; social and cultural integration of young people in society – through dialogue and exchange of cultural traditions of different ethnicities and young people with different social status; to develop volunteering among young people as a main basis for social cohesion, solidarity and the formation of civic awareness; to encourage collaboration between Vratsa YC, youth organizations and institutions for ensuring successful inclusion of young people at risk in the society life; to establish a partner network in the settlements in the Area for integration of young people at risk.
Grant amount: 811 675 EUR
Contact:
email: ralges @abv.bg
phone: + 359 887 825023
address: 3000 Vratsa, Bulgaria, 6, Stefanaki Savov Str.
website: https://youthcentervratza.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/youth.center.vratsa/
