Paralel-Silistra

Fields of Activities:1. Educational Integration: ‘Different Kids with equal Rights’ – funded by the EEA Grants The project provides innovative education on children's rights for students, including those from minority groups. It enhances the application of interactive educational tools in order to promote tolerance and multicultural understanding. For this purpose the project also gets together students from different ethnicities and encourages multicultural communication among them. Thus it defends the idea that trainings on children's rights should be performed in multiethnic classes to successfully achieve its goals As a result of its implementation an effective educational model for tolerance, anti-racism and anti-discriminatory behavior will be tested and promoted among children living in isolated communities, but studying in mixed ethnic groups by using a specialized methodology. ‘We succeed together due to our diversity’ - funded by OP Human resources via Development Center for educational Integration of children and young people from minorities, Ministry of Education (2014-2015) The project aims to promote the integration of children and youth from different communities in the Municipal sports school "Drustar" by introducing an educational program on intercultural education in the school curriculum. For this we cooperated with the school sports teachers to define a set of certain tools, which were included in the classroom curriculum as ice-breakers, warming up or teambuilding stimulus. The project activities promoted tolerance and respect in the whole school life through the conversion of ethno-cultural diversity into a source of mutual understanding and cooperation. ‘A quality education for all’ - funded by OP Human resources via Development Center for educational Integration of children and young people from minorities, Ministry of Education (2015-2016) The aim of the project proposal is to ensure equal access to quality education for children and students from ethnic minorities in its central primary school "Hristo Botev", Alfatar Municipality. Project activities introduce innovative educational organization of educational process using modern audio-lingual method for teaching a second language, as well as the methodology and themes of Global Education. 2. Youth Activities ‘European Youth Network Antennas - Europe 2020’ – funded by ‘Youth in Action’ 2015 The main objective of the project ‘European Youth Network Antennas - Europe 2020’ is to train and motivate groups of young people (aged 16 – 30) to develop and create a sustainable network of European Youth antennas in five areas of North Bulgaria / Veliko Tarnovo, Razgrad, Targovishte, Shumen, Silistra /. Through interactive educational module for distance training and career development Europe 2020, the young participants receive and maintain current knowledge and exchange of information related to European values, opportunities for education and work, knowledge and skills for self-development . The project builds a sustainable network of active youth groups to exchange information, to participate in joint youth initiatives and to carry the European perspective and opportunities in communities in different types of settlements. Paralel-Silistra coordinates the youth activities in Silistra region. Integration activities with the ‘Youth Forum’ - Silistra funded by the Municipality of Silistra (2013-2015) Together with the Municipality of Silistra we plan and implement annual trainings to promote educational integration and tolerant coexistence among ethnic communities in the region. In 2014-2015 we developed and provided a set of trainings to raise awareness on diversity issues and the behavioral impact of stereotyping as well as to encourage youth entrepreneurship. Examples of the first include: ‘Me and my rights’, ‘Tolerance, communication and Internet’, ‘Stereotypes and media’. All these trainings use interactive educational methods, which emotionally involve the participants in the explored topics and question their perceptions and understandings of culture, social status and division among ethnic groups. In 2015 we also established cooperation with the Junior Achievement Entrepreneurship Programme on school level by supporting and participating in the ‘Manager for one day’ in Silistra. 3. Training and Expert Activities ‘Index of local integrity system in Bulgaria’ - financed by the Foundation ‘America for Bulgaria’ NGO "Parallel - Silistra" is a partner of the Association "Transparency without borders" for the implementation of the ‘Index of local integrity system in Bulgaria" in Silistra. The monitoring report covers the municipalities of all 28 regional centers. As a result yearly index of local integrity system will be assembled, discussed and published in order to improve the local governance system. ‘National Rural Network – Silistra’ – funded by the National Rural Network via Ministry of Agriculture and Food In 2013-2015 NGO ‘Parallel Silistra’ was a coordinator of the National Rural Network in Silistra region, as a partner of the National Rural Network, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. This partnership enhanced the discussion and identification process of the priorities for rural development, the changes that should be made to the current policy in order to improve the impact of its implementation. The cooperation achieved excellent results in improving the dialogue with civil society, expanding participation in decision-making and in the process of planning, programming, monitoring and implementation of the policy for rural development. Partnership with the NGO "Local Action Group - Isperih" - funded by the relevant contract with Ministry of Agriculture and Food In 2014-2015 NGO "Parallel Silistra" was a partner of the NGO "Local Action Group - Isperih" for developing, organizing and conducting information meetings and happenings. The activities were carried out within the local development strategy – Isperih, under a contract with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Teachers’ Trainings – funded by different sources In 2014 -2015 the NGO provided a set of TOTs for teachers on topics like: ‘Improving presentation skills’, ‘Global Education – Why and How’ and ‘Improving Teachers’ Intercultural Competence’. 4. Euro-Med Cooperation under Erasmus Plus - we have developed partnership projects with NGOs from the Euro-Med region, which were submitted for funding under Erasmus Plus.