Bulgaria

Activities: preparing and execution of projects for young people and risks groups.
Proviging information and consultancy for NGOs - developing and managment
Social activities for groups at risk of social exclusion

At the moment we are working on an inter cultural project where the target group includes young people in age between 12 and 18 years. Plovdiv is multicultural city where live together representatives of different ethnic groups. The largest one is the Bulgarian which lives together with the Turkish, Armenian, Greek, Jewess and Roma ethnic communities. The project aims becoming well acquainted with their own community at first and simultaneously with the others in order to involve them in a culture of dialogue and critical thinking to face common challenges as they represent a human and cultural bridge among the cultures of the area of Plovdiv. As a result the students have to generate ideas for common events based on the school activities, games, art, cultural diversity. They have to make event program and realize it. The whole staff, trainers and consultants of "PsyArt Biz" are volunteers in this project.

Current projects: - Violence Prevention and Rehabilitation Program for Children, Adolescents and Their Families funded by OAK Foundation, Switzerland - Protected Space and Reintegration of Children, Victims of Violence funded by Financial Mechanism of the European Economic space. - Initiative for Youth Creativity funded by Social Assistance Fund at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy - Services for Women, Victims of Violence – Partner project together with Bulgarian Aliance for Defence Against Domestic Violence funded by OAK Foundation, Switzerland - Maintaining Low Level of AIDS/ HIV Among Intravenous Drug Users funded by The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria through the Bulgarian Ministry of Health - Improving Control of Tuberculosis among Intravenous Drug Users funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria through the Bulgarian Ministry of Health - HIV/AIDS Prevention Among Young People funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria through the Bulgarian Ministry of Health

The radio has a daily program, which includes radioshows of various topics - culture, music, arts, politics and social issues, sports, etc. We also have a nice selection of music, when there are no shows on air.

1.  Upgrade and modernization of telecommunications on the territory of Mineralni Bani Municipality - The project encompassed a series of trainings for the local community on economic re-structuring, development of various project ideas, selection of the best project idea for local economic development and it’s financing. The project was funded by the Pledge Program of the Department of Labor of USA. 2. Entrepreneurship and market economy - The implementation of the project was focused on the territory of Haskovo Municipality, the project aimed to support the local entrepreneurs in the period of transition to market economy. A number of trainings and publications were the core activities of the project. The following were published: Marketing Profile of Haskovo in Bulgarian and English, Lending and Lending Schemes, Marketing and Marketing Research. 12 training seminars and 18 working meeting brought together more than 420 participants. The project was funded by the Democratic Commission of the US Embassy in Sofia. 3. Together for Economic Renewal - Implemented on the territory of Mineralni Bani Municipality, the project was focused on creating a network of local partners, including representatives of the municipality, the businesses, tour-operators, and the young people. Within the project a Strategy for Development of Local Tourism was elaborated, as well as a Tour Guide and a film presenting the tourist sites on the territory of the Municipality. The project was funded by the British Embassy. 4. To protect our right to work - The target group of the project was the young graduates from the high schools. The project was focused on training the young people on their rights to labor as well as to present the opportunities for their professional and social realization. The project activities spread over four municipalities from the district of Haskovo, namely Dimitrovgrad, Mineralni Bani, Krumovgrad and Haskovo. The project was funded by the European Youth Foundation. 5. Youth Centre for Business and Innovation - The project was funded by the US Agency for International Development, and was focused on capacity building among the young people on the territory of Haskovo Municipality in the area of business planning, e-commerce, IT and team work. 6. Local community for strategic planning and coordination of planning instruments - The project was focused on the Municipality of Stambolovo, the district of Haskovo, and the Municipality of Yablanitsa, the district of Lovech. The project activities encompassed training on strategic planning, project management, organization of public consultancy workshops, development of Strategy of Tourism, Programme for Environment Protection and Municipal Development Plan. The project was funded by DIFID. 7. Flight over the Borders - The project was supported by Phare CBC Bulgaria – Greece Program. It was focused on the protection and management of natural resources, aiming to ensure sustainable development through increasing the capacity of local and regional institutions for cross-border cooperation. The project was implemented on the territory of Stambolovo Municipality. 8. The attraction of the Stone Monuments in the Eastern Rhodopes -  Under this Phare CBC project a cross border network for development of joint tourist activities was established and the historic monuments in Stambolovo municipality were researched and socialized, thus making the region more attractive to tourists. 9. Teleaccess - Under this project, supported by Interreg IIIB Program, two telecenters were established in the municipalities of Stambolovo and Mineralni Bani. The project was completed in 2008, and was supported by partners from Greece, Italy, Germany, Poland and Croatia. 10. Cooperation for training and management of protected areas among NGOs on the Balkans - The overall objective of the project was to develop the potential of Bulgarian, Greek and Turkish NGOs for taking active part in the formulation and implementation of eco-policy. The project was supported by DG Environment of the European Commission, and was completed in January 2009. 11. The magnetism of the rock monuments in the Eastern Rhodopes - To improve the local economic development of municipality Stambolovo by using the local potential in the field of cultural heritage through the development of cross-border cooperation network in the field of tourism. 12. Cibera - To train managers and employees in telecentres to create conditions for the conversion of telecenters in centers through the services offered opportunities for lifelong learning in local communities.; 13. Strandja-Sakar - kingdom of Eagles - To contribute to the sustainable development of the border region Strandja - Sakar through conservation and sustainable use of its natural resources; 14. Balkan civil partnership for training and management of protected areas - To develop the potential of Bulgarian, Turkish and Macedonian NGOs involved in the implementation of environmental policy; 15. Sorurall - To explore the potential for enhanced lifelong learning offered by the tools and platforms for social networks and how they can help those who live in geographically and socially isolated communities, paying particular attention to innovation and the changing educational process. 16. Resolving conflicts in a non-violent way - To teach young people to resolve their conflicts in a non-violent manner 17. EcoGlobe - To build local capacity for the conservation and recovery of priority species and habitats in the municipality Municipality. To improve public awareness and public measures to protect the species. 18. Green spots - The main objective of the project is to achieve cooperation between the partners to act together to provide a common tourism products of the region, placing sustainability at the heart of their policies, as well as all sectors of the local economy and the entire region, and the application of offensive and based on destination marketing. Objectives: The Making of a local joint tourist product, II) Adaptation of local enterprises to the requirements of the product, III) Create a marketing strategy, IV) development of promotional materials and tools, V) Developing a common structure and a destination management (web platform, information kiosks, green spots). 19. Beyond Borders - To contribute to the protection of the natural resources and ensure sustainable development through building capacity and awareness among local stakeholders for conservation and management of the biological diversity, protected areas and ecological network as a whole. 20. Ombudsman of Nature - To increase the participation of citizens in decisions making that affects the environment in Haskovo and build awareness of conservation.  

REC for CEE - Bulgaria promotes NGOs, private and state sector and other stakeholders in the environmental field for the implementation of their role within a democratic and sustainable society. REC for CEE - Bulgaria implements projects in the following fields:
* Environmental capacity building
* Environmental information dissemination
* NGO support
* Business and environment
* Local initiatives
* Public participation
* Environmental policy
* Environmental education
* Environmental law
List of recent projects:
“Education for NATURA 2000 - introducing the ecological network in the Bulgarian schools”, financed by the NGOs fund of the Financial mechanism of the European Economic Area (the EEA grants), 2009 – 2010;
“Osogovo, Ograjden and Belasitsa for kids”, financed by the Mitsubishi corporation fund for Europe and Africa, 2009 – 2010;
“West Balkan Mountain for kids”, financed by the Mitsubishi corporation fund for Europe and Africa, 2007 – 2008;
Strengthening trans-boundary cooperation mechanisms in the Western Stara Planina region, follow-up of the project “Trans-boundary Cooperation through the Management of Shared Natural Resources”, 2002 – 2008;
‘Tourist Trail West Balkan – Ecotourism for the Benefit of People and Nature’, GEF Small Grants Program, 2007 – 2008;

One of the main activities of the library is centered around gathering, preserving and publishing information about Burgas and its region. Also the library has established traditions working with children, hosting exhibitions and book presentations.

The library develops active publishing work that includes printing preparation of bibliographies and other editions, accomplished by the library staff – the catalogue “Incunabula: Literature of the Bulgarian national revival 1806 – 1878”,  the bibliography “Stilian Chilingirov 1881 – 1962”,the  bibliographic index “Duke Boris I”, the books “Tasty art”, “Laugh, laugh little eyes!” and others. In 2007 a new form of methodical work made by Regional libraries in the country was realized –an integrated automated library informational net between the Regional library and the libraries in five national community centers in Shumen: the National community centre “Dobri Voinikov”, National community centre “Todor Petkov”, National community centre “Stilian Chilingirov”, National community centre “Asen Zlatarov” and National community centre “Boyan Penev” was created. Over the last years the library’s staff  has worked on many long-term programs in the sphere of cultural novelties and  children and youth care – “Nobel laureates in literature”, “Save the children on the street”, “Literary itinerary of the Bulgarian national revival”, “Summer children art workshop”, Folklore science promotion to web site aiming to give access to youth, different age groups, and community groups to information on regional history, geography, natural sights, and others. 

PROJECTS:
Plovdiv Volunteer Corps 1998-2000;
Building a Day-Center for Street Children;
Enhancing Third Sector Democracy Practices;
NGO EXPO – 99
“HELPING OURELVES” – PHARE LIEN a macro project for ROMA communities around Plovdiv/2000-2002/
OLAF – PROGRAMME “HERCULE II GRANT PROGRAMME 2007»
Training in the area of the fight against Fraud
Results; - Training of 40 NGO leaders, mainly from S.Bulgaria
- Founding of National Anticorruption Network
01.10.2007 – 10.04.2008 г
"Развитие на гражданското общество в граничните райони чрез изграждане на НПО мрежа за застъпничество" /” DEVELOPMENT OF TE CIVIL SOCIETY IN BORDER AND MOUNTAIN AREAS OF S.BULGARIA” - 2005-2007 г. – партньор в коалиция на НПО
CEE Trust (Тръст за Ц. И. Европа) BG-03-04/09.12.2004
“ОБЩОГРАДСКО ПРЕДСТАВИТЕЛНО СЪБРАНИЕ – ЕКСПЕРИМЕНТ ЗА ПРЯКА ДЕМОКРАЦИЯ” 01.03.2003 – 30.12.2003 г
CITIZENS’ JURY – AN EXPERIMENT FOR DIRECT DEMOCRACY - 2003
финансирано от Европейска инициатива за демокрация и човешки права
- Black Sea NGO Forum -2008
- NGOs and the Municipalities -new joint venture - 2008/2009