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Description
The overall objective is: Widening the territorial scope of Youth Center Dobrich and improving the quality and diversity of activities, as well as the number of young people and participants of different ages in the activities of the Center, in response to the needs and aspirations of young people and representatives from the community, including those from the vulnerable groups (higher risk of poverty and social exclusion, ethnic minorities, disabled people, drop-outs from school, orphaned, children and youth coming from families with low level of education, or struggling with substance abuse, unemployed). It will be achieved by field work and providing a bigger variety of activities to reach children and young people living in a remote and small locations and without access to such services; Increasing the number of services offered in response to the identified needs of young people; Encourage active youth participation and increase the number of activities organized at the initiative of young people; Involvement of people from different age groups - children, parents, teachers, professionals; Creating an inclusive and safe environment in the center, creating an attitude of mutual respect; Improving the quality of existing services and activities, which will create an inspiring environment for the development of social, educational and cultural activities; Intercultural dialogue and sharing of good practices. The Center will provide non-formal educational trainings, coordination meetings, educational courses, workshops, regional, national and international youth exchanges, field work. The project provides opportunities for youth participation, implementation of youth initiatives, youth camps and exchanges. In cooperation with the partner from Iceland will be implemented international exchanges to share experiences in Kopavogur and Dobrich. The Bulgarian partners will be active participants in the project activities and initiators of youth initiatives.
Summary of project results
Widening the territorial scope of the youth centre and increasing both the diversity of the offered activities and the number of youth and non-youth participating in these activities in order to match the needs and the aspirations of young people and representatives of the community, including the ones from the vulnerable groups.
Through the active field work of the youth workers and the educational mediators employed in the Youth Centre Dobrich the territorial scope of the youth centre was widened. The number and the variety of the offered services were improved thus involving participants from all age groups. The inclusive and safe environment created in the center, influenced the attitude of mutual respect and tolerance to difference, inspiring a positive environment for the development of social, educational and cultural activities through appropriate spaces and facilitated interaction between representatives of different groups. The Youth Centre conducted a lot of non-formal trainings, youth academies, coordination meetings with experts from the state and civic sector, trainings for multipliers, Bulgarian and English language courses. Trainings for young and future parents were organized a lot of people joined the activities of the four new clubs established in the Youth Centre. A comix book and a handbook for non-formal trainings were published. 58 youth led initiatives were financed and implemented on the territory of Dobrich and the small settlements in the region that inspired young people to be more creative, innovative and responsible for their communities. Many musical, dance and regional meetings were conducted with participants from all over the country where young people met each other, exchange ideas and cooperate in mutual activities. Seven visits for exchange of experience and good practices with other youth centers with a Council of Europe''s Quality Label were conducted in which participated more than 100 young people from Dobrich and the region. The visits broadened the horizons of the young people, learnt them different practices and gave them ideas for their future work.
4 349 people were reached by project activities, 2 777 of which young people age 15-29 and 1 572 non-youth. An inclusive and safe environment was created with the renovation works in the main building of the youth centre, the dance hall and the adjacent area around the centre. As part of the project a van was delivered, which helped the youth workers and educational mediators to reach even the remotest villages in the region, work with the communities there and provide the activities of the youth centre to people who can not visit it. A handbook for informal learning was issued. Four new interest clubs were established and 55 youth led initiatives implemented.
Summary of bilateral results
During the implementation of the project, two visits for exchange of experience and good practices were conducted. In March 2023, 23 people from Bulgaria, 15 of which young people, visited Kopavugur, Iceland for exchange of experience and good practices. During their stay they visited the Department of school and leisure and the environmental department at Kópavogur, the Molinn youth house, Fönix and Kjarninn youth clubs and Samfés, Youth Work Iceland an Icelandic non-governmental organization, learnt the Icelandic methods and experience of work with young people. In October 2023, ten people form Iceland visited Bulgaria. During their stay they managed to visit some kindergartens, social enterprises, daily center for children with disabilities and schools. They shared experience with the staff of the youth center in the field of work with and for young people. Both visits were highly rated from the participants.