More information
Description
The project aims to provide support to children and families from vulnerable groups living in three districts of Sofia Municipality, with a high concentration of Roma population-"Filipovtsi" in Lyulin, Fakulteta distr. in Kr.polyana, and "Hr. Botev" distr. in Slatina regions, to improve access to health care, develop parenting skills, improve the family environment, increase school readiness for children, and inclusion in the education system, thus contributing to reducing transmitting of intergenerational poverty. It is planned to expand the services provided by already functioning centers in the residential areas "Filipovtsi" and "Fakulteta" and create a new hub, providing functionally related services for education and care at an early age, for children not included in early education in "Hr.Botev". The specific objectives of the project are the creation of a new center/complex of services (hub), providing functionally related services for education and care in early age for the children from the target groups and their parents in Hristo Botev district, Slatina region. Expanding the services and ensuring sustainability in support of early childhood development and improving access to early education, provided by already functioning centers - in "Filipovtsi" residential area in "Lyulin" region and in Fakulteta district in "Krasna polyana" region. Involvement and activation of families in the three communities to provide quality education and care in early childhood through numerous successive interventions, formation of parenting skills, health care, empowering parents to improve access to services (social, health, educational), improving social and life skills, improving nutrition, and supporting children''s education. Exchange of experience and improvement of bilateral relations and ensuring transparency and publicity of the project activities and popularizing the contribution FM of the EEA and the donor countries.
Summary of project results
The main issues the project activities had to address were the large percentage of children aged 0-6 from the three neighborhoods of Sofia – “Filipovtsi”, “Fakulteta” and “Hristo Botev”, who do not have access to or are not covered by educational services, encounter difficulties in adapting to school due to lack of basic skills and insufficient level of proficiency in Bulgarian language, have problems with their emotional and social development, live in poor conditions and do not have access to nutritious and healthy food. A big challenge was to activate the parents, change their attitude towards education and made them supportive part of the learning process.
The project provided support to children from vulnerable groups living in three neighborhoods of Sofia Municipality, with a concentration of Roma population, to improve access to healthcare services, develop parenting skills, improve the family environment, increase school readiness and inclusion in the education system.
An alternative kindergarten was created in "Krasna Polyana" neighborhood for the children aged 0-6 who do not attend or were not accepted in the state kindergartens. Fifty-six children went thorough various trainings, received individual support, successfully covered the requirements for their age group and been prepared to enter the formal educational system. As part of the activity "Community work and alternative kindergarten", 132 children from "Krasna polyana" neighborhood received every day nutritious and healthy food. Through the organized "Urban school" activity, 142 children from the three communities managed to explore the city, got known with the historical and other interesting places in Sofia, visited the zoo, parks, museums etc. As it was important not only to work with the children but to actively involve the parents in the process, different training and learning methods were implemented in the curricula of the hubs - "The Play Element" program, "Cook with me", "Parenting skills" , "Play with me". All these activities managed to develop a stronger and positive relationship between the children and their parents, made the parents more confident and supportive in the educational process and formed a stronger and more active communities in the three neighborhoods. The hubs were supplied with a variety of books, toys and didactical materials which allowed more than 200 children to borrow or use them thus improving not only their proficiency in Bulgarian language but also their social and emotional skills.
The project successfully improved early childhood education, enhanced parental involvement and strengthened the community engagement benefiting children, parent and the communities as a whole. Three hubs for early childhood development were established – one each in "Fakulteta", "Filipovtsi" and "Hristo Botev" neighborhoods. A total of 384 children and their families were covered by the project activities. Their parents went through and successfully completed different trainings and acquired knowledge and skills on how to provide the best care for their children. Local community groups were formed to strengthen the cooperation between parents and local authorities.
Summary of bilateral results
Two visits for exchange of experience and good practices were conducted during the implementation period of the project. In May, 2023, representatives of Sofia Municipality and "Health and Social Inclusion" Foundation''s experts visited Oslo, Norway where they exchange knowledge and experience with their colleagues in working with children from different ethnic minorities, children with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. During their stay in Oslo they visited Norlandia Vardefjellet kindergarten, where they learnt more about the methods, philosophies and values that all Norlandiq kindergartens share in their work in multiethnic and multicultural group of children. The group also attended a meeting "To children with love" organized by Bulgarian Norwegian Association, where leading experts in the field of education and healthcare in Norway showed reports presenting the Norwegian programs and services, as well as good practices for improving the well-being of children from migrant communities and children with special needs in the country.In October, 2023 representatives form Bulgarian Norwegian Association (BND) conducted a visit to Bulgaria. They participated in a Round table "Early childhood development in the Roma community: opportunities and challenges" where they presented the Norwegian standards for early childhood development and different educational methods used in the Norwegian kindergartens. Both visits were very highly rated from the participants and considered very fruitful and successful.