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Description
The current project proposal of the Municipality of Stara Zagora aims to provide support to children from 0 to 6 years and their families from vulnerable groups, including Roma communities to improve access to health care, the formation of parenting skills, improving the family environment, increasing the school readiness of children for inclusion in the educational system, with the aim of reducing the transmission of poverty between generations. Comprehensive integrated services in early childhood are aimed at improving access to education, health protection and development of social skills for children aged from zero to six who do not attend and do not have access to kindergarten or nursery, and live in isolated rural and poor areas with a concentration of problems at risk of poverty, social exclusion and marginalization. The activities planned in this project proposal include the construction of a complex of three centers, offering functional services and contributing to improving the quality of life, social inclusion and early childhood development of children from vulnerable groups. It is planned to open a complex of three centers, located in three socially isolated communities in the villages of Kaloyanovets, Han Asparuhovo and Bratya Kunchevi. The complex will offer integrated services - health, social and educational, work with parents and stakeholders. The implementation of this project proposal will support the efforts of the Municipality of Stara Zagora for social inclusion and improvement of the well-being of vulnerable communities and will develop and introduce a systematic approach to early childhood intervention with special emphasis on children aged from zero to six and individuals. who take care of them. The partnership with a local non-governmental organization from Bulgaria - World Without Borders Association, which works in the field of Roma social inclusion, education and healthcare, will also contribute to achieving the goals of the project.
Summary of project results
The challenge was to improve the well-being of vulnerable communities and introduce a systemic approach to early childhood intervention with a special focus on children 0-6 who have no access to or do not attend kindergarten, and their parents/caregivers.
Three (3) hubs were established to work with children 0-6 in three villages in Stara Zagora district with a predominantly minority population. During the implementation period of the project, 310 children and their families were covered, who, depending on their needs, received various social, health and educational services. In cooperation with the partner, World Without Borders (WWB) Foundation, a Methodology for provision of services based on the needs of the target groups was created under the project, which was successfully implemented in the daily work of the specialists in the 3 hubs; “Manual of good practices. How should we approach?” was also developed, which purpose is to support the work of the various specialists working in a multicultural environment based on the real-case approach.
In the course of project implementation the project promoter established a relationship with a partner, Leikskolinn Osp from Reykjavík, Iceland. In April 2023, a 5-day work visit was organized for 4 representatives of the project management/implementation team who visited 3 kindergartens, 1 school, a municipal center for education, non-formal education and welfare in the South Administrative Region and the main department of education and non-formal education at Reykjavík Municipality. As a result of the visit, new knowledge, skills and competencies were acquired for working with children and parents from vulnerable communities. In June 2023, representatives of the Icelandic project partner visited Bulgaria. They had a meeting with Deputy Mayor for Education, Healthcare and Social Activities in Stara Zagora Municipality and project manager, where they were familiarized with the education system in Bulgaria. The program also included a visit to the center in Khan Asparuhovo village, Zvezditsa kindergarten, Forest corner kindergarten in Stara Zagora Mineral Bathsvillage village, Svetlina kindergarten, Dimitar Blagoev Elementary School, Ivan Vazov Secondary School, as well as the International Youth Center - Stara Zagora, where they had the opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas in the field.
The established complex of three hubs/centers offering educational, health and social services to children aged 0-6 and their families contributed to increasing the quality of life, social inclusion and early childhood development of children from vulnerable groups in 3 socially isolated communities in Kaloyanovets, Khan Asparuhovo and Bratya Kunchevi villages.
The successful realization of the activity of exchange of experience and good practices with the partner from Iceland increased the social significance of the problems in the target communities and the capacity of experts involved in the activities under the project, and contributed by adding value by introducing new models of work.