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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 from the village "Kaloyanovets", village "Khan Asparuhovo" and the village of "Bratya Kunchevi".
The established complex of three hubs/centers 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. Renovation works were done to create more pleasant and friendly environment where children can learn and develop their capacity. The hubs provided intensive study of the Bulgarian language to children and parents whose mother language is different from Bulgarian. Activities for children to acquire the necessary basic skills of social behavior and hygiene were organized. 131 children went through medical examinations. Dedicated focus groups for parents were organized the aim of which was to change their attitude towards education and to encourage active parenting. The employed staff of the hubs actively worked in the field to inform and attract the potential users in the three settlements .
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 and two visits for exchange of experience and good practices were conducted. In April 2023, a 5-day work visit was organized for 4 representatives from Bulgaria who visited Iceland and In June 2023, representatives of the Icelandic project partner visited Bulgaria and get familiar with the Bulgarian school system. As a result of the visit, new knowledge, skills and competencies were acquired for working with children and parents from vulnerable communities. 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.
Three three 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.