Vratsa Youth Center - a factor for the development of the Northwest
Municipality of Vratsa ·Bulgaria
About this project
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt"><span style="background-color: #FFFFFF"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt"><span style="font-family: "Roboto", serif"><span style="color: #333333">The main objective of the project is to improve the welfare of children and young people at risk and to expand the territorial range of the YC activities. The main activities of the project aimed at improving the conditions for equal access to education, training and work; enhancing motivation for inclusion of children and parents from ethnic minorities, creating prerequisites for social inclusion; integration activities for children and young people by organizing common initiatives and changing public attitudes towards greater tolerance for young people at risk, through continuing and developing existing activities and conducting new ones, which will increase the diversity, interest and number of young people involved in the activities. The main target group is young people, students at risk of dropping out or already dropped out of the education system; young people at risk of ethnic minorities; young people at risk living in small and remote settlements or in economically less developed areas; people not included in the youth group related to youth participation in youth center activities: including children, parents, teachers, mentors and other representatives of the local community. The project aimed at improving the conditions and environment for equal access to education, training and work of different age groups; creating preconditions for social inclusion; social and cultural integration of young people in society; promoting young people's non-formal learning, vocational training and soft skills training; involvement in the activities organized by young people through Youth Center initiatives and proposals; motivation for continuing education; changing public attitudes towards greater tolerance for at-risk youth; encouraging collaboration between Vratsa Youth Center, youth organizations and institutions for ensuring successful inclusion of young people at risk in the society life.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
Bilateral cooperation results
Two bilateral initiatives were conducted between Youth Center Vratsa and Youth centre Hamarinn. In November, 2023 five representatives from Bulgaria visited Youth centre Hamarinn in Hafnarfjordur, Iceland and exchange experience and good practices with their colleagues. The visit was dedicated to board and role-playing games as a non-formal method for training and factor in activating young people. In March, 2024 representatives from Iceland visited Vratsa and got acquainted to the activities of the youth center. An accent was put on the presentation of the handbook "Participatory Art", developed and designed together with the other project partner of Youth Center Vratsa, Timis County Youth Foundation. The goal of the handbook is to provide a comprehensive collection of methods and tools for utilizing participatory arts to activate young people, promote tolerance and cultivate skills within the community. Due to the fruitful partnership of the three organizations and the vast interest of the users, the handbook was published in Bulgarian, English and Icelandic languages.
Project partners
- Youth centre Hamarinn Donor project partner· Iceland
- Timis Country Youth Foundation Project partner· Romania