TOGETHER IS BETTER

Cooperation for Voluntary Service – Bulgaria (CVS - Bulgaria) and BlueLink Information Network are working on the project “Together is better - developing an efficient network for volunteering”. The main purpose of the project is to improve the communication and interaction between organizations and institutions working with volunteers and people who are willing to participate in voluntary activities in Bulgaria; thus, increasing the information and knowledge about the importance of volunteering; presenting the possibilities for voluntary work in Bulgaria.

The project started in September 2009 and aims at creating a network for volunteering to encourage and support the development of volunteering in Bulgaria. The main goal is the creation of an accessible online database that facilitates the exchange of information about the possibilities for voluntary work in Bulgaria.

This one-year project consists of two stages. During the first stage CVS – Bulgaria studied best practices abroad on existing voluntary networks. The results from this research helped defining the parameters of our database. The next step was organizing a forum on volunteering which gave opportunity to Bulgarian non-governmental organizations, institutions, local authorities and companies that work with volunteers to discuss the parameters of a future cooperation between them.

The second stage of the project is the presentation and popularization of the database throughout the country with the purpose to inform interested organizations and institutions about the capabilities of the database. .

The project is supported by a grant from the Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe.


ECO-MESSENGERS TRAINING COURSE

From 14 to 21st of June 2009, the Vlahi ecocentre – Nature School hosted the Eco-messenger Training course organized by CVS-Bulgaria. The training gathered 16 participants from 8 SCI branches or partners from Bulgaria, France, Macedonia, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia and Spain, 2 trainers and 3 people for the support team.

The training aimed to train young people as “eco-messengers” able to create and to lead workshops on environmental topics in the frame of voluntary activities of their organization and acting as multipliers in their community.
The objectives were:
- to improve the knowledge on environmental issues;
- develop the skills in communication and education;
- exchange ideas about the different issues and the different approaches that countries have;
- explore the role the youth can play in promoting environmental education;
- build up solidarity between the eco-messengers and develop a network.

The overall view of the training is rather very positive, with good feedbacks from the participants. According to their evaluation, we can say that in general, the objectives of the training have been reached.

A result of the training is the creating of a DVD - „Eco-messengers Resource Pack”, containing educational materials and information concerning ecological topics, as well as ideas about different activities for the eco-messengers.


VOLINTEGRATION
The project “Volintegration” run simultaneously in 12 countries all over Europe, aiming to establish an European network of different bodies to promote volunteering as powerful means to develop sense of belonging to local and European communities, feeling of ownership and therefore commitment toward the society. In the same time we wanted to inform young people and youth leaders on European opportunities on social inclusion and integration.

The target groups were young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, youth workers, local authorities responsible for youth policies and social policies. Networking activities included best practices exchanges, trainings, information activities and pilot projects on volunteering as tool for social integration/inclusion.

The project was running since January 2008 till December 2008 with meetings, seminars, trainings and pilot projects. It involved over 30 youth workers/leaders, more than 150 young persons (some of them with fewer opportunities) and different representatives of local Authorities. We produced a video on volunteering and social integration of young people with fewer opportunities.

You can find more information at the project’s official website - http://www.volintegration.eu. There are also a photo album and some videos illustrating the different activities that happened


BE ACTIVE, BROADEN YOUR PERSPECTIVES. ENCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE IN BULGARIA
From December 2006 to December 2007 CVS-Bulgaria realized the project ‘Be active, Broaden your perspectives. Encouraging young people in Bulgaria’ which gave the possibility to young people from Bulgaria to participate in various trainings, meetings, and workshops. Various institutions from different parts of Bulgaria were also involved in the project.

The participants in the activities were mainly active volunteers of CVS-Bulgaria that have taken part in different projects such as seminars, trainings, workshops, workcamps, and international exchanges. The primary aim of the project is to encourage these young people to become active members of civil society through volunteering. By participating in CVS-Bulgaria’s trainings and projects they were able to not only improve their organizational skills and empower their critical and creative thinking, but also to put into practice the gained knowledge and experience.

The main activities of the project included: the celebration of December 5th, two volunteer meetings, six workshops, four trainings and three workcamps.

The project was very intensive and successful. Over 150 young Bulgarian people were trained through the numerous project activities, gaining more self-confidence and knowledge on topics related to voluntarism, human rights and so on. The organization process was very vibrant and there was a constant need of adaptation to the circumstances in order to achieve the envisioned goals of the project. This project was also beneficial to CVS-Bulgaria as it helped the organization to redefine its priorities for future work through absorbing the ideas and proposals stemming from the young and innovatively-thinking volunteers and facilitate the process of their implementation.


TAKE A LOOK AROUND
From January to June 2007 CVS-Bulgaria, with BlueLinks’ support and financial help from State Agency YOUTH, realized the project Take a Look Around which main goal was popularizing of the voluntary services and activities in Bulgaria.
The project took place in six cities throughout the country and was carried out by some of the most active CVS’ volunteers, supported by the head of the project.

The project itself consisted of:
- informative meetings with youths and organizations;
- one-day voluntary activities;
- organizing of workcamps;
- adding new youths and organizations to the CVS’ mailing-list.

The last stage of the project was the making of different statistics summing up the achieved results. This was very important for planning the future CVS’ activities for spreading the voluntary service’s idea in Bulgaria.
Many of the participants in the project are now active volunteers and take part in Bulgarian and European projects, workcamps and other initiatives.


YOUTHFUL IS USEFUL: CVS.05 – for a new image of the voluntary service
Youthful is Useful is a three year bilateral project between CVS-Bulgaria and SCI-Switzerland supported by DEZA with the aims to popularize voluntary service in Bulgaria and strengthen CVS-Bulgaria as a volunteer organization, working in the social and environmental fields. During the project there were 32 international voluntary workcamps carried out, 300 international volunteers hosted, 100 Bulgarian volunteers sent abroad on workcamps, long-term projects and trainings, 2 Bulgarian cultural weeks in Switzerland and an Eco-Bike-Tour from Bern to the village of Vlahi in Southwestern Bulgaria.


IN HARMONY WITH NATURE, 2004
The aim of the project was the promotion of the intercultural exchange, the values of the voluntarism and raising environmental awareness among the young people in disadvantaged situation from 3 Bulgarian social institutions and socially disadvantaged teenagers from Belgium, France and Slovenia through getting information and provoking discussions on local and global environmental problems, like solid waste pollution, recycling, biodiversity protection, etc. The project was located in the region of Sandanski, Southwestern Bulgaria. The project was financed by the National Youth Agency under Action 1 of YOUTH Program.