Implemented projects

Project title
Promote Respect and Tolerance-Prospect

Partners
Opportunity and Protection Association, Bulgaria
Fundaci? Privada Pere Closa, Spain
Cell for Alternative Youth Activities (KEAN), Greece
Rosto Solidario, Portugal
Usma Caselle, Italy
European Roma Information Office (ERIO), Belgium

Project objectives

  • To educate and raise awareness of 1500 young people, aged 13-18, directed to changing their attitudes and behaviour towards the GBV, resp. ADV;
  • To strengthen multi-agency cooperation through training 225 stakeholders and relevant professionals with regard to address issues related to GBV;
  • To assess how activities and the use of deliverables have led to attitudinal and behavioural changes towards the GBV through involvement of 1000 young people in the project evaluation process;
  • To increase the EU practice of applying child participation to prevent ADV.

    • Activities

  • Organization of 5 workshops in the partner countries for 150 professionals—representatives of the child protection system, education, healthcare, sport – to increase their capacity to deal with prejudice and gender stereotypes and to improve multi-agency cooperation;
  • Identification of the training needs of the children and youths through conducting a research on their perception of gender-based violence, respectively adolescent dating violence;
  • Development of a Manual for working with young people and creation of a digital learning tool directed to changing attitudes and behaviour, related to GBV in adolescence;
  • Organization of 5 trainings for 75 professionals who will work directly with young people;
  • Delivering training to 500 adolescents in Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain with the aim of increasing their understanding of gender equality, healthy relationships, gender stereotypes and roles and acquiring skills to address and resolve conflicts in their relationships;
  • Awareness raising activities for 1000 adolescents initiated and implemented by young people among their peers;
  • Impact assessment of project activities;
  • Dissemination of project results on national and European level – national dissemination events, final EU conference, project website, brochure.

    • Period of implementation: November 2020 – October 2022

    Budget and funding organization: 374 449 Euro
    Funded by the European Union’s Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme 2014-2020

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    Project title
    Empowerment of Roma Women for Roma Children education

    Partners
    Opportunity and Protection Association, Bulgaria
    European Roma Information Office (ERIO), Belgium
    Tulip Foundation, Bulgaria
    New Bulgarian University, Know-how Centre for Alternative Childcare, Bulgaria
    Gavroche Association, Bulgaria

    Period of implementation: September 2018 – November 2020

    Objectives

  • To encourage the empowerment of Roma women to support the education of Roma children;
  • To promote good practices in Roma integration in the area of education on national and EU level;
  • To foster interaction between education, child protection and other relevant institutions, and Roma community to coordinate their activities related to the education of Roma children.

    • Activities

  • Development of an Educational package for Family Group Conferences (FGC) and “School for parents”;
  • Organisation of 3 workshops – in Varna, Kyustendil and Haskovo – to promote the benefits of the two models for family support and create a supportive environment for their application;
  • Training of 51 professionals, working with children for independent coordinators of FGCs and trainers in „School for parents”;
  • Conducting 30 Family Group Conferences to involve Roma women in solving educational problems of their children and to improve their interaction with the representatives of schools;
  • Organizing 30 “Schools for parents” aimed at enhancing the skills of Roma women to support the education of their children;
  • Work with 150 representatives of Roma community – counseling, meetings, discussions – to raise their awareness of the benefits of education for the future development of the children;
  • Dissemination of project results on national and European level – a national conference, a final conference in Brussels, a website, a project brochure;
  • Impact assessment of project activities

    • Budget: 182 109.72 Euro, funded by the European Union’s Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme 2014-2020

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    Project title
    A model for empowering vulnerable children and families, aimed at improving children’s life perspectives

    Period of implementation: June 2018 – November 2020

    Objective:

  • To inform and empower children and parents from vulnerable communities to prevent violence and improve childcare

    • Target groups: children aged 7-11 from vulnerable groups and their families;

    Activities:

  • Development of a Program for development of social and emotional competencies of children aged 7 -11 years
  • Group work with 250 children under the Program for development of social and emotional competencies
  • Conducting training for 15 specialists working with children from the target group
  • Organizing 15 Family group conferences
  • Conducting 9 “Schools for parents”
  • Social counselling for 90 families to improve childcare

    • Budget and donors:
    Funded by Tulip Foundation and OAK Foundation

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    Project title
    COunter Radicalization, PLAY sport – CORPLAY

    Partners
    KEAN, Greece
    USMA, Italy
    Rosto Solidaroi, Portugal
    Municipality of Evrotas, Greece
    Hacettepe University, Turkey
    Opportunity and Protection Association, Bulgaria

    Period of implementation: January 2019 – December 2019

    Objectives

  • to enhance the role of sport in preventing youth radicalization, by developing a sport grassroots innovative approach to tackle intolerance, xenophobia and discrimination leading to extremism, while increasing youth participation in sport
  • to tackle cross-border threats to the integrity of sport, such as doping, match fixing and violence, as well as all kinds of intolerance and discrimination
  • to promote voluntary activities in sport, together with social inclusion, equal opportunities and awareness of the importance of health-enhancing physical activity, through increased participation in, and equal access to sport for all
  • to Increase awareness of as regards the role of sport in promoting social inclusion, equal opportunities and health enhancing physical activity

    • Activities

  • Literature review on the role of sport in radicalization and de-radicalization processes tackling intolerance and racism
  • Development of a CORPLAY framework of good practices -stories of deradicalization using sports programs VS stories of radicalization in sport contexts
  • Study sport skills for societal challenges and community resilience
  • Analysis of learning needs of coaches, sport managers, PE teachers
  • Designing non formal and informal learning courses MODELS for coaches, sport organizations and physical education teachers at schools to improve their understanding and capacity to deal with youth at risk of radicalizatio
  • Designing and creating OER (learning tools and materials) to provide resources for individual learning and skills development for sport organizations and coaches specialization schools
  • Development of sport based counter narrative guidelines
  • CORPLAY Catalogue – a collection of training experiences and courses for coaches and sport managers in order to promote and implement the CORPLAY training models and standards
  • Development of CORPLAY Knowledge Platform

    • Budget and donors: the project was funded by Erasmus+ Programme

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    Project title
    Mission “Scout”

    Period of implementation: October 2018 – June 2019

    Objectives

  • To stimulate the practice of active and healthy lifestyle of children
  • To raise the sensitivity of children to problems important for the communities and to help them acquire skills for their solution

    • Activities

  • Development of a methodological resource for working with children – Programme “ I am a Scout”
  • 10 specialists trained to implement the program
  • 100 children aged 10 – 13 from 4 schools in Haskovo district took part in the Scout program to get acquainted with the essence of the scout movement, to acquire skills for teamwork and take responsibility for nature conservation
  • The children, accompanied by a teacher, mplemented 10 initiatives for the benefit of the community – planting tree and flowers, cleaning the school yard, visiting homes for elderly people, organizing campaigns etc.
  • Dissemination of project results

    • Budget and donors: BGN 8 220. The project was implemented thanks to the largest socially responsible initiative of Lidl Bulgaria “You and Lidl for a better life”, in partnership with the Foundation “Workshop for Civic Initiatives” and the Bulgarian Donors’ Forum.

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    Project title
    Springboard for school readiness

    The project started in 2014 and was implemented by the Trust for Social Achievement (TSA) in partnership with 16 non-governmental organizations, with the support of the America for Bulgaria Foundation. Its purpose was to provide important information for the formation of state policies on the approaches to increase the coverage and attendance in kindergartens in Bulgaria, as well as to promote the full inclusion of children from disadvantaged families in the early educational process.
    In 2014-2015 the project was implemented in kindergartens in 235 settlements and involved 5,737 children from vulnerable communities. One or more of the following four types of interventions were carried out in each locality: free education, free education plus a voucher of BGN 7 for an ideal visit, free education plus a voucher of BGN 20 for an ideal visit and information sessions specially designed for discussions with parents about the benefits of early childhood education.
    In 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school years, the same children were supported by paying fees for kindergarten and hidden expenses.
    The World Bank’s Strategic Impact Assessment Fund and the PovertyActionLab carried out an impact assessment of the project, which aimed to determine which of the proposed interventions was the most cost-effective. This is the first national study to be conducted in Eastern Europe.
    The results of the study show that the removal of financial barriers to kindergarten attendance leads to a significant increase in enrollment and attendance of children from vulnerable communities.
    The full version of the research report can be read here: http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/918071497277705261/pdf/116056-BULGARIAN-REVISED-JUNE13-Supporting-Disadvantaged-Children-bg.pdf
    In 2017-2018 school year, the last 520 children from the project Springboard for school readiness were supported to complete kindergarten and enter first grade in school. The effect of the implementation of this measure was to maintain high levels of enrollment and attendance of children.
    Within the project Opportunity and Protection Association worked with 19 kindergartens from Haskovo, Kardzhali and Plovdiv regions.

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    Project title
    Programme “Equal Chance – Access to Secondary Education” for high school students

    Objective:
    Improving access to secondary education for students from socially disadvantaged families by removing major educational barriers.

    Program focus:
    Students who travel daily to attend school.

    Period of implementation: 2015 – 2018

    Target groups:
    Motivated young people from socially disadvantaged families, attending high school / VIII – XII class /, in need of travel by public transport to school and back every day, or accommodated in a boarding house

    Results:
    Ensuring equal access to education for students from disadvantaged families, by covering the cost of textbooks and travel to school worth up to BGN 500 per student per year, including: tickets, transport cards, textbooks and aids, materials for vocational training and, if necessary, rent for a boarding house or an apartment.
    Approved students are required to attend regular school and to put sufficient effort into the learning process. At the end of the school year, they must have an annual grade not lower than Good: 3.50, as well as not have more than 10 unexcused absences for the year.

    Budget and donors: with the financial support of the Trust for Social Achievement

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    Project title
    Early Marriages Prevention Network

    Leading organization: Opportunity and Protection Association

    Partners
    Amalipe Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance, Bulgaria
    Cell for Alternative Youth Activities (KEAN), Greece
    European Roma Information Office (ERIO), Belgium
    Fundaci? Privada Pere Closa, Spain
    Ljudska Univerza Kocevje, Slovenia
    Posoka Az, Project evaluator, Bulgaria

    Period of implementation: January 2016 – December 2017

    Objectives

  • To foster cooperation between child protection, health and education systems, justice and police to coordinate their activities related to combat the early marriage among Roma communities applying Child-Centred Approach /CCA/;
  • Raising awareness among different target groups in Roma communities in order to change their attitudes and behaviour regarding early marriage;
  • To increase the practice at European level in the area of applying CCA to protect children from harmful tradition of early marriage.

    • Activities:

  • Preparation of analysis reports in the partner countries regarding early marriages – legislation, guides of interaction, working practices of good inter-institutional cooperation;
  • Preparation of a comparative report of the situation in the partner countries, containing general conclusions and recommendations, description of best practices and protocols of interaction for prevention of early marriages;
  • Training of 150 professionals – social workers, teachers, medical workers, representatives of justice and police – to sensitize them to the effects of early marriage on child development and acquaint them with mechanisms for interaction based on Child-Centred Approach;
  • Development of a training package for working with children and parents;
  • Delivering awareness-raising training for 1 000 children with the aim of acquiring skills for protecting themselves from involvement in early marriage;
  • Conducting “Schools for parents” – group work with 500 parents to develop positive parenting skills and raise their awareness of the risks and consequences of early marriage;
  • Community work with 500 representatives of Roma community – family counselling, Family group conferences – for positive parenting skills to support the natural development of the child;
  • Dissemination of project results – organization of 4 regional events in each of the partner countries, final conference in Brussels, project website, project brochure.

    • Project budget: 346 254 Euro, co-funded by the Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme of the European Union

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    Project title
    Impact Assessment of of the activities of NGOs in the social sphere

    Leading organization
    Opportunity and Protection Association

    Pilot organizations
    Gavrosh Association – Varna, Center Maria Association – Gorna Oryahovitsa, Children and Youth Association – Sofia

    Period of implementation: June 2015 – March 2016

    Objectives

  • To increase the organizational and financial sustainability of NGOs by focusing on assessing the impact of their work on the whole community;
  • To create and disseminate a mechanism for self-regulation of the activities of NGOs, based on research and demonstration of the benefits that the organization creates for the community.

    • Who was the project aimed at?

  • 3 pilot NGOs from the social sphere
  • 30 NGOs from the country, which were trained to apply “Principles and procedures for involving target groups, citizens and institutions in impact assessment”;
  • 234 community representatives who had the opportunity to participate in focus groups, interviews and surveys.

    • Activities:

  • Development of a Methodology for inclusion of target groups, citizens and institutions in the impact assessment of NGO activities;
  • Approbation of the Methodology by 3 pilot NGOs;
  • Analysis of the data from the pilot phase and elaboration of “Principles and procedures for inclusion of the target groups, citizens and institutions in the impact assessment”;
  • Training of representatives of 30 NGOs in order to acquire knowledge and skills to research, analyze and summarize the views of the communities in which they work for the benefits and positive changes of their activities;
  • Organizing a National Conference to promote the results of the project.

    • Results:

  • Created methodological resource for research of the impact of the activities of NGOs;
  • Representatives of 33 NGOs improved their capacity to assess the impact of their work and to regulate their activities in accordance with the needs of the community;
  • A tool for surveying community opinion on the impact of NGO activities in the social sphere was widespread.

    • Project budget: 43 645 Euro
    The project is funded under the NGO Programme in Bulgaria under the EEA Financial Mechanism 2009-2014.

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    Title of project
    Atelier for tolerant and equal relationships

    Objective
    Empowering vulnerable groups of young people to establish equal and tolerant romantic relationships

    Period of implementation: November 2015 – October 2017

    Target groups
    Vulnerable groups of children and young people / aged 12 – 18 / at risk of being involved in unequal romantic relationships:
    - 20 young people from the student boarding house in Haskovo;
    - 20 children of Roma origin;
    - 60 young people from general schools;
    - 20 young people with outstanding leadership qualities – trained to support their peers in the process of establishing equal relationships

    Results
    1. Created community of 20 youth leaders to support their peers in building skills for equal relations;
    2. Atelier for Tolerant and Equal Relations has been established, in which 100 young people from vulnerable groups learnt to recognize violence and to build relationships based on tolerance and equality;
    3. Created youth Web discussion forum for providing an opportunity for young people from all over the country to discuss topics related to gender communication.
    4. Essay competition on the topic “Equal in love”

    As a result of their participation in the project, the young people learned how to:
    - distinguish between healthy and unhealthy relationships;
    - notice the signs showing when a relationship turns into abuse;
    - help their peers deal with problems in their relationships.

    Budget and donors
    BGN 25 877, with the help of the Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation under the Child and Youth Development Program, based on an approach that takes into account and builds on the child’s strengths, with the financial support of the OUK Foundation.

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    Title of project
    Successful in class

    Leading organization
    Opportunity and Protection Association

    Objectives
    Prevention of school dropping out, improving children’s school performance; increasing the commitment of parents to the education of their children

    Period of implementation: November 2015 – July 2017

    Target groups:
    80 children / V – VII grade / students from “Nikola Vaptsarov” primary school from poor families who have poor command of Bulgarian language and / or at risk of dropping out due to absences.

    Activities
    1. Direct work with 80 children / group and individual / to overcome educational and social deficits; 2. Four joint initiatives with about 100 children from the school with the participation of parents and young people – volunteers of Opportunity and Protection Association;
    3. Summer academy – continuation of the group work from the school year, but with different forms of conducting – excursions, library visits, cultural and historical landmarks in the city;
    4.20 Family group conferences – for families whose children have difficulties at school;
    5. School for parents – in the form of group work the parents discussed problems in the upbringing of the children, overcame prejudices, built skills to support the education of their children;
    6. Dissemination of the project results – 2 press conferences and a Round table

    Budget and donors: BGN 72 761, with the financial support of the Trust for Social Achievement

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    Title of project
    Early prevention of child institutionalization

    Leading organisation:
    Opportunity and Protection Association:

    Objective:
    To limit the risk of child institutionalization and stimulate the role of the families in the development of the children.

    Period of implementation:
    January 2014 – March 2016

    Target groups:
    Children at the age of 3-15 years who are not properly looked after by their parents;
    The families of the children, included in the projet activities and other families in risk from the region of Haskovo

    Expected results:
    To train 20 professoinals – teachers, medical workers and volunteers to recognise the indicators of inadequate parent care and risk of child institutionalization;
    To support at least 70 families in risk through consulting and Family group conferences;
    To carry out group work with 100 children on the topics: communication without violence; building up tolerant and positive gender interaction and prevention of domestic violence;
    To organise 6 “Schools for parents” for acquiring skills for positive parenthood and child support.

    Budget and funding organisation:
    60 910 BGN, funded by Tulip Foundation and Oak Foundation.

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    Title of project:
    “From Uncertainty – To Welfare”

    Leading organisation
    Opportunity and Protection Association

    Objectives:
    Main objective:
    To enhance the institutional and financial capacity of the Opportunity and Protection Association to provide services for children and families at risk of Haskovo region.

    Specific objectives:

  • Improving quality of provided services
  • Extending public support and basis of development of organisation
  • Expanding the territorial scope of services

    • Period of implementation: August 2013 – July 2015

    Expected results:

  • Better planning in services, improved quality
  • Created potentials for new partnerships and contractors for our services
  • Strengthened partnership with District school system
  • Sustainability in voluntary resources
  • Created friendly working environment
  • Developed and distributed information materials
  • Provided 2 innovative services:

    • - Family Group Conference, to 20 families with children at risk
    - Child Police Academy – for 200 children

  • Expanded territorial scope of services in 3 communities in Haskovo region with limited access to them

    • Budget and funding organisation:
    134 603,76 BGN, funded by Switzerland through Reform Fund Linked to Civil Society Participation
    www.swissbgcooperation.bg

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    Title of project
    “Tolerance and equality”

    Leading organisation:
    Opportunity and Protection Association”

    Objective:
    Empowerment of vulnerable groups of children and young people for establishing tolerant and equal relationships.

    Period of implementation:
    February 2014 – April 2015

    Target groups:
    20 children and young people from Institutions for children without parents;
    20 children and young people from smaller settlemnets from Haskovo region, living in the Students’ hostel in Haskovo;
    60 children and young people from settlements with limitted access to services;
    40 children from the Roma ethnic group;
    100 children and young people from high schools in Haskovo.

    Activities and results:
    Working out of a Mechanism for support and self-support of children and young people for upholding tolerant and equal relationships;
    Training of 20 professionals to implement the Mechanism;
    Training of 20 young people to be peer-mentors;
    Delivering awareness raising sessions to 240 children and young people for acquiring skills for upholding tolerant and equal relationships;
    Creating of Youth discussion forum in Facebook where young people will have the opportunity to discuss topics connected with relationships;
    Raising the sensitivity and awareness of the community of gender based violence.

    Budget and funding organisation:

    33 366 Euro;
    The project is funded in the frame of NGO Programme in Bulgaria under the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area 2009-2014
    www.ngogrants.bg

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    Title of project
    “Gender is Primary: approaching to conflict resolution from a gender perspective”

    Co-ordinating region
    Consejeria de Presidencia de la Comunidad Autonoma de la Region de Murcia – Direccion General de Prevencion de la Violencia de Genero, Juventud, Proteccion Juridica y Reforma de Menores, Spain
    Consejeria de Educacion, Formacion y Empleo de la Comunidad Autonoma de la Region de Murcia – Direccion General de Recursos Humanos y Calidad Educativa, Spain
    CEIP Ntra. Sra. del Paso, Spain
    Asociacion contra la Violencia Domestica de la Region de Murcia (AVIDA), Spain

    Partner region
    Regional Inspectorate of Education – Haskovo, Bulgaria
    High School “St.Paissiy Hilendarsky”, Haskovo, Bulgaria
    Opportunity and Protection Assocciation, Haskovo, Bulgaria

    Aims

  • Linking up and fostering cooperation between teachers, students and managers from both regions.
  • Improving learning methods and methodological approaches by sharing best practices.
  • Involving all the agents involved in educational context to prevent gender-based violence.
  • Fostering the knowledge and making both students and teacher realise the added value of European cultural and linguistic diversity.

    • Impact

  • Pupils: they will increase their concerns in gender equalitiy and they will gain skills to tackle conflict resolution in a more effective way, considering the gender approach. Also, they will increase their knowledge in other European cultures and they will realise how their personal self-development and experiences are enriched by European diversity.
  • Teachers and staff in school administration: they will gain more knowledge in issues such as solving conflicts from a gender approach and preventing gender-based violence. At the same time, they will know how to implement educational programmes related to the issues covered by the project, according to new strategies supported by European Institutions and most of National Governments within the EU that strongly recommend to prevent violence in early educational stages.
  • NGOs: will have the opportunity of share experiences with European colleagues and to work together with other organisations that do not belong to the Third Sectors, in order to develop efficient strategies to preven gender-based violence.
  • Educational authorities: managers from governments’ educational departments will have the chance of exchanging experiences and sharing their background in order to improve the way in which gender equality, gender-based violence prevention and conflict resolution are included in educational curricula.

    • Period of implementation: August 2012 – July 2014

    Budget: 91 210 Euro

    Funded by
    European Commission – Lifelong Learning Programme

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    Title of project:
    ”Trust in the Family project”

    Leading organization:
    Tulip Foundation

    Implementing organisation:
    Opportunity and Protection Association

    Partners:
    Ministry of Labour and Social Policy
    State Agency for Child Protection
    Regional Inspectorate on Education

    Objectives:
    1.To build on the strengths in underprivileged communities to protect their children from abandonment, neglect or abuse and prevent subsequent institutionalization
    2.To adapt, introduce and promote a new community based service focused on strengthening the families and keeping them intact through adaptation, piloting and dissemination of the model of “family conferences/ family meetings”.

    Expected results:
    •A new community based method, focused on the strong sides of children and their extended family will be introduced, documented and presented to Ministry of Social Policy, State Agency for Child Protection and specialists and organisations working with children and families;
    •No children will be directed to social and/or correctional institutions;
    •At least 80% of the children in the selected communities will receive better care at the family;
    •At least 70% of the children will improve their performance at school;
    •The family ties will be tighten In 75% of the facilitated cases;
    •The model will be implemented in other regions in the country.

    Period of implementation: 01.06.2011 – 31.05.2013

    Budget and funding organization:
    97 000 €, financed by UniCredit Foundation

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    Title of project:
    ”Safe Healthy Equal Relationships (SHER)”

    Leading organization:
    Southwark Council Community Safety Team supported by Community Engagement Division – UK

    Partners:
    Bede House Youth – UK
    Southwark Mediation – UK
    Murcia Region’s Women Institute- Spain
    ASDE Exploradores de Murcia – Spain
    Opportunity and Protection Association
    Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation – branch Haskovo, Bulgaria
    Finnmark University College – Norway

    Aim:
    To develop, test and produce a training and educational toolkit to promote awareness of healthy relationships and combat domestic violence.

    Objectives:
    •Increase awareness that they deserve safe, healthy and equal partnerships
    •Provide help and support if they are in abusive relationships or witnessing domestic violence at home
    •Empower young people to protect themselves and peers against violence

    Expected results:
    •Developing education sessions
    •Risk management and child protection relating to dating violence
    •Delivery of training яеяясдхяto 300 young people in Haskovo district
    •Dissemination – 1 international and 2 national conferences, leaflets, press releases

    Duration:02.2011 – 02.2013

    Budget and funding organization
    € 419 240,85 – total budget
    € 64 672,05 – located to Opportunity and Protection Association
    Financed by EU DAPHNE Programme

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    Title of project:
    ”Combining Against Trafficking /COMBAT/”

    Leading organization:
    Coventry Solihull and Warwickshire Partnership Ltd – UK

    Partners:
    Opportunity and Protection Association
    West Midlands European Centre (WMEC) – Brussels
    Association Kaunas Women’s Society – Lithuania
    Coventry University – UK

    Objective:
    COMBAT is a project which strives to make a significant impact in raising awareness as to how children and young women become victims of traffickers by working with both front line staff and young people.

    Expected results:
    •Identification and exchange of models of good practice
    •Creation of sustainable multidisciplinary networks
    •Creation and design of educational packages
    •300 young people from Haskovo district participating in COMBAT awareness raising sessions
    •30 professionals who work directly with children informed of the methods used by traffickers, trafficking routes and trafficking profiles, thereby enabling them to recognise signs of risk.

    Period of implementation: 01.2011 – 01.2013

    Budget and funding organization:
    € 332 797,19 – total budget
    € 61948 – located to Opportunity and Protection Association
    Financed by EU DAPHNE Programme

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    Title of project
    Community respose to child abuse

    Overall objective:
    The main goal is to improve the protection of children in Haskovo municipality through the development of a comprehensive model for child abuse protection and sustaining it through its adoption by local authorities.

    Specific objectives:
    Objective 1:
    To identify gaps in the child protection system in Haskovo and, based on the findings, to develop a comprehensive model for protecting children from all forms of abuse.
    Expected results:
    •Identified gaps in the child protection system in Haskovo.
    •Publishing of a District Guide for existing child protection programmes and services.
    •Development and adoption of a comprehensive local child protection model in Haskovo.
    •Social workers, teachers, municipal officials, police, medical staff, parents, children in Haskovo and Stara Zagora District are acquainted with the comprehensive child protection model and express willingness to implement it locally.

    Objective 2:
    To better protect children from abuse through proper and timely identification and reporting of cases of child abuse (including sexual abuse) by teachers, supervisors and medical staff (in schools, kindergartens, hospitals) in Haskovo.
    Expected results:
    •Created methodological and expert resources for training on the identification and reporting of cases of child abuse – three training modules developed, 15 trainers trained.
    •The trained teachers and supervisors (300 people) and medical staff (40 people) are able to identify and report cases of child abuse.
    •An increase, by at least 5 %, in the number of cases of child abuse that are reported to the relevant authorities by teachers, supervisors and medical staff, one year after the training programme.
    •School policies will have been created for the Child Police Academy (CAP) for the early detection of child abuse.

    Objective 3:
    To empower children to be able to recognise and react to violence and to protect themselves from abuse through a peer to peer education and information initiative.
    Expected results:
    •At least 17 young people are able to organise and implement peer to peer education and information initiatives.
    •At least 60 children are able to recognise abuse and know where to seek help.
    •More Roma girls will be able to stand up for their rights and to finish school, rather than be forced into marriage.
    •Decreased school drop-out rate by five percent in the last years of the project as a result of the prevention activities.

    Objective 4:
    To provide assistance to child victims or those at risk of abuse and their families by strengthening and further building the capacity of the Resource Centre for Support of Children and Families at Risk (RCSCFR).

    Expected results:
    •At least 50 child victims of violence are consulted and assisted in overcoming the negative consequences.
    •The RCSCFR facilitates access to relevant local services for children and families.

    Period of implementation: April 2009 – March 2012

    Budget and funding organization:
    172 946 BGN; funded by Oak Foundation

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    Title of project:
    ”Balkan Child Police Academy Programme (BCPA)”

    Leading organization:
    Opportunity and Protection Association

    Objectives:
    Partners from Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina-Republic of Srpska joint their efforts to:
    •Contribute to the public security in the field of children in the region
    •Influence the processes of improvement and development of national policies and practices for interaction between the police, children and civil society organization dealing with child security and well being
    The project is implemented in the frame of SEPCA (Southeast Europe Police Chief Association) strategy aimed at building public security in South Eastern Europe, through its co-operative police services, together with the citizens and its partner organizations

    Expected results:
    1.Enhanced public security in the field of children in the region of the member-states of SEPCA through :
    •Nationally based projects in the SEPCA members which is directed to children and is implemented in partnership between the Police and Civil Society Organisation
    •One annual meeting of the representatives of the nationally based projects for exchange of best practices
    •Annual handbook, annual report and information material for dissemination of best practices
    •Bilateral/multilateral study visits
    2.Enhanced cooperation between the police and the civil society represented by NGOs, schools and children in regard to enhancing the public security in the field of children.
    3.UN Convention on the Right of the Child and relevant international standards are integrated into the nationally based projects in Public security in the field of children.

    Duration: 01.07.2011 – 31.12.2011г.

    Budget and funding organization:
    35 460 €, financed by Swiss Agency for Development and Coordination through SEPCA

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    Title of project:
    ”Let the good start from you! – Youth Initiative for the Prevention of Violence”

    Leading organization:
    Opportunity and Protection Association

    Objective:
    Prevention of violence through initiatives designed and implemented by young people. The project was developed on the idea of giving meaning of the free/leisure time of young people through positive communication and social engagement.

    Expected results:
    •Created a Social Workshop as a format to unite children and youths to carry out their initiatives to improve communication in the direction from violence to tolerance.
    •Introduced a new approach to understanding the leisure time of young people based on positive interaction and social engagement;
    •Attracted the public attention to the problems of young people as the young people themselves see them

    Duration:
    August 2010 – December 2010

    Budget and funding organization: 9 722 BGN
    Financed by National Centre ‘European Youth Programs and Initiatives’.

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    Title of project:
    ‘The Voice of Children Against Violence’

    Leading organization:
    Opportunity and Protection Association

    Objectives:
    •Improving communication between adolescents in 4 schools in Haskovo and Svilengrad using unconventional techniques for dealing with aggression, with the active participation of the children themselves.

    Expected results:
    •16 youth leaders from 4 schools in Haskovo and Svilengrad trained to apply unconventional techniques to deal with problems of aggression at school with the active participation of their peers;
    •Approximately 1,800 children and young people from the target schools, attracted to participate in non-violence initiatives;
    •Created preconditions for improving the environment in 4 schools in Haskovo and Svilengrad in the direction from violence to tolerance;
    •Attracted the public attention to the problems of young people as the young people themselves see them.

    Duration:
    January 2010 – April 2010

    Budget and funding organization: 3700 BGN
    Financed by ‘Workshop for Civic Initiatives’ – ‘People Decide’ Fund.

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    Title of project
    ”Children Police Academy 5: lending a hand to community”

    Leading organization:
    Opportunity and Protection Association

    Partners:
    Community Centre “St. Kliment Ohridski” – Haskovo
    Community Centre “Prosveta” – Svilengrad

    Overall objective:
    Raising the social commitment of the children to community problems.

    Specific objectives:
    1. Enlargement of the activity of the Children Police Academy in the residential districts.
    2. Establishment of partnerships between the CPA clubs and the community centres – a precondition for the long-term participation of the children in the development of the local communities.
    3. Training of specialists for application of the CPA model in the new context.

    Activities:
    1. Organizational activities
    1.1. Working meeting of the team of the Association and the partners – teachers, policemen, secretaries of the community centres.
    1.2. Regular working meetings of the CPA clubs with representatives of the community centres.
    1.3. Methodological preparation – the Association has methodological resources – a methodological guide for the trainers and a working notebook for the children, members of the CPA.
    2. Training of trainers in the CPA
    Organizing of a two-day training session on the topic “Philosophy and values of the CPA, application of the model in the sphere of the community” for training of 15 specialists – teachers, policemen, secretaries of the community centres – who will carry out activities with the CPA clubs.
    3. Carrying out of initiatives
    3.1. Carrying out of initiatives of the CPA clubs in the residential districts, which will be implemented in accordance with the specificity and the needs of the local communities.
    3.2. Final contest with the participation of the children, members of the CPA clubs, with the purpose of exchange of experience and good practices.
    4. Providing support and consulting to the CPA clubs
    In the process of the implementation of the CPA model experts from the Association will provide consulting and support to the people, working on the model.

    Expected results:
    •Decreased aggression and abuse actions among the children as a result of their improved skills for communication, tolerance and support.
    •Personal development, confidence and social realization of the children.
    •The knowledge and skills, acquired through the participation in the CPA clubs will contribute to the formation of a responsible and active attitude to community.
    •Safer environment for living and development of the children, evincing intolerance to the problems of child abuse and involvement in their solution, created through the initiatives of the CPA clubs.

    Duration
    February 2009 – October 2009

    Budget and funding organization:
    8 660 BGN, funded by Tulip Foundation

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    Title of the project:
    Mission “Scout”

    Leading organization:
    Opportunity and Protection Association

    Partners:
    High School “Vasil Levski” – Dimitrovgrad
    High School “Vasil Levski”– Haskovo
    Primary school “Hristo Smirnenski” – Haskovo
    Primary school “Nikola Vaptzarov” – Haskovo
    High School “Sv. Paisiy Hilendarski: – Haskovo

    Overall objective:
    Diversification and enrichment of after-school and extra-curricular activities for better rationalization of the leisure time of students aiming at developing a sense of responsibility and commitment to community problems.

    Specific objectives:
    1. Developing a sustainable form of extra-curricular and after-school activity in 5 schools from Haskovo region – “Scout Club”, with which, using the natural attitude of children to adventure, expression and recognition of achievements, to help them acquire skills for effective communication, team spirit, self-discipline and commitment to issues of school and community life.

    2. Developing and piloting of a model for activities in the Scout Club – a Scout programme, which includes a system of school activities, community activities and initiatives and an alternative form of recreation during the holidays.

    3. Creating resources for implementation of the Scout programme.

    Duration: October 2008 – November 2009

    Budget and funding organization:
    31 942,52 BGN
    ESF 2007-2013г., Ministry of education and science of the Republic of Bulgaria, OP “Human resources development”, Grant scheme BG051PO001/07/4.2-01 “Making school attractive for the young people”
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    Title of project:
    Children’s House

    Project objective:
    1.Purchase and repair a house, where the activities of the established Resource Centre for Children and Families Support will take place.
    2.Creating new standards of quality in providing services to children and families.

    Duration:
    01.06.2007 – 31.12.2007

    Budget and Grantors:
    74 160 BGN, funded by Tulip Foundation

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    Title of project:
    Centre for Community Support of Children and Families

    Project objective:
    To improve the child welfare in Dimitrovgrad municipality through building-up an integrated community based system of social services for children and families at risk through:
    1.Establishing a Centre for Community Support (CCS) with two main structural units:
    - Unit of prevention services – capacity 60 children;
    - Crisis unit – capacity 7 places. By now it is the only one in Haskovo region so it is planned to accommodate children from all over the region.
    2.Develop and strengthen institutional, material and professional capacity of the Centre for Community Support.
    3.Increasing the public awareness to the problems of the children and families at risk.

    Duration: 01.06.2008 – 31.07.2009

    Budget and Grantors:
    131 529 € – funded by Ministry of Labour and Social Policy – FHARE Programme – Deinstitutionalisation through provision of community based services for risk groups.

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    Title of project:
    Resource centre for support of children and families

    Project objective:
    Creating and stabile structure, which combines all the association activities, addressing the support of children at risk

    Duration:01.01.2006 – 30.09.2008

    Activities:
    – Creating and piloting models of child abuse prevention in two age groups – up to 12 and up to 1;
    – Providing consultations, information, training, supervision, methodological and psychological support to children, parents, teachers and other specialists, working for the improvement of child welfare;
    – Development and execution of youth anti-trafficking initiatives.

    Budget and Grantors:
    173 307BGN, funded by Oak Foundation

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    Title of project:
    Social- Educational Centre II

    Project objective:
    Improving the quality of life with most vulnerable groups of children in the town and in the region through developing a system of services, addressing their current needs.

    Duration: 01.01.2006 – 31.12.2007

    Activities:
    Establishing a Social Educational centre, which provides:
    - supporting education/ training;
    - programs for life skills acquisition with vulnerable groups of children;
    - programs for development of creative and other talents with the children.

    Budget and Grantors:
    € 29 500, funded by Tulip Foundation

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    Title of project:
    Partner network between the police-schools-NGO for regional policies in law enforcement and security.

    Project objective:
    Establishing sustainable partnership between police-schools-NGO as a precondition for early prevention of asocial behaviour with children.

    Duration: 01.07.2005 – 01.11.2005

    Results:
    Created a model of partnership between police-schools-NGO, 12 regional police inspectors acquired skills to work with children audience.

    Budget and Grantors:
    5416 BGN, funded by Open Society Institute.

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    Title of project:
    Youth anti-trafficking initiatives

    Project objective:
    Early prevention of involving into trafficking in children and youths

    Duration: 01.03.2004 – 2006

    Activities:
    Developing the skills of young people to initiate and execute civil initiatives, addressing the reduction of risk from involvement in trafficking, to take responsibilities, to make decisions and render support to peers at risk. Created a youth volunteer group in the association.

    Budget and Grantors:
    73 323 BGN, funded by CRS Foundation

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    Title of project:
    Social Educational Center

    Project objective:
    Creating a model for support the education to children at risk, which includes development and testing a methodology for support of homeless children education.

    Duration:
    01.12.2004 – 30.11.2005

    Results:
    Established a Centre for social- education support as a structure of the Day-Care Centre for homeless children, Developed and tested methodological guidelines in support of the education of homeless children.

    Budget and Grantors:
    € 12 713, funded by EU PHARE Programme ‘Development of civil society’.

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    Title of project:
    Equal access to education

    Project objective:
    Creating resources and skills for supporting the education of homeless children and development of the capacity of the organization for mobile work for active search of homeless children in the community

    Duration: 01.11.2004 -30.11.2005

    Results:
    Created a community of interested people and institutions for reduction of social isolation of homeless children and creating canals for access of children and families in such situation.

    Budget and Grantors:
    20 066 BGNs, funded by MATRA Programme of the Dutch Embassy in Bulgaria.

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    Title of project:
    Let’s protect our children together

    Project objective:
    Establishing a broad public base for solving the problem of child abuse and studying the knowledge and attitudes of children, parents and experts, establishing a network and training experts, creating public awareness about the problem.

    Duration:
    01.09.2003 -31.12.2005

    Results:
    Established a Multidisciplinary team of 15 people for work with children at risk, more than 50 experts, working with children improved their knowledge about child abuse issues; established a local network of specialists and organizations, interested in the solutions of the problem.

    Budget and Grantors:
    128 500 BGN, funded by Oak Foundation.
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    Title of project:
    Catering facility for children ant risk

    Project objective:
    Keeping the health and psycho-physical development of homeless children through providing hot meal /lunch/ in the winter.

    Duration:
    01.12.2003 – 30.04.2004

    Results:
    50 % homeless children were paid attention and got hot lunch in the winter of 2004.

    Budget and Grantors:
    7000 BGN, funded by Social Support Fund of MLSP.
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    Title of project:
    Children Police Academy

    Project objective:
    Early prevention of asocial behaviour and establishing valued attitude to the law by the participation of 9-10 year olds in an exclusively interesting form of work – Police Academy.

    Duration: 20.12.2001 – 20.10.2002

    Results:
    Established first in the country Child Police Academy, ‘graduated’ 2 courses of CPA – respectively with 34 and 53 children , created programs for development of civil and legal literacy.

    Budget and Grantors:
    € 12 994. funded by European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights Programme of the EU.
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    Title of project:
    Day-Care Centre for homeless children

    Project objective:
    Provides new quality of social services to children, whose parents do not want or cannot take care of them.

    Duration: 01.12.1999 – 31.12.2006

    Results:
    The Day-Care Centre provides daily care: shelter, food, clothing, school materials, facilities for personal hygiene and medical service to 20 children every day. The children participate in programs of individual abilities development. Celebrations are organized, excursions, camps at the seaside or in the mountains.

    Budget and Grantors:
    USD 20 000 from King Bowdoin Foundation – Belgium ; USD 27 500 from Oak Foundation, € 24 858 from Cooperating Netherlands Foundations for Central and Eastern Europe , GBP 1000 from Tanya Palmer – an Oxford University student , € 1000 Dutch students organization, USD 5000 – other grants.
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    Title of project:
    Day-Care Centre for children with disabilities

    Project objective:
    Establishing new standard and new quality of work with children who have special needs; creating appropriate social – living conditions and new attitude to their problems and those of thee families.

    Duration: 03.04.1998 -11.02.2000

    Results:
    Creating the material facilities for the Day-Care Centre for children with disabilities by reconstruction and functional adaptation of a building.

    Budget and Grantors:
    USD 41 002 – from Cooperating Netherlands Foundations for Central and Eastern Europe, GBP 30 000 from European Children , 2 514 levs from the British Embassy in Bulgaria.
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    Title of project:
    Increasing the public awareness of NGO and improvement of interaction between local authorities, media and business.

    Project objective:
    Developing the potential of the local non-governmental organizations, consolidation of their interaction, as well as with representatives of other sectors in the community.

    Duration: 01.12.98 – 30.11.99

    Results:
    Established a local NGO network, issued a catalogue of NGO in Haskovo and Kardzhai District, started issuance of Information bulletin of NGO.

    Budget and Grantors:
    € 6555, funded by the EU through Development of Civil Society Foundation.
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    Title of project:
    Children at risk

    Project objective:
    Providing urgent support to children in disabled situation

    Duration: 01.09.97 – 28.02.98

    Results:
    Provided humanitarian aid to 71 children in disabled social position. Trained a team of 12 volunteers for work with children at risk.

    Budget and Grantors:
    € 3176, funded by EU through Development of Civil Society Foundation.
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    Title of project:
    Children in the street

    Project objective:
    Improvement of children’s at risk quality of life

    Duration: 01.09.97 – 30.04.98

    Results:
    Sets the beginning of systematic work with homeless children. Extended the public base of solution for the problem by establishing the Civil Initiative ‘Children in danger’ with 4 teams – educational, health care, legal and family support team.

    Budget and Grantors:
    7 100 USD funded by USAID through Democracy Network Programme.
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    Title of project:
    Institutional Development

    Project objective:
    Presenting the association in the community, promotion of its goals and activities, creating conditions for effective and sustainable development, establishing appropriate partnerships.

    Duration: 28.01.97-28.07.97

    Results:
    The association rented an office, issued information brochures, signed partner agreements with major institutions, responsible for the improvement of welfare of the children in Haskovo municipality.

    Budget and Grantors:
    3 700 USD, funded by USAID through Democracy Network Programme.
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