PROJECTS

Current projects:

“Career Day “2009

For fifth consecutive year “Bulgarian Association for Personal Alternative” will implement in early October in Sofia “Career Day for People with Disabilities 2009 - A Bridge to reduce the effects of the crisis”. The project is funded by the Agency for People with Disabilities, as this year’s focus will be on the new programs and incentives, provided by the government for hiring a disabled person as a worker. After the beginning of July “Bulgarian Association for Personal Alternative” will accept applications for participation in career days. Participants may be employers and people with various degrees of disability. You can find a link to the participation form in section News.

“Future for all – campaign for reintegration and social inclusion of young people from specialized institutions.”

“Bulgarian Association for Personal Alternative” won a project “For a better future for children“, funded under operational program “Human Resources Development”  2003 - 2013. Under the project two centers for public social support will be established in the cities Ruse and Haskovo, which will provide social counseling for young people over 18 years from the following Homes for Children Deprived of Parenteral Care: R. Gateva, Ruse;  “ St. D. Basarbovski ”, Ruse;  Brestovica, Borovo; “ Kalina”, Byala, Starmen; “ Prof. Assen Zlatarov “, Haskovo.

The project aims to develop skills for independent life, to provide information and media campaign for tolerance and involvement of the society in the process of reintegration and socialization of adolescents, inhabiting these homes, and to implement a public campaign for parental behavior to prevent the abandonment of children.

Project: "More opportunities for people with disabilities by increasing the capacity of civil society structures".

The main idea of the project is to increase knowledge and skills in a network of 11 Regional Public Council on social inclusion of people with disabilities (OOSSVHU) for implementation of local policies and to achieve effective partnership and dialogue with the local administration.

Through the project, there will be a further developed network of public councils to implement joint initiatives and projects on important issues, specific in each region, related to integration of people with disabilities. Made in the draft strategies and action plans to improve the management capacity of individual councils and public bodies and civil society in regard to their future work.

The project is funded under the OP "Administrative Capacity"

Completed projects in 2008:

Project: "Career Day for People with Disabilities 2008"

Project „Career Day for People with Disabilities 2008 ", co-funded under the Agency for People with Disabilities, Ministry of Labor and Social Policy. The project is implemented by the Bulgarian Association for personal alternative for fourth consecutive year. The initiative is carried out in cooperation with the Employment Agency, Sofia, Bulgarian Industrial Association and the media partnership of the show "Collision" on TV BTV.

The main ideas of the project:

1. Increasing the opportunities for professional development and reducing unemployment among people with disabilities.
2. Promoting existing preferences, incentives and programs in this area.

Key project activities:

1. Involving the public - realizing a media campaign and broadcasting of TV spots aimed at potential employers.
2. Engaging potential employers, committed to the ideas of the project and providing jobs
3. Organizing an information seminar and “Career Day for People with Disabilities 2008" in Sofia on 08.10.2008

Co – funded by the program of the Agency for People with Disabilities.

Project: National campaign and debate "Discrimination is a crime"

www.anti.bapa-bg.org

The campaign was aimed at promotion of “Plan D of the European Commission” and informing the public about their rights and protection mechanisms in fortuitously revealed discrimination, within the national and European legislation. Long-term goal was to create preconditions for successful cooperation in order to solve the problems of disabled people.

The project included the following activities:

1. Realizing media campaign and broadcasting of TV clips.
2. Conducting a series of debates in eight Bulgarian universities.
3. Production and distribution of materials containing information on citizens' rights and protection mechanisms in case of revealed discrimination.

Co-funded under Plan D of the European Commission.

Projects completed in 2006, 2007:

Project: "Career Day for Disabled People 2006/07"

www.career.bapa-bg.org

Continuation of the initiative of the Bulgarian Association for personal alternatives to organize and implement "Career Day for people with disabilities".

Involving the public - conducting a campaign for tolerance and normal perception of disabled people through the media sector and popular subjects of public life.

Engage potential employers, committed to the ideas of the project - getting acquainted with the program’s privileges provided by the state in job creation and organization of people with disabilities.

Activities:

1. Motivational training for people with disabilities to develop skills for initial meetings with potential employers.
2. Training seminars for employers and “Career Day”.
3. Media campaign.
4. Exhibition of products made by people with disabilities.

Co-funded by PHARE - Development of civil society.

Project: "Integrated education of children with disabilities in mass schools – together at school”

The project purpose was to create a real opportunity to ensure full integration of children with disabilities in early childhood, through mass education in schools. For this purpose, there were partially adapted 17 schools in the territory of Sofia. Thus it was ensured equal access to education for children with disabilities and their integration into the learning environment.

Funded by Sofia Municipality.

Project: “Professional guidance for people with disabilities "

Implementing an information seminar on the employment of disabled people with participation of Bulgarian and foreign companies, organizations and institutions, and presenting the essence of existing preferences, incentives and programs in this area.

Co-funded under the Agency for Persons with Disabilities.

Completed projects in 2005-2006:

Project: "Integration of disabled people in public life through the provision of work” – conducting “Career Day for People with Disabilities 2005” funded program ”Small schemes“ World Bank.

In 2004. B.A.P.A initiated the project "Integration of disabled people in public life by providing employment. The project was developed under the auspices of the National Center for Social Rehabilitation. The main objective of the project was to enable the professional development of the project target group - people with different degrees of disabilities and of different ages. Besides immediate effect – increasing the employment for people with disabilities and we aim to achieve a greater psychological impact, namely overcoming the social isolation of this social group.

Project activities:

1. Motivational trainings for people with disabilities to develop skills for self presentation.
2. Training of McDonald's Bulgaria - "Communication Skills" and "Fundamentals of business communication to enhance skills and motivation of the target group for the project.
3. Training seminars for employers and “Career Day" to ensure the participation of both sides - employers and potential employees of the workshop.
4. Media campaign - producing TV spots with the participation of disabled people involved in the project and broadcasting them in the most popular TV channel in the country - bTV. Produce and broadcast radio version in the national radio network FM +.
5. Implementation of “Career Day for People with Disabilities "- a presentation of people with disabilities to potential employers. Understanding the activities of participating companies - representatives of the domestic and international business and companies such as: MTel, Sopharma, ProCredit Bank, Aktavis, Fund Trust, McDonald's Bulgaria, Coca-Cola Bulgaria, FM Radio, Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum, Association of commercial banks and others.

Co-financed under the "Small schemes“ of the World Bank

Project: "Creation is not dependent on social status”

In May 2005. Representatives of B.A.P.A took part in round table project “Deprived of work opportunities for expression, but not of ability: work does not depend on social status”.

The project was implemented by the Foundation “Bulgarian Tradition” and financed by the program “Europe 2003” European Union. The project contributed to the promotion of issues of economic integration of disabled people as a critical factor for social integration and the forthcoming Bulgaria join to the European Union.

Co-financed by Phare