Partners Bulgaria Foundation

Partners Bulgaria Foundation

Partners Bulgaria Foundation (PBF) is part of the international network of Partners for Democratic Change (Partners), which promotes the development of civil society and a culture of peaceful conflict resolution within countries in transition. Since its establishment in 1989, Partners for Democratic Change has been coordinating a network of centres in Argentina, Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, the Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and the United States, and provides research, training and consultation for individuals, groups and organizations in more than 60 countries throughout the world.

PBF is an independently governed local non-governmental organization (NGO) registered under the laws of Bulgaria. As a voluntary participant within the Partners network, PBF shares experience and resources with other centres and is involved in common projects and educational programmes.
PBF is a member of Bulgarian Donor's Forum.
The mission of PBF is to support the process of democratic change taking place in Bulgaria, and to collaborate with institutions, non-governmental organizations and specialists to develop the institutional capabilities necessary to promote the development of civil society.
In particular, PBF goals are to:
• Encourage the participation of various organizations, groups and ethnic entities at all levels of the decision-making process
• Develop strategies for the more effective management of social and economic processes in the transition period between post-totalitarian and democratic society
• Improve communications between civil society, government and business; and
• Promote a culture of democratic conflict resolution.
Partners-Bulgaria Foundation aims to meet its goals through the following activities:
• Research, analysis, needs assessment and policy recommendations for changes related to the condition of socially marginalized groups (including ethnic minorities, children without parental support, prisoners, youth-at-risk, under-age offenders, etc.).
• Training in such areas as communication skills, the rights of children, civic education, leadership, organizational development, conflict resolution, consensus building, etc., aimed at local government representatives and members of non-governmental organizations, business organizations, social workers, university lecturers, students, teachers, etc.
• Mediation to assist individuals, entities and organizations to resolve conflicts and reach consensus.
• Cooperative planning, facilitation of the decision-making process and support for local initiatives to solve community problems.

Among the direct actions of PBF there are four projects:
• Information Centre on Children's Rights, which main purposes are to collect, analyze and disseminate information on children's rights in Bulgaria and throughout the world, to synchronize the activities of government and civic institutions and to train teachers, social workers, journalists and young people how to apply Convention methods in the fields of education, continuing education and training.
• Project "Alternative Support for Children without Parental Care", which is designed to provide educational, social and specialized support for juveniles being released from social institutions and beginning their independent life. The key element of this project was the creation of a Day Centre for Juveniles, where the young people can complete educational courses, develop some practical skills, consult the psychologist and vocational counselor and also participate in some cultural activities.
• Project "My Rights, My Responsibilities", realized together with the Foundation Sirak (Orphan), is intended to increase the awareness of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The main goal of the project is to engage teachers and pedagogical advisors as well as their pupils to the various issues related to the Convention. To familiarize the local communities with the topic of children's rights Foundation organizes concerts, exhibitions, plays and public debates and also publishes textbooks for children and teachers.
• Prevention Programme for Children and Juveniles at Risk "Tomorrow Together", supported by the the Baulduin Foundation from Belgium and Open Society Foundation from Sofia, offers help and services for children and juveniles at risk in three Bulgarian cities. The main goal of the programme is to create the positive institutional environment and prepare a document with recommendations for improving public policy concerning social activities for the children at risk. Besides working out the better model for social work with children, the programme concentrates on individual children cases and searches for ways of implementing the best practices from abroad in Bulgaria.

Partners-Bulgaria Foundation is supported by foreign and local organizations and government agencies, including Save the Children Fund (Great Britain), the Open Society Foundation and other institutions.

More information is available on the webpage www.partnersbg.org