Институт за Социална Интеграция

Activity – on a working meeting during December, the General Assembly of ISI planned the implementation of that project. The main working directions were determined, the main concepts that we use were defined. A monitoring of the vulnerable groups was planned, also the way on which the factors of risk should be examined, as well as how should be made an evaluation of the present policy, politics and legislation.

The work concerning the determination of the criteria for the Index about the social vulnerability has started. The techniques, methods and mechanisms for that evaluation were outlined.

Relevance to our aims – this is the project that directly corresponds to basic objectives of the Institute (they are mentioned above). It actually will realize a monitoring of the social vulnerability; it will implement an examine on the changes in the values, of the processes of "social atomization" and stratification, of the social and personal crises, of the social exclusion and social inclusion in the contemporary Bulgarian society.

Results – at the end of year 2003 the Institute for Social Integration will for the first time announce its Index about social vulnerability and the results from the fulfilled monitoring. For the previous year 2002, the planning, the start and the establishment of the necessary circumstances for the successful implementation of the project can be reported as a result. On the press-conference during February, year 2003, it has been publically announced by the Board of Directors of the Institute.

Activity – At the end of year 2002 two working meetings between the project team and the Board of Directors were held. They were focused on the start, organization and the advertisement campaign of the project and on the discussion and acceptance of the programme of the trainings' modules. Thematic plans and training programmes for the separate training project modules were developed- "Working with political information and political analyses"; "Communication and work with mass-media"; "Organizational management"; "Public and political campaigns"; and "Development of the structures of the civil society".

The matrix for the collection of information for the informational data-base and the network of the structure of the civil society, working on the enlargement of the participative democracy, was worked out.

5 representatives of the District centers and 10 – of smaller municipalities from the same Districts, grouped in three training streams(totally 15 administrative districts);

fluency of at least one foreign language;

Age up to 41 (born after year 1961).

The preparation of a representative sociological study about the necessity of improvement of the knowledge and skills of the participants in the Bulgarian political life on different levels has started.

Relevance to our aims – the project directly corresponds to out intention to develop successful projects for the growth and increase of the role of the representative government as a socially integrating model. Besides, it is completely relevant to the annual accents concerning the overcoming of the social disintegration of the people living in the small settlements and municipalities, in the abandoned state regions, as well as the vulnerability and the disintegration of different youth groups.

The project has been implemented in partnership with and supported by the "Open society" Foundation, also in partnership with the Regional Center-Sofia of "Friedrich Ebert" Foundation and with "Nikolay Dobrev" Institute.

Results – as an effect of the results of the implemented working meetings at the end of the year (in accordance with the outlined requirements and educational programmes), only for the first 5 months of year 2003, 5 sessions of the participants were held. The first stream (South-West Bulgaria) has passed successfully 3 training modules and the second one (North-East Bulgaria) - 2. The feed-back from the participants was extremely positive and is very useful for the project team.

Activity – on a working meeting at the end of December 2002 the content and the methods for the organization of 2 public campaigns among the left adherents concerning the euro integration process in the country was developed, as well as of 8 public discussions focused on the real dimensions of each agreement in the accession process. Samples about European countries for the implementation of lobby campaigns concerning the country's real integration were outlined.

Relevance to our aims – the project is focused on the actual problems that will appear before the Bulgarian citizens and institutions in the process of European and Euro-Atlantic integration of the country (the main aim of the Institute- to affiliate the Bulgarian citizens with the accession processes and to work against marginalization and social alienation.

Results – during year 2003 5 public discussions were held (2 in Sofia and one in each of the following towns- Plovdiv, Samokov and Mezdra). Direct contacts for lobbying were made in Spain and France. The official start of the public campaigns is coming. Under construction is the establishment of informational data-base about the NGOs working on the euro-integration of the country, as well as the project web-site.

Activity – the implementation of this project was of great importance for a new organization like our and took us serious efforts. At the end of year 2002 we managed to build a team of collaborators, volunteers and lectors. Working rooms with 3 working places and a training- conference hall were contracted, rented and equipped. The web-site of the Institute was ready, as well as the e-mail address. The accountancy was secured.

Relevance to the aims – the implementation of this project directly secures the successful and real accomplishment of all aims of the Institute for Social Integration.

Results – as a result of the implementation of the project, the Institute acquired the necessary administrative and scientific capacity for the realization of its work. There is a constant working team; full-time office manager and project coordinator. Voluntary donations were collect. Contacts with related organizations were made. The work of the Institute was popularized in various country regions.

In the first few months of its existence the Institute for social integration succeeds to establish a wide network of collaborators and volunteers- lectors in the Bulgarian Universities, journalists, lawyers and social workers. In April, year 2003, we were invited to attend the European meeting of non-governmental organizations, working on the democratic development in Paris. The participation of our representatives in the meeting organized by the European forum for democracy and solidarity is forthcoming. Besides the project partners, various other partnership initiatives were implemented: with Social-democratic institute; with the National Democratic Institute of USA, the Bulgarian Diplomatic Association, The Association of the Bulgarian journalists, the "Support" Labour Confederation, the National association for international relations and other.

The Institute has approved to be a very well organized and structured as a joint work between the constituents, the members of the Board of Directors, the collaborators and the volunteers of the Institute.

At the beginning of the present year teams of the Institute developed and presented 5 new projects which are to be implemented. They correspond directly to the Institute's aims. Presently it is working on ensuring the sustainability of the current projects.

It is still not sufficient the work of the Institute on the popularization of its work and concrete project results. At the same time our whole work is public, transparent and follows the valid Bulgarian legislation.