Burgas IYC’s team paid their colleagues in Stara Zagora an informal visit. Various aspects of youth work were discussed, including good collaboration of stakeholders and their involvement from the very beginning. These were identified as essential factors in building young inclusive societies.
Burgas is among the “second wave” of Bulgarian cities, where youth centers are being built under the Local Development, Poverty Reduction, and Enhanced Inclusion of Vulnerable Groups Program, funded by the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism.
Stara Zagora’s team has significant experience in the youth sector. The Center there has been functioning since 2014. It was awarded the Council of Europe’s Quality Label – an indisputable recognition for the people who joined forces in the process of creating a cohesive and socially engaged youth community in Stara Zagora.
The scope of Bulgaria’s youth centers stretches beyond field activities and events management. In 2016, the existing organizations in Stara Zagora, Plovdiv, Vratsa, and Dobrich established a National Youth Centers Network. This informal alliance is about to expand next year with the opening of four new youth centers in Burgas, Montana, Gabrovo, and Pernik. Among the network’s main goals is to create synergies and to co-operate successfully on common youth projects.
