Equilibrium
Equilibrium is a pioneer in the reform of the Homes for Medical-Social Care for Children. In 2009 – 2011, together with the British organisation Hope and Homes for Children – UK, we closed the first of Bulgaria’s 32 baby homes. The facility was in Teteven and it contained 34 children (0 – 3).
We introduced a programme for ACTIVE family support to prevent other children from being placed there. We assessed the children, already placed in the home, and endeavoured to… 
Arguably, Ruse’s centre for social support lies at the centre of Equilibrium’s operations. For the larger part of 2018, major renovation has been underway meaning that the team has had to squeeze into one half of the building and then the other while coordinating the delivery of social services from inside a noisy construction site.
While it is still difficult to imagine what the centre will look like when finished, it’s clear that the interior of the building will have…
Executive summary
Equilibrium believes in universal family support but progress in this direction depends on coherent and consistent practice among the different professions coupled with a change in professional attitudes to embrace the idea of public service. Families need to learn how to respond to the availability of public servants. The relevant expression is proactivity.
It will take time to establish the types of relationships and interactions that support this type of community. Professionals must learn to stop playing…
Management consultants recognize a stage in the development of an organization that can represent either an opportunity or an existential crisis for the founders.
A combination of forces make their presence felt. These forces are linked to the effort needed to simply sustain the day-to-day operation of a sizeable organization. A big organization needs systems, routines and even conventions. Those who found organizations tend not to be particularly conventional people and – in truth – they should not try to…
A year of growth
It’s great to find a theme for reporting on a year’s activities to avoid producing a simple list of “things we did last year.”
The theme for 2015 is very definitely the expansion of EQ’s influence in the development of services for children and families.
Looking outwards to the community
“Entrepreneurs have zeitgeist – they know what is going on in the world and act accordingly.”
(David Bisset, EQ chairman)
Entrepreneurs can easily lose their zeitgeist. For those who start organizations it depends heavily on maintaining their connection with the people they serve and the values they stand for while a substantial enterprise, complex systems and organizational paraphernalia grow around them. Bigger vehicles are less easy to maneuver and they make it more difficult…
A review of 2013
Equilibrium – the introspective organization
Within an organization that is approaching the 10th anniversary of its foundation, people are not sure whether to look ahead or backwards. In such circumstances, it is not a bad idea to look at the current state of play. Where are we? Who are we? What is it that characterizes Equilibrium as an organization that works for children and with children?
AC
HIEVEMENTS 2012
Looking back on 2012, we’re satisfied with a job well done and the many innovative models and practices that we can share. We also have a few new ideas for 2013. Our success depends on the effort of many individuals but, more particularly, on the willingness of teams to adopt unconventional approaches to problem solving, playing to the strengths of the various team members.
EQ does not operate a payroll and our overheads are low.
The dolphin is a banner that allows a consortium of childcare professionals to dedicate time and effort to a shared mission. Those who are not founding members were invited to join and this has led to the creation of a highly cohesive, productive and happy team.
This has given us certain advantages:
- Our growth has been closely managed and our mission has never been compromised
- Our engagement with regional…
Family belongs at the heart of everything
In Bulgaria, every child of my generation had to go to kindergarten after turning three years – the law required mothers to work. My mother could not disobey. She worked far from home and traveled by public transport. This meant I spent 8-9 hours in kindergarten every week-day
I was often sick as a toddler and this meant I went to be looked after by my grandma in the village which was – by far…