EQ Publications
Mentoring in Storytelling, Self-Advocacy and Community Activism, in the context of Bulgarian social services
In the context of our project – Voices of Adversity- we took a very particular approach to the mentoring of representatives of vulnerable groups to encourage them to tell us their personal stories and to think about advocating for themselves and others like them.
Our approach was designed to take account of the particular circumstances that prevail in the delivery of social services in Bulgaria and… Continue reading
SUMMARY
The final external evaluation of the Voice of Adversity Project was carried out in the period June-August 2022, with the participation of the Equilibrium Association team, heads of partner organizations in five pilot districts of the country (Vidin, Plovdiv, Ruse, Sofia and Shumen), mentors and people whose voices are heard – children, youth and parents involved in the project due to the need for support from the child protection system, social services and programs. A team of… Continue reading
In Bulgaria it is difficult to openly and visibly engage with disadvantaged children and families.
It is difficult to be totally transparent about difficulties they face and to create public awareness of their needs and aspirations.
The Velux Foundations (Denmark) have invested generously in Bulgaria in the context of their programme ‘Social Initiatives – International’. In the winter of 2020, EQ’s David Bisset was invited to contribute to the organization’s series of publications on the subject of systemic change. The book – Deinstitutionalization in Bulgaria: Making Systemic Change Work – is the result of the Danish / Bulgarian cooperation. Reference is also made to parallel undertakings in Romania and Moldova.
It was a daunting… Continue reading
Equilibium’s Family Centre (FC) in Rousse is an interactive family centre operating “in the world of early childhood” created for the benefit of families, pedagogues and social workers. The centre is the result of the project: Parenting Creatively – Creation of Bulgaria’s first Early Childhood Resource Centre (Serving Families + Educators + Childcare Professionals)
This evaluation aims to answer the following questions:
- What is the benefit to users that comes from contact with the FC? Do the… Continue reading
The Ruse family centre for early childhood development was created as a part of a project, funded by The Velux Foundations, Denmark and as a response to the needs and aspirations of families with small children.
In very simple terms, our aim is to help parents (caregivers) be the best they can in their roles as mothers and fathers.
Our first steps in the context of the project included extensive talks with mums and dads to make sure our future… Continue reading
Early childhood development occurs in a 100% of the cases between the ages of 0 and 7, regardless of whether the parents and the pedagogues deal purposefully with it. It is important and scientifically and experimentally proven that these years are key to psyche, emotion, and intelligence for every person’s life. Therefore, the conscious occupation with the child in this age unfolds in the best way the potentials set by nature in every person. Early childhood development includes health and… Continue reading
Equilibrium’s contribution to the de-institutionalisation of children in Ruse District
How Do Service Providers Stay Positive when Answering the Demands of Deinstitutionalization? How Do They Convey this Positivity to Clients and the Larger Community?
This brief publication talks about Equilibrium’s contribution to the deinstitutionalization of children and young adults. This work has taken place primarily in the Ruse region but our organization has professional influence throughout the country. Having provided the implementation team that closed the first “baby home” in… Continue reading
EQ – Positivity based on longevity of experience
EQ has made its views known at policy level. However, in the context of delivering day-to-day care to children and young adults with special needs, dwelling on difficulties is highly counter-productive. No organization can pursue quality from a standpoint of adverse criticism and negativity.
We are actually very fortunate in three respects:
- We have been directly involved in the management of family-type accommodation since the introduction of the practice in Bulgaria. The… Continue reading
The main goal of project ‘Transnational support network for children and families and deinstitutionalization of child care’ is to establish efficient transnational cooperation, exchange of good practices and to establish innovative models of public institutions in Bulgaria and Italy in the field of child care policies.
The exchange of good practices which have proven their efficiency will optimise the process of deinstitutionalisation and the system of support of children and families in Bulgaria. Hence, Bulgarian and Italian officials will get… Continue reading