On 26 August 2026, the second civic forum with parents of children and adults with autism was held at the Family Centre in Ruse. The meeting was a natural continuation of the first forum and of the civic initiative that brought together parents from Ruse and Plovdiv in the Lyulyatsite area near Gabrovo.
For the parents, the experience in Lyulyatsite turned out to be much more than a few days spent together. They described it in one word – “hope.” Hope that positive changes are possible for their children and families, and that development, inclusion and greater independence can become a reality.
Meeting more experienced parents from Plovdiv helped them see both how long the road ahead may be and something equally important – that they are no longer alone on this journey. Mutual support and the opportunity to draw on the experience of other parents proved to be a valuable resource.
The communication between the participants – both among the parents themselves and between the children and young people – was particularly meaningful. The experience allowed the parents to see themselves and their children in a different way, beyond the usual framework of everyday difficulties.
From Identifying Needs to Taking Action Together
During the second forum, the conversation gradually moved from what is missing to the question of what we can do together.
The parents discussed ideas for improving communication and building a more sustainable parent community, as well as joint sports and art activities. Basketball was identified as a concrete opportunity to bring people together, while further steps were also discussed for art activities at the Family Centre and for parents and children to take part in charity bazaars and other community initiatives.
An important outcome of the meeting was the finalisation of the Parents’ Charter. It brings together positions, needs and commitments that are important to the parents and will be one of the key documents informing the development of the Social Contract for Early Childhood.
Thus, the process that began with the first civic forum in Ruse, continued with the meeting between the two parent communities in Lyulyatsite and led to the second forum now has not only shared experiences, but also concrete ideas, common intentions and a document that will continue to support the parents’ participation and work.
Because civic participation is not only about having the opportunity to say what is wrong. It is also about meeting other people, discovering that you are not alone, and gradually beginning to say: “This is something we can do together.”
The civic forum is part of the project “Social Contract for Early Childhood”, implemented with the support of the Swiss-Bulgarian Cooperation Programme, Civic Engagement and Transparency Mechanism (CETM) 2024–2029, in partnership with Equilibrium Association, For Our Children Foundation and Free Youth Centre – Vidin.
The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and participants and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Governments of Switzerland and Bulgaria.
