News

Within the project (financed by European Commission within PROGRESS Program) we plan to build four pilot Centers for Community Development (CCD) in the rural communities of Bulgaria. The Centers will work to overcome the problems of youth unemployment in rural areas and to provide new services in the community, with special focus (but not exclusively) on the Roma population. We will seek to ensure sustainability and wider application of the model at national and European level.

In February 2012 there were sent notification letters for the start of the project to the mayors of 80 rural municipalities in Bulgaria and they were invited to participate. Application documents included a letter of interest and an application form. The requested information was on the overall socio-economic characteristics of the municipality:

• total number of population in working age;  individuals up to 35 years
• number of unemployed in the municipality (officially registered and unregistered); individuals up to 35 years
• ethnic structure of population (Bulgarians, Turks, Roma, etc.), individuals up to 35 years
• educational status of the population (higher education, secondary education, primary education, without education) individuals up to 35 years
• economic characteristics of the municipality - the main areas of employment
• Social services which the municipality provides
• Programs / projects the municipality is working on (Rural Development Operational Program; Human Resources Operational Program, Project financed by World Bank, etc.)

The application form and evaluation criteria can be found on the website by CIEDT Amalipe, Section News. The deadline for applications was February 29, 2012.

By the deadline 38 rural municipalities applied. Among them were Sredets, Valchi dol, Devnya, Dolni Chiflik, Dulgopol, Lyaskovets, Polski Trambesh, Strazhitsa,  Mizia,  Oryahovo, Hayredin, Dobrich-rural, Lukovit, Ugarchin, Brusartsi, Valchedram,  Medkovets, Yakimovo, Septemvri, Strelcha, Knezha, Nikopol,   Kuklen, Perushtitsa, Sadovo, Vetovo, Botevgrad, Dolna Banya, Mirkovo, Nikolaevo, Radnevo, Omurtag, Veliki  Preslav, Varbitsa, Kaspichan, Smyadovo, Antonovo and Bolyarovo.

The application documents were examined and evaluated according to criteria. There are selected 12 municipalities that will be visited by representatives of CIEDT Amalipe. There will be meetings held with the mayors and experts from the municipality for establishment of CCD at their territory. At each center will be recruited 2 local moderators (by the community). By the end of March 2012 settlements will be specified and in April 2012 will be held competitions for selecting the community moderators.