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For Better Future

“For a Better Future” 92/23.09.2013, project supported by Financial mechanism of EEA 2009-2014 

Main goal: Implementation of activities on empowerment of vulnerable groups.

Specific aims: 1. Ensuring participation of vulnerable groups in decision-making 2. Improved skills and knowledge of pupils and teachers at “Angel Uzunov” Correctional Boarding School for problem solving and decreasing the level of aggression.

  • Drum session were aiming at reducing agression and tension
  • The drums were led by Martin Ivanov

Skills for Freedom

Skills for freedom, funded by Erasmus + with partners from Italy, Poland, Cyprus, Turkey, Spain, Belgium  – the project deals with the lack of structured models for the validation and certification of the transversal and specific skills that can be acquired through such activities and that could be helpful to prisoners with low literacy and NVQ once out of jail

Specific aims: 1. Acknowledgement of the transversal and specific (artistic) professional skills developed by prisoners in order to improve social reintegration.; 2.Highlighting the social work that artistic companies carry out in penitentiary institutions. 3.Creating an innovative network system of socio-economic agents and labor market public offices so to improve the employability of ex-prisoners.

For more information, click here: http://www.skills4freedom.eu/

Experience with transnational or regional programmes

“For a Better Future” 92/23.09.2013 project, supported by Financial mechanism of EEA 2009-2014

Main goal: Implementation of activities on empowerment of vulnerable groups.

Specific aims: 1. Ensuring participation of vulnerable groups in decision-making 2. Improved skills and knowledge of pupils and teachers at “Angel Uzunov” Correctional Boarding School for problem solving and decreasing the level of aggression.

“Mentoring for self-help” project financed by NGO grants scheme of Financial mechanism of EEA 2009 – 2014 – an innovation aiming to improve the skills of children and young people at risk, without interfering or manipulating them.

Main goal: Implementation of activities on empowerment of vulnerable groups.

Specific aims: 1. Support to mechanisms for self-help and mutual support, including peer support 2. Introduction of Mentoring method for children with deviant behaviorur and at risk of early dropping from school, as well as improving the skills and knowledge of teachers at three schools with pupils mainly from Roma origin.

Everything is Possible” project, financed by BG15 Programme of Norwegian Financial Mechanism – № 93/12.03.2015г , aiming at developing holistic approach to correction in behavior, integrating the academic with social skills and other competences. 

Key partner: “Mother against drugs” Association

Main goal: To improve practical knowledge and skills of prison staff, to develop social skills of the inmates, to cover specific needs of vulnerable groups during development of social skills  and improve their socialization.

Specific objectives: 1.Increased capacity of Plovdiv prison staff, external experts, NGOs and a charity foundation for support to vulnerable groups of inmates 2. Developed a Specialized rehabilitation program for vulnerable groups among the inmates of Plovdiv prison 3. Increased capacity of Plovdiv prison staff for implementation of specialized rehabilitation programs  4.Supported minimum 60 inmates for following resocialization through improvement of their prosocial skills and decreased risk of recidivism.

“Raiting +” project, funded by „Without borders” scheme, Operational Programme “Human resources development” 2007 – 2013 – BG051PO001-7.0.07   

Key partners: Language school “Plovdiv” and Teesdale School & Sixth Form Centre, UK

Specific aims: 1. Cooperation with Teesdale school for development of an innovative system for internal standards for increasing the quality of teaching and learning based on “Effective Learning Framework”. 2. Pilot introduction of the new system at Language school “Plovdiv”. 3.Introduction of sustainable practice of capacity development of teaching staff in key competences and ICT skills.

 Active Parents for Educational Integration Project, funded by the Center for Research and Development

Leading organization School “Panayot Volov” – Plovdiv

Project activities in 2015 with the participation of experts from the UPSDA covered the following areas:

  • Inform and attract locals to a parent community
  • Interactive training of educational mediators
  • “Women’s Club” Section 2 – Individual and group counseling for women, improving family climate and preventing drop-out, preventing early marriages and domestic violence, sharing experiences. Consultation with mothers and grandmothers of pupils who have problems in socialization and integration in the learning environment, as well as those who do not attend regular classes

The Art of Life through the Life of Art

This project uses artistic activities to develop the practical skills of prisoners at Plovdiv Prison. The program includes a combination of different types of applied and fine arts, creative writing and theater sessions, titled “Our boundaries for art”.

Our goal is to improve participants’ opportunities for social inclusion, reintegration and employment upon their release. Our ambition is to recognize, appreciate and validate the skills gained through of art and theater by using an innovative assessment system that was developed in our partnership project in 2017.

Persons serving custodial sentences have traditionally been excluded from the cultural life of the city. Through our activities, they will be able to engage in theater and art activities and participate in public, creative and media appearances – an opportunity they rarely get, even outside. As an added value, by presenting their products to the general public, we believe that we will contribute to overcome the stereotype and stigma with regard to prisoners and to improve the capabilities of the prisoners involved in the project, social inclusion and participation in the social and cultural life of our city.

Why do artistic activities in prison?

This project is based on the study and monitoring of rehabilitation programs in penitentiary institutions in Bulgaria, 6 EU countries (Belgium, Germany, Poland, Spain, Italy, Cyprus) and Turkey, which report positive results and a high rate of rehabilitation of prisoners through their participation in artistic activities and theater.

In many prisons, artistic activities are carried out in Bulgaria, but they are often seen as something frivolous as a means of filling the time and in no way register and recognize the skills acquired through art and theater.

Research shows that in the creative way, one can gain new experience and knowledge and often finds constructive solutions to their own problem, especially when this process is structured. Not surprisingly, art with all its manifestations is used as a powerful therapeutic and training tool. The art classes are suitable for people of different ages and socio-economic backgrounds, including people with disabilities, intellectual and mental challenges, addicted persons and other marginalized groups and disadvantaged people. Via art it is possible to skip several barriers (for example, the language barrier and literacy level), so we have titled the modules: Our Boundries for Art.

Our organization has good previous experience and proven positive impact on the target groups using artistic activities in prisons and implemented rehabilitation projects, and the continuation of these activities ensures sustainability of the results achieved and their upgrading with more innovation and greater impact.

Exhibition Our Margins for ART
The clocks were made by the prisoners in the Decoupage Workshops, led by Neli Mihailova
The project is part of the Plovdiv European Capital of Culture 2019