Project: Awareness and creative thinking - the road to change!
Fund for Bilateral Relations at National Level under the EEA FM and NFM
2009-2014
Priority 1: Knowledge exchange in combating drugs and organized crime, children and youth at risk
Project title: Awareness and creative thinking - the road to change!
Beneficiary: Positive Personal Skills in Society Foundation (PULSE Foundation)
Project partner/s:
Evris Foundation, Iceland,
Municipality of Pernik,
“Prevention” Directorate in the General Directorate “Security police” – Ministry of Internal Affairs,
Social and Health Alternatives Foundation,
Total project budget: 29 929 EUR
Project duration: June 08, 2015 – June 07, 2016 (12 months)
Project objectives:
to develop a comprehensive and innovative awareness raising and prevention approach towards health and social issues related to drug use,
expand the knowledge base and enhance the international dialogue on the phenomenon,
develop a pool of interactive, transferable school-based interventions in cross-cultural context, referred to school dropouts and early onset juvenile delinquency,
create a pool of individual/family-based services for prevention of relapse/drug-related harms among children at risk.
Short project description:
There is a tendency for continuous increase in number of young people using drugs. Statistics shows that the first attempt in use of drugs is most often made in school years. The lack of information and/or neglect by families leads to serious health problems or even death.
The main objective of this project is to develop a comprehensive and innovative awareness rising and prevention approach towards health and social issues related to drug use, exchange good practices, transfer donor expertise and know-how and enhance the international dialogue on the phenomenon of drugs.
The project will contribute to a continuous decrease in the number of young people using drugs and new psychoactive substances and will reduce the cases of serious health and social problems. Among its effects will be the more welcoming and sensitized school environment and institutions.
This project will help knowledge growth and exchange of experiences among the partners which will improve their abilities of fighting drug abuse.
Project activities
surveys among 500 students, children and youth at risk, families and institutions,
peer-to-peer information and support centers and psychodrama seminars in 5 schools,
school-based informational campaigns,
parents support groups,
seminar for psychologists, teachers, police officers, social and medical workers,
promotion of the model of the Youth Club from PULSE to partners,
round tables,
press releases,
conference.
Expected project results:
new knowledge; shared good practices and built partnership relations,
sharing of optimized methodologies and planning of future joint activities and cooperation ,
described analysis; report on the main causes for drug use presented at the closing event,
30 volunteers turn into gatekeepers on site at schools and mediators between the school, their peers and the services of our center,
establishment of 3 (five) pilot rooms of thrust in 3 schools with students of predominantly Roma ethnicity and drop outs,
300 - 400 students visit and are given consultations and information,
1000 - 1500 students reached ,
prevention of the early drug use among young people at risk through direct work “on site” at schools; lower social and health risk,
information about the characterization and the consequences of the phenomenon and the possibilities for an alternative, informative choice,
100 - 120 trained,
30 representatives of leading institutions working on the matters of addictions, early-age prevention, risk behavior among youngsters and criminal acts among adolescents and children take part,
30 trained parents spread their knowledge and skills into the community and bring others who are part of the same problem,
25 volunteers are multiplicators of good practices in long-term perspective,
initiating the establishment of a Club dealing with prevention by using the same model,
e-book for young people on health and social problems caused by drug use in 2 languages,
handbook for professionals on prevention practices,
widely available information material on the problem of addictions and risk groups,
3000 leaflets,
comparison of good practices and difficulties,
new formal and informal groups in the respective region which would work towards delivery of prevention practices and services for the children and youngsters at risk and their families,
more than 4000 printed informational materials disseminated, video clip
more than 2000 on site consultations given at the schools and public spaces in the towns of Pleven and Pernik,
Contact information:
Kristina Georgieva, Project manager
00359 76 60 10 10
