NGORC: Programs > Resettlement Program

“SOCIAL ADAPTATION AND ECONOMIC RE-INTEGRATION OF REDUNDANT MILITARY SERVICEMEN INTO THE CIVIL SOCIETY” PROGRAM

The Program started in 1999 after preliminary research of the experience of Ukraine in this field and after identifying a coming social problem, about the solution of which, the government will need the support of the NGO sector. The reform of the Bulgaria Army under Plan 2004 imposed the redundancy of a great number of military servicemen from the Armed Forces. Their re-integration into the civil society is complicated and crucial process, which needs the involvement of different sectors and institutions. For this reason, in 1999 consultations with the President Mr. Peter Stoyanov, the guidance of the Ministry of Defense and General Staff have been done, where the elaborated by the Soros Economic Development Fund, New York model, which has been already applied in other countries and adapted to the Bulgarian conditions by Resource Center Foundation, was accepted and supported by these institutions as a base of the Program start in Bulgaria. Crucial moment concerning the Program implementation was the visit of the Program Director of the Soros Economic Development Fund Mr. Piotr Korynski and the Deputy Director Mr. Neal DeLaurentis, as well as the initial funding by the Fund.

The Program is implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense, on the base of a signed Agreement, dated February 16^th, 2000. The Program was presented and approved by HQ NATO and in 2001 it was supported by the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe. The Program is financially supported by The Norway, The Netherlands and Luxemburg Governments, The Economic Development Institute – New York etc.

Aim of the Program is to:

- Support the transition and re-integration of redundant military servicemen into the civil society at acceptable level of social pressure;

- Support the market labor integration of redundant military servicemen and those with notice of cancellation, as well as their family members.

In implementing the Program, close cooperation is established with the National Employment Service and Agreements for Cooperation signed with the Bulgarian Association of Regional Development Agencies and Business Centers, the Center for Economic Development, the American University in Bulgaria, and others.

The Program is implemented by the established in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense Resettlement Centers in four Bulgarian towns – Sofia, Sliven, Veliko Turnovo and Plovdiv and Regional Information Centers were developed in two other towns – Varna and Stara Zagora.

Activities of the Resettlement Centers:

ü Visits in garrisons in order to inform the military servicemen about the services, offered by the Program;

ü Registration of redundant military servicemen and members of their families, data base establishment, facilitating the selection of proper applicant for each announced job position in the Resettlement Centers;

ü Information about the procedure and necessary documents for participation in motivation and re-qualification courses;

ü Organizing and conducting of Motivation Training Courses, where the military servicemen and members of their families receive the initial advising and skills how to find a proper job and prepare all necessary supporting documents;

ü Information about re-qualification organizations and courses;

ü Professional orientation – how to choose a new profession and proper re-qualification course;

ü Information about the offered by the government and economic structures vacant job positions;

ü Individual consultations:

· Business;

· Psychosocial;

· Legal.

ü Support to redundant military servicemen who intend to start their own business – consultations on generating successful business ideas, construction of business plans, legal consultations.

ü Business projects for new jobs opening;

ü Establishment of partnership with Employment services, human resources agencies and employers for vacant job positions announcement.

ALL ABOVE-MENTIONED SERVICES, OFFERED BY THE RESETTLEMENT CENTERS ARE FREE FOR REDUNDANT MILITARY SERVICEMEN AND MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILIES!

Program Effectiveness

The Program has regional and international approval, as the established model and long-term experience were provided as now-how in Romania, Yugoslavia and Croatia. It was assessed as Program with high social and economic effectiveness by senior representatives of the Stability Pact:

“After I got acquainted to this project, I would like to call it an exemplary project. I have never seen such effectiveness of the money invested and the results achieved. Now I do understand why Romania, Croatia, and Yugoslavia want exactly the same projects - you give a positive example."

/Mr. Bodo Hombach, Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, October 2001/

"You have done an outstanding job and I am quite happy not only to be here, but, also to deliver this message to you … What we have to do, it should not be only known here by the country, it should not be only known by the region but we have to say it also outside … Many thanks and a deep respect for the job done, and I am asking you to continue under the challenges existing – the challenges of Common Europe "

/Mr. Erhard Busek, Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, September 2002/

In 2002 and 2003 the Program acquired a regional recognition, as the gained Bulgarian experience within the years was passed on to the colleagues from Serbia and Montenegro in order to start a similar Program there. Till end of 2003, a delegation from Albania will visit Resource Center Foundation to acquaint with our model and experience and prepare the Resettlement Program start in their country.

Stelian Stoichev

Program Director

Program Contact Person:

Nellie Ivanova

BULGARIA

Sofia 1000, 20 Serdika Str.

Tel: +359 2 915 48 60, fax: 915 48 51

e-mail: ivanova@ngorc.net