NGORC: Programs > Resettlement Program

PHARE ACCESS PROGRAM

Project Motivation Courses, multi-directional consulting and mobility projection of the provided services - the EC standards in the social adaptation and economic reintegration of the redundant military servicemen from the Bulgarian Army and their families

The Resource Center Foundation is applying for Phare Access Program. The approved projects will be evaluated by the Delegation of the European Commission in Bulgaria and they will be announced by the end of September 2001.

This Project has a long-term duration, as its starting phase will be 12 months.

The Foundation’s Project aims at assisting the marginalized through the state regulations group of the redundant military servicemen, by means of an established system for social adaptation and economic reintegration. A methodology for motivation courses was set up and a network of Resettlement Centers was established, in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense. The Project comprises delivering the RC’s services and activities to the remote garrisons in the country; multi-directional consulting on the opportunities for starting up small businesses; establishment of Job and Entrepreneurship Clubs in the RCs in three key community centers - Plovdiv, Sliven and Veliko Tarnovo; granting assistance on psycho-social, legal, economic, family and health issues.

The Project for motivation training, technical assistance and delivery of the provided services in accordance with the EC standards, is an inseparable part of the Foundation’s Resettlement Program. The Project’s objective is to reach to as many as possible of the military servicemen, up to be released from service, in order to provide them with due information on the opportunities, offered by the RCs; to prevent or reduce the negative consequences on the people in psychological plan; to support optimally the realization of the redundant people in the modern society and on the job market, thus filling in the regulatory gaps and niches and to provide a real possibility for these people to become and feel again full value citizens in the democratic society. The areas where the Project will focus its support to the target group are: carrying out motivation courses, consultations on psychological, social, economic, legal problems, information and technical assistance, consultations and assistance in launching small businesses, implementation of a mobility projection of the granted services and consultations - reaching the most distant units in the country, where military servicemen are uninformed and suffer losses from the ongoing BA reforms. We expect more that 120 inhabited areas-garrisons to be affected by the reduction.

The Project anticipates achieving of a successful social adaptation and economic reintegration of the target group members - marginalized group of the Bulgarian society, which needs a real support in substantial parts of the social life.

Through the establishment of the RCs and the teams’ activities, aiming at direct assistance to the social adaptation and economic integration of the representatives of the target group, a long-term national system is created, according to the EC standards in the social sphere and at the same time approved by HQ NATO. Through the implementation of Project’s objectives, the negative impact of the imposed regulations on the target group will be minimized. In a long-term plan, this system will be used for the future professional Bulgarian army.

The MoD preliminary reports show that under Plan 2004 20 000 military servicemen will be released from service. After the reform’s start, the number of the released constantly increases and approximately 6 000 officers and NCOs will be cut by the end of 2001. In 2002 the anticipations are for about 10 000 people and for 2003 - over 4 000. The target group is constantly increasing which presupposes the rising necessity for an organization, which will be in a condition to develop itself over the time in order to cover completely the people’s needs and problems. The expected actual results are that RCs in the four key cities Sofia, Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo and Sliven, with the assistance and cooperation of MoD, as well as with direct support of the regional communities and business structures, will cover an optimal number of the target group, giving them an opportunity to benefit from all services and assistance granted.