The project is implemented in partnership with the Foundation “Help for Charity in Bulgaria” and is financed by the “Program for the support of NGOs in Bulgaria” under the financial mechanism of the EEA 2009-2014.

Project objectives:

• The development of regional libraries as a unifying and resource center for local civil society
• Creating links between NGOs and citizens and providing a platform for collective citizen action on important local issues and issues

Main activities:

1. Support for employees of regional libraries in acquiring advocacy knowledge and skills
2. Support for the employees of the target libraries in developing a methodology for conducting regional studies and creating a “Compass of the Civil Sector”
3. Support for active NGOs and informal groups to acquire important skills for the development of their organizations according to their current needs
4. Organization of 3 information exhibitions on the work of NGOs in the target regions
5. Organization of 3 parallel public actions on the International Volunteer Day and volunteering on issues relevant to local communities
6. Development and targeted distribution of a Handbook for libraries for working with NGOs.

Results:

Within the framework of the project, the strengths of the libraries, their accessibility, the availability of constant internet access, the designated meeting places, the constant flow of citizens were used to present the local NGOs, their fields of activity and causes. The increased advocacy knowledge and skills of regional NGOs, including community centers, led to a better understanding of their work by local communities.
The regional libraries, through the various activities foreseen / studies – office and field, surveys, organization of public events, training in advocacy and working with the media/ under the project, increased their capacity to be a forum for local discussions and, if necessary, a platform for united collective actions on local topics of importance to citizens.
In the project, FGBB gained valuable experience, which will be able to multiply with its influence on the target libraries in the Global Libraries network, especially in regions where there are no or very few permanent non-governmental organizations. The developed Handbook of libraries for working with NGOs can be successfully used in other areas by both libraries and NGOs.
The developed “Compass of the civil sector” and “Libraries and civil organizations” – a manual for the work of NGOs and libraries in the respective regions are a prerequisite for the strengthening of coalitions of NGOs after the completion of the project, as well as the involvement of citizens in their causes and activities. The prepared Handbook will be distributed and applied by the libraries in the remaining 25 regions of Bulgaria, which will contribute to the sustainable development of coalitions of NGOs and libraries working in partnership, even after the completion of the project.

DOWNLOAD RESOURCES (only in Bulgarian)

COMPASS OF THE CIVIL SECTOR IN THE REGIONS OF KARDJALI, RAZGARD AND VRACA
HANDBOOK FOR LIBRARIES WORKING WITH CIVIL ORGANIZATIONS