Municipality of Stara Zagora

The main institution under the Educational department of the Municipality of Stara Zagora that serves the youth sector is the International Youth Center.

The Center is build under the project of Stara Zagora Municipality that is funded through the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area, with the financial support of the Republic of Iceland, Principality of Liechtenstein and Kingdom of Norway. The contract for the project is signed on January 27, 2014 in the city of Stara Zagora.

From the year 2017 International Youth Center Stara Zagora became the first in Bulgaria and the ninth in Europe Youth Center awarded with the Quality Label of Council of Europe for the initial period of 3 years.

The Center received this honor for its achievements in promoting Council of Europe standards and values in youth policy and youth work.

The Center works with all young people aged 15 - 29 regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, culture, gender, ability or sexual orientation.

As primary mission, the Centre serves the youth sector and the young people.

The main focus of the Centre’s program are young people and those who work with and for young people.
Large part of the educational activities in the Centre comply with the non-formal educational profile.
The Centre provides training based on the non-formal learning methods, aimed at young people.

The Centre offers a tolerant and safe work environment that is based on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, human rights, including those of the minorities.

The fundamental characteristics are pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality.

The Centre contributes to the orientation of the youth policies and ensures the participation of young people, youth organizations and associations in developing their concepts and programs.

The Centre promotes the values of the Council of Europe.

The nature of the program and working philosophy of the Centre is based on the values of the Council of Europe: respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
The Centre promotes the priorities of the youth structures to the Council of Europe by actively directing to human rights education, intercultural cooperation and others.

The Centre promotes international cooperation in the youth sector.

The Centre hosts and promotes international and multilateral activities.
The Centre is involved in a wider European / international collaborative working framework of the youth sector.
The Centre is investing efforts to increase best practices from international level (Council of Europe, EU, UN, specific networks) and to spread knowledge and values through training and promotional activities at national, regional and local level.

Conceptual ideas and objectives of Youth work in IYC Stara Zagora:

Youth participation and empowerment
Non-formal education
Integration and socialization
Human rights education
Building active civil society
Cooperation with schools, social institutions and NGOs

The main objectives are achieved through activities that are organized in the Centre such as:

Seminars
Debates
Forums
Trainings
Discussions
Conferences
Exchange of good practices
Outdoor and leisure

The Centre has a clear mandate of public authorities and provides infrastructure suitable to international activities.

Staff: manager, 3 youth workers and 2 roma mediators.

A presentation of the organisation in pdf, view it here.

Web site: http://www.helpyouth-starazagora.com

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/InternationalYouthCenterStaraZagora/

Link to you tube clips from activities:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dKUKEDJxc0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG7TK4WFETQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC7fsAe-d4Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CJ3XM-uKA4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o9LYqf7_k8

Stara-Zagora_notice-of-interest.pdf