"Дай 5!" ("High 5")
GENERAL INFORMATION
Location: Bulgaria
Organization(s) Involved: „От нас зависи“ Foundation, “Workshop for Civic Initiatives” Foundation
Email: centre@otnaszavisi.com
USEFUL LINKS
SUMMARY
“‘High 5’ is an initiative launched by the „От нас зависи“ Foundation to encourage young people to volunteer and teach them how to create their own projects. The project involves 10 school classes that work with 10 NGOs in different areas. The project aims to empower young people to find solutions to social problems and gain valuable skills and experience.
OBJECTIVES
1. Promoting young people’s participation in voluntary activities
2. Providing learning and development opportunities
3. Creating links between NGOs and young people
4. Supporting social causes
5. Fostering a sense of community and civic responsibility
CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND
The initiative “Дай 5!” by the foundation “От нас зависи” was developed to address Bulgaria’s low youth participation in volunteering, which is significantly below the EU average. It aims to combat societal issues such as diminished social trust and lack of community cohesion by empowering youth to create and manage their own volunteer projects. The project tries to cultivate active citizenship and equip young Bulgarians with the tools to tackle social challenges effectively.
IMPLEMENTATION: ACTIVITIES AND METHODOLOGIES
It included several key activities to engage Bulgarian youth in volunteering. It began with educational events like the living library, where students interacted directly with NGOs to understand their work.
Practical workshops allowed students to develop and implement their own volunteer projects with mentorship and financial support. This approach aimed to foster leadership and problem-solving skills among participants while addressing societal issues. The initiative required substantial financial backing, human resources for mentoring, technical support for project implementation, and collaboration with various NGOs and educational institutions.
Key partners included non-governmental organizations such as “От нас зависи” and “TimeHeroes,”.
PROJECT OUTCOMES & LESSONS LEARNED
The project significantly enhanced youth engagement in volunteer activities. Students successfully developed and implemented their own volunteer projects, addressing various social issues. The initiative led to increased awareness and skills among participants, who gained practical experience in project management, teamwork, and problem-solving. The collaboration with NGOs was highly effective, providing students with real-world insights and support.
Key lessons include the importance of early and continuous engagement with students, which helped maintain their enthusiasm and commitment. The living library events were particularly successful in sparking interest and understanding of different NGOs’ work.
However, some areas could go for an improvement. More structured follow-up and support could enhance the sustainability of the projects beyond the initial implementation phase. Increasing the diversity of participating NGOs could provide students with a broader perspective on social issues and solutions.
IMPACT
This initiative benefited the community by addressing specific needs identified by youth themselves, improving in various areas such as environmental conservation, social inclusion, and support for vulnerable groups.
Young people were involved in every stage of the project.
Their contributions included creating innovative solutions, organizing events, and actively participating in community service activities.
VISUAL AND SUPPORTING MATERIALS
Bulgarian National Radio News
Cross BG Article
Bulgarian National Television News
1500 dog gang Blog
Emiliyan Stanev HighSchool Blog