Project Aim
Positive impact for overcoming the high level of stigma which children and adults with intellectual challenges and some minority groups in Bulgaria often still face.
Creating an inclusive and supportive atmosphere for people from vulnerable groups and shifting attitudes towards the acceptance of people with disabilities as active, participating members of society. We aim to achieve greater visibility and voice for them through volunteering, mentoring and professional knowledge. Thus, we celebrate their success and put them in the front, they are the heroes and with their efforts and work they make the greatest positive impact for our society.
Project Target Group
Children and young adults with intellectual challenges and their families, people with different abilities and minority groups. Target group in and out our company. We develop long-term strong partnerships and bonds with NGO, business like minded aiming to reach directly and indirectly the target group. Interlang continues to support young people with intellectual challenges by providing internships and employment in protected work environment, mentoring for professional development.
Project Duration
Most of the project activities have been developed on an annual basis over the last 12 years. They are part of our long term strategy and commitment to invest in children and young adults with intellectual challenges , in order to ensure opportunities for personal development, independent and fulfilling living, to reduce the risk of social isolation. Mentoring for Roma students will continue pursuant to our plans until they graduate from high school in 2024. It's the 3rd in a row upgrading year
Project Activities
In partnership with the Maria’s World Foundation and together with professional mentors – we ensure work in an office environment, as well as psychological and emotional support for people with intellectual disabilities. These are the 36 clients of the “Svetove” day centre. We provide training and mentoring in life and work skills, office skills, creative workshops, cooking courses, gardening, and arts. We participated as volunteers in sports competitions organized by the "Begach" club. We conducted joint visits to schools and our business partners, in order to share experience and numerous examples of successes in the professional realization of the young people we trained. Pro-bono translations of the Foundation's needs to conduct trainings for teachers on how to work with children with special needs, digital skills for people with intellectual disabilities and more. Pleven Friendship Marathon 2023 full project management , coordination with 128 volunteers and judges, provision of prizes,huge team from the Roma community in Pleven, volunteers from BALIZ Pleven, translation; RunKids and PARK+tailored for children with special needs.
Project Results
For 36 people with intellectual challenges - 8 training courses, 40 days in an office environment. Together with young people trained by us, we gave examples for their successful professional realization to a total of 247 students and over 300 employees in companies and diplomatic missions. Two of our mentees with intellectual disabilities once again represented Bulgaria at the Special Olympics Berlin 2023 and returned with medals. Six children aged 8-17 from the Roma community in the city of Pleven - we study and celebrate together, without absences from school.
600+ participants from 16 countries in the 9th Pleven Marathon of Friendship, 400+ in Fun Run Kids and special needs kids; Roma team volunteers cherished as heroes; Fundraised for scholarship in Med Uni.