Founded in 1921 and a part of the Bulgarian Red Cross.

Bulgarian Red Cross Youth

Phone: +359 2 8164 783

Fax: +359 2 8164 780

e-mail: youth@redcross.bg

web: www.youth.redcross.bg

Youth Department

Secretariat of the National

Council of the Bulgarian

Red Cross

67, James Boucher Blvd.

CONTACTS:

Mission:

The Bulgarian Red Cross Youth (BRCY) is a volun-

tary youth organization, which is an integral part of

the Bulgarian Red Cross and belongs to the Inter-

national Red Cross Youth Movement. Through its

volunteers throughout the country and through its

training programs, activities and services, BRCY

involves children and young people to humanitar-

ian values and principles, works to reduce social

and health vulnerability, advocates for the im-

provement of their condition and promotes toler-

ance, non-discrimination and respect for diversity

and multiculturalism.

Vision:

The Bulgarian Red Cross Youth is an organization

with an established high public profile, strong ca-

pacities and provides quality services and activi-

ties, which have positive influence for reducing

vulnerability of children and young people and for

promoting humanitarian values among them. The

image of well functioning youth Red Cross organi-

zation makes it an appropriate option for commu-

nity service of the younger generation in the coun-

try.

HUMANITY

IMPARTIALITY

NEUTRALITY

INDEPENDENCE

VOLUNTARY SERVICE

UNITY

UNIVERSALITY

7 fundamental principles

BRCY PORTFOLIO

Contents:

I. WHAT WE DO

II. HOW WE PREPARE

OUR VOLUNTEERS?

III. YOUTH IN DECISION

MAKING

90 years

We Change the World

In 2011 the BRCY turns

90 years old, being the

oldest youth organization

in Bulgaria.

Promotion of Humanitarian Values training program

Exploring Humanitarian Law program

I. WHAT WE DO

2. DISSEMINATION OF HUMANITARIAN VALUES AND INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW

1. SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Work with children from social institutions, as well as with

children and youth from families living below the poverty line.

Activities aiming to assist children with special needs.

Violence prevention among children and youth through series

of workshops on children’s rights and conflict management .

Social-welfare assistance campaigns (16 October—World Food

Day; Christmas campaign “Children Help Children”, etc.), which

mainly collect food, toys, etc. from children in school and do-

nate them to social institutions, thus on the one hand helping

the needy children and on the other hand building attitude

towards giving and helping in the mainstream society.

International Competition and Exhibition “How Do You Like My

Art?” for disabled children aged 5-15, mainly featuring paint-

ings and applied art. The selected works are sold and the

funds go into a special fund for talented children with special

needs, which provides scholarships to children to develop

their talent.

Prevention of human trafficking awareness-raising .

Consultation Center on Foster Care.

Spotlight The Consultation Center on Foster Care was established under a project funded by the Velux Foundation. It promotes foster care and supports prospect foster parents during the whole process. The Center has three employees and is also involving volunteers in promoting foster care all over the country.

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BRCY portfolio

Spotlight

The Promotion of Humanitarian Values program aims at

raising awareness among young people about

discrimination, about the reasons for having prejudices

towards different groups of people, and about

encouraging an attitude of tolerance, social inclusion and

combating violence.

First Aid peer-to-peer

training for students in

high school

School First Aid Teams

for children from 12 to

14 years old

Youth Emergency

Teams

Participation in the

European and Balkan

Conventions in First Aid

National Competition in

First Aid

3. FIRST AID AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS & RESPONCE

4. HEALTH PROMOTION

Spotlight The BRCY manages two well functioning drop-in centers in cities of Rousse and Kyustendil which offer needles, syringes, psychological support, family counseling, testing for HIV/AIDS, TB and sexually transmitted infections, training in resocialization construction of basic life skills and referral to institutions and hospitals.

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BRCY portfolio

Spotlight We have 15 Youth Emergency Teams who are trained to give first aid and psychological support to people during a situation of disaster. They work in the green area of the disaster and are an invaluable support to the professional disaster response teams.

Peer leaders training pro-

grams in the field of health

promotion

Promotion of healthy eating

habits and healthy lifestyle

among children and youth

HIV/AIDS and substance

abuse prevention

(tobacco & drugs preven-

tion)

Prevention of sexual risky

behavior

Spotlight "Health for Schools" project the goal of which is to create sustainable knowledge and skills for healthy eating and active lifestyles among children from 3rd grade, covered 7500 children in 19 regions of the country. It proved to be interesting for the children and to be successful in building their habits to lead a more healthy lifestyle. This project also inspired us to develop a training module on the same topic for.

We implement a system of volunteer

management which allows us to get

many young people interested in what

we do and want to stay and to more for

the benefit of

the vulnerable.

II. HOW WE PREPARE OUR VOLUNTEERS?

VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT

TRAINING SYSTEM Four-module system for training of peer educators:

Spotlight To encourage our volunteers to do more, do better and reach further, to reward their work and to praise how much they care, the BRCY established Annual Awards in five categories, following the lines of the main activities of the organization as well as innovative activities. Any regional branch can apply with whichever activity they see as their strong side. The award is 1000 BGN and it should be spent for development of the same field of activity it was earned for.

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BRCY portfolio

The Bulgarian Red Cross Youth is

the biggest non-governmental

Youth Organiation in the Republic

of Bulgaria with 4480 members

and 4929 volunteers, united in

274 clubs all over the country.

Through the system of self-

government and their own

elected bodies, the volunteers

take their own decision about

where they want to take the or-

ganization, what it should focus

on and what challenges it should

address. The young people’s own

decision-making structures are in

place at regional and national

level.

There is a youth representative in

the General Assembly of the Bul-

garian Red Cross and often also in

the National Council of the Bulgar-

ian Red Cross.

III. YOUTH IN DECISION MAKING Spotlight

The highest decision- making body of the BRCY is the National Assembly. It is comprised by delegates of the youth organization from the 28 regions. The sessions of the National Assembly are held on annual basis. Every two years the National Assembly elects the President of BRCY, the members of the Executive Board and the members of the Control Committee.

BRCY portfolio

STRUCTURE

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