The interaction between active teachers, former teachers and young people from all educational levels in the field of civic education, social inclusion, development of the local community will increase the opportunity and initiative of the residents of Dolna Oryahovitsa to influence decision-making processes by local authorities. It will increase civic activity by increasing educational and cultural initiatives in the city. The creation of a sustainable youth network, supported by the experience

Dolna Oryahovitsa, Bulgaria

The potential of an educational initiative between current and former teachers and school students, to unite the community and increase its civic activity is significant. Coordination and cooperation between teachers and young people, between representatives of several generations, will help involve young people in decision-making for the development of the city, will stimulate them to initiate causes and activities to improve and ennoble the urban environment.
The educational initiative of the Academy will increase the civic activity of the community, through civic education, acquaintance with the mechanisms and decision-making processes.
An active youth community will also contribute to the inclusion of both newcomers to Gorna Oryahovitsa and traditionally isolated groups from society.

The main target groups of the project are:
- Young people between 14 and 25 years old who live in Dolna Oryahovitsa
- The teachers who live and work in Dolna Oryahovitsa
- Retired or former teachers who live or have worked in Dolna Oryahovitsa
There are always leaders in every youth community in the world. These leaders inspire their followers to be proactive, unfortunately not always in a constructive direction. Our team will identify these leaders in Dolna Oryahovitsa, prove to them that being constructive is good for them and the city, and will actively involve them in solving the challenges facing the city and its development.

The first step for the implementation of the project is the identification and inclusion of the unique leaders in the different groups: former and current teachers, young people. With them we will develop a detailed plan and schedule for creating the educational community, incl. and a communication program to attract supporters, support and popularity. Coordination meetings will be held (if the situation with Kovid19 allows) live. For the whole project they will be at least 6. A questionnaire will be prepared in order to identify the information and training needs of the target groups. According to the results, a detailed manual will be developed, available online, dedicated to the opportunities for interaction with local authorities and civic activity. There will be training in three stages, if possible live. We will then organize a focus group to identify the challenges facing the community in Dolna Oryahovitsa and a follow-up workshop / seminar on possible solutions. A specific problem will be identified, which the local education initiative will solve with the help of the Academy, its partners and the local government.

An active community will be created between the different generations, which will have the knowledge and information about the possibility to influence decision-making, especially to improve the living environment. A community that will be proactive and will include and attract more residents of Dolna Oryahovitsa.
We will also increase the administrative and organizational capacity of the Academy.

Increasing the information and knowledge about the possibility for civic participation in public policies will stimulate the participants to be active in identifying and solving the challenges for the residents of Dolna Oryahovitsa. They will acquire knowledge about the institutional structure at local and national level, the various formal and informal methods of influencing public policies. It is especially important to create a community that includes and stimulates local people.
We will create a mechanism for interaction between the educational initiative and the representatives of the local government.

The academy will be registered in Gorna Oryahovitsa, which is in the same municipality as Dolna Oryahovitsa. The founders of the Academy have always been permanently connected with the region. Among the founders of the Academy is the current mayor of Dolna Oryahovitsa and a municipal councilor from Gorna Oryahovitsa. The opportunity of the Academy to participate with a project to increase civic activity, involve different generations in activities and stimulate the initiative of young people compensates for some deficits and lack of powers enshrined in national legislation.

Organization and conduct of training - 3 times 3000 EUR, including accommodation for 12 people
Preparation of training material, including preparation and conduct of a survey, publication of the publication in 100 paper copies and online - 3000 EUR
Funding of a resource for solving a local problem - 3000 EUR
Administrative costs and project management, including schedule coordination and communication - 4,800

We would like to know about other communities uniting different generations, especially teachers and students. How to encourage the youngest and the oldest for civic participation? How to improve our inclusion ideas?