Project:  Sheltered home for people with intellectual retardation

Funded by: European Community – Program PHARE – BG2004016-711.01.02-2.3 Deinstitutionalization via providing of services in the community for groups in risk

Duration: 18 months (1st March, 2007 – 31st August, 2008)

Partner: Municipality of Gorna Oriahovitsa

Goal of the project:
Increasing the quality of life of people with intellectual retardation through their deinstitutionalization, building of an environment close to the family environment and aiding their social integration.

Objectives:

1. Building of a sheltered home for adults with intellectual retardation
2. Formation of skills for self-dependent and valuable way of living in people with intellectual retardation through fulfillment of a program for social integration.
3. Increasing of the capacity of the Association “Centre Maria” for providing of social services through training and building of abilities for the management of the Sheltered home in partnership with the state and local authority.

Users of the social service:
8 women (20-45 years old) with intellectual retardation who had spent most of their lives in the Home for adults with intellectual retardation in the village of Draganovo and in the Social Vocational School “Elena Grancharova” but who have a real chance for realization for working .

Background information:
The project “Sheltered home for people with intellectual retardation” complies with the goals and the priorities of the program and aids the execution of the main priority in the social strategy of the Bulgarian government – deinstitutionalization of people which were placed in specialized institutions via providing of social services in the community.

Activities:
Renovation and equipment of the provided building, selection and training of the personnel in the sheltered home, selection of the users, execution of the program for their social integration, work meetings, activities for visualization of the activities of the project and the contribution of the European Community, supervision of the team, participation in national work and consultative meetings.

Expected results:
The inclusion of the users in the program for social integration and the complex care in the sheltered home provided by specialists from different social structures and NGOs will contribute for the increasing of the social competency and orientation in a social environment.  The people with intellectual retardation will receive the opportunity to achieve their personal goals and become more confident in their own abilities through trainings and encouragement and support of their independence.  Their surrounding environment will be well known for them and accessible, there will be enlarged their social circle.  They will be prepared and motivated for work which will provide them with the feeling for usefulness and importance and will give them an opportunity for relative financial independence.  Their possibilities, rights and obligations will fall in line with the same of the other citizens of Republic of Bulgaria.  They will be helped according their individual needs and not according their belonging to a previously formed group.  They will have the opportunity to take part actively in the social life.

Sustainability:
After closing of the present project, in Gorna Oriahovitsa, the created structure will continue to exist and develop itself - sheltered home for people with intellectual retardation, which is a result from the  sustainable partnership of the local authority and Centre “Maria” with the financial support of the European Community.