NATIONAL SOCIAL REHABILITATION CENTER /NSRC/ BULGARIA Presenter Name: Marionela Stoyanova

Our organization… NSRC is a non-government not for profit organization which provides social support and social services to people living with disabilities to improve their life. NSRC was established in 1993 in the capital city of Sofia. Nowadays it has branch offices all over the country.

The development of the organization… Bureaus for social services /Sofia, Bourgas, Varna, Stara Zagora, Plovdiv, Dobrich, Silistra, Shumen, Pleven/ Day care centers/ Sofia, Bourgas, Nova Zagora/ Complexes for social services for children and families / Varna, Bourgas/ Centre for training and rehabilitation of young persons with disabilities / Pomorie/ Sheltered living /Pravez/

Bureau for social services in Bourgas, the first brunch office outside of Sofia. It was opened on the 17 June 1997.

Our clients are… disabled people-with physical, mental and sensitive disabilities; all ages-children, middle-aged and old people; with high degree of disability; elderly disabled people who live alone;

The activities… supply with of all kinds of supportive technical equipment for the disabled people such as wheel-chares, toilet chares, chares for bath, walking aids, crutches, etc.; service and adapting of the supportive equipment, reserve parts; Social work, psychological advice and support for the disabled and their families; Renting supportive equipment; Organizing socio-cultural events for the leisure time of the disabled people including creative workshops, trainings, discussions concerning the problems of the disabled people, visits of concerts, theatre, excursions, etc.; Home care for disabled people;

Some of our projects… “Home care for the elderly disabled people “, ; “Social integration of the young disabled people”-1 ST and 2 ND part, ; “Access to art”, 2002; “Socio-cultural activities”, ; “Social integration of the disabled people on the labour market”, 2005; “Home care for the elderly disabled people”, /In the framework of the National program “From social assistance to providing an employment”; “Quality of life-Home social services for elderly disabled people” /Together with the Flamish federation of disabled people and REHA Association”/, ; “Quality of life-social assistant” /in collaboration with other NGOs-Association ARKADIA and REHA Association/, 2008 till now;

Special achievements… The development of Home care for elderly and disabled people in Bulgaria; The implementation of Social assistant service;

What do our SOCIAL ASSISTANTS do at client’s homes ?... Assist of cleaning client’s homes Help for personal hygiene of the clients Accompany clients when they should go to the hospital or elsewhere Doing shopping and helping with a preparation of food Keep clients company, reading, listening to a music with them, etc. Mediate between clients and institutions

NSRC contributes to… Changing community attitudes to people with disabilities; Development community based social services; Building up good contacts between NGO-s and local and state authorities; Increase the information about good European practices in the social field; Creation of the new social policy of social inclusion and participation of vulnerable groups of the society;

This picture serves as “ The end “…