Established in 1999, the Association is officially registered as a non-for profit organization in public benefit at the Ministry of Justice Central Register in 2001.

The Association has acquired licenses from the State Agency for Child’s Protection to provide services to children with a range of disabilities and their parents. Successfully carried out more than 50 projects, mainly in the field of social and human rights’ protection. A ”Family Center for Children at Risk” was set up in 2007, which was transformed to a “Centre for social rehabilitation and integration of children”.

Staff includes 8 persons: 3 employees providing administrative and financial support, and a multidisciplinary team, consisting of psychologists, special education expert, speech therapist and art-therapist. The team has received specialized training and has gained practical experience working with children with disabilities, autistic syndrome, and early intervention to prevent the institutionalization of children. The team provides as well consultations and training for parents and professionals, rehabilitation and integration of children, planning and reporting on progress in children's development. Our experts put into practice up-to-date methods and materials. The organization has gained a large experience in working with parents and the local community by organizing a School for parents, self-help groups, guidance of campaigns to educate and inform; a lasting and strong cooperation with the Trakia University and NGOs.

The Association has aquired the following expertise and experience: Well qualified multidisciplinary team providing social services to children with problems in development and their parents-special priority to children with autism /more than 130 children and their parents involved/.Experience in holding special trainings for work with children with special needs /held 30 trainings of experts/. Experience in working with parents /annually holding of School for parents and groups for self-help, since 2004 till present. Experience in organizing analytical work and needs assessments, a range of public forums and practical conferences focusing current issues in social sphere. Family Center "Alternative" is one of 5 centers posessing a well trained staff, suitable facilities and over 5 years of experience working with children with various disabilities, chiefly autism, MR.

PROJECTS

PROJECT 1:
„Improving social service provision in local community for early intervention to children with mental development problems”; 08.2013- 07.2015
Source of finance: Bulgarian-Swiss cooperation programme; Thematic Fund Reform fund linked to civil society participation (CSP).
Main activities: To assist in creating resistant conditions for provision of social services for children with mental health problems in small towns of Stara Zagora aimed to early diagnosis, rehabilitation and improvement of social integration of children and support for their parents by increasing the capacity of CSRI "Alternative", development and networking with the participation of local communities institutions and NGOs.

PROJECT 2:

„Early intervention programs for children with generalized disabilities in development / GRR /” 05.2011-11.2011
Source of finance: Program "Creating a Better Future", "Zagorka".
Main activities: Waging a regional information and educational campaign on early diagnosis and rehabilitation in GRR. Accomplishing a program for diagnosis and rehabilitation of children with GRR in the region.

PROJECT 3:

"Complex care program for children with autism and their parents'
01.12.2009- 30.12.2010
Source of finance: Financial Mechanism of the European economic space- Fund to support NGOs Bulgaria.
Main activities: Specialized training of multidisciplinary team working with children with autism: a specialized theoretical and practical training. Conducting social-pedagogical and psychological rehabilitation of children with autism. Consulting and training parents.Selection and training of volunteers. Specialized study to improve local policies for development and socialization of children with generalized developmental disorder.

PROJECT 4:

„Together against Domestic Violence against Women", 12.2009 – 05.2010
Source of finance: Bulgarian Fund for Women
Main activities: Support program for young families to overcome the risks of domestic violence, including information; individual and family counseling; legal advice from a lawyer; assistance in filing lawsuits LPDV. Take the office: organizing and conducting meetings for informing and consulting position in kindergartens and primary schools. Development and promotion of a range of information materials about the mechanisms of protection LPDV.

PROJECT 5:

„Legal Programme for Prevention and Protection from Domestic Violence"
01.09.2008- 30.03.2009
Source of finance: European Social Trust
Main activities: Prevention of domestic violence within the Roma community by advising, training and legal support for poor and low educational level girls and women at risk or victims of violence.

PROJECT 6 :

„Social Assistant”, 2007-2009
Source of finance: MLSP - "Agency by Labor - Stara Zagora"
Main activities: Conducting advanced training of social assistants. Provision of service "Social Assistant" for people with disabilities over 90% and with help, seriously ill people living alone.

PROJECT 7: 

"Family consulting center, training and support to children at risk and their parents" ; 01.07.2007 – 01.12.2008
Source of finance: EU-PHARE ; MLSP
Main activities: Creating Family Center. Training of a multidisciplinary team. Software (complex program, methodology, center’s pack documentation). Providing services to 50 children and their parents.Publish Manual of training materials for parents; methodological materials for professionals working with children with SEN.

PROJECT 8: 

"Raising public awareness and public confidence in the judicial system in Bulgaria" 01.08.2006- 30.04.2007 г.
Source of finance: United States Agency for International Development through the Program "Initiative to strengthen the judicial system in Bulgaria".
Main activities: Trained team of 52 people trainers and facilitators on topics set out in the project. Prepared training team held a series of lectures in 14 schools and one social institution of Stara Zagora, to over 1300 students. Prepared Handbook " The judicial system to protect the rights of citizens in Bulgaria"; volume 120 p.; 700 copies. The guide contains information on: human rights; Structure of the judicial system in Bulgaria. International institutions to protect human rights and freedoms. Key legislation relating to child protection; Procedures for judicial and non-judicial human rights protection. Guidelines for training in subjects related to the judiciary and Human Rights interactive teaching methods.

PROJECT 9: 

“Let’s protect together children from violence and trafficking” 10.2005-09.2006
Source of finance: „CRS” – USA
Main activities: Object of the project was developing of social service for support of victims of violence and creation of interinstitutional team with aim to ameliorate the scope of children and the families from the region who use social services for prevention and protection from violence and trafficking of people.

PROJECT 10: 

“ Children parliament in Protection of Children Rights” 2004-2005
Source of finance: CRS- Bulgaria Foundation
Main activities: The projects was aiming at improving of the already established local mechanisms for cooperation between local authorities, institutions and community members in order to guarantee protection and development for children; to increase the local NGO’s capacity for protection of children rights and creation of provision of sustainable involvement of children in the process of popularizing and exercising of their rights.The projects was executed on regional level- region Stara Zagora.

PROJECT 11: 

“ Children parliament in Protection of Children Rights” 2004-2005
Source of finance: CRS- Bulgaria Foundation
Main activities: The project was aiming at empowerment of youth leaders, teachers and psychologists, for sustainable work on prevention trafficking of children and increasing public sensibility and infofmation trafficking of children problem. The project was implemented on national level through network of 4 organizations:” Neglected Children Association and CRS- Sofia Foundation, Chance and Protection Association – Haskovo and Svilengrad and “ Altenative 55 “ – Stara Zagora.

PROJECT 12: 

” Protection of children from trafficking- 1 and 2” , 2004 and 2005
Source of finance: CRS- Bulgaria Foundation
Main activities: The project was aiming at empowerment of youth leaders, teachers and psychologists, for sustainable work on prevention trafficking of children and increasing public sensibility and infofmation trafficking of children problem. The project was implemented on national level through network of 4 organizations:” Neglected Children Association and CRS- Sofia Foundation, Chance and Protection Association – Haskovo and Svilengrad and “ Altenative 55 “ – Stara Zagora.

PROJECT 13: 

”Self-Dependence to Success”, 01.08.2003-30.06.2004
Source of finance: EU within the “Phare Civil Society Development Programme 2001”; Programme Implementation Unit – Consortium Information and Society Foundation, Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, Union of Bulgarian Foundations and Associations
Main activities: The goal of this project was to encourage the social and economic integration of young women at risk, to establish effective partnership between all concerned institutions and organizations working on the problem in Municipality. It was aiming of coordination of mutial activities for prevention, protection and support from abuse and trafficking of human beings, especially for under-aged and young women in the Stara Zagora Municipality

PROJECT 14: 

“ Partners for Change”, 2002-2003
Source of finance: EU , Civil Society Development Foundation
Main activities: Project” Partners for Change” was focusing on improving trust, cooperation and dialogue between local NGO’s, local government, state institutions and local business, as well as increasing their knowledge and expertise in designing and implementing social policy that guarantees the health and the prosperity of the children from the city of Stara Zagora.

PROJECT 15: 

“Improving the Opportunities for Professional Realization and Social Adaptation of Graduates from Social Institutions” , 09.2000 – 09.2001
Source of finance: EU-PHARE
Main activities: The project was focucing on increasing the competitiveness on the labor market of adolescents in disadvantageous situation- children from Social Institutions and children with slight mental handicaps from Stara Zagora. Through the implementation of the project 75 children from three social institutions increase their capacity for professional development, with 35 of them were trained in computer literacy, and 40 professional qualifications for professions in demand in region. Be provided summer internship in local businesses for 20 children graduate studies.