Center for Educational Initiatives (CEI) is a non-governmental, non-profit association aimed at enhancing innovative educational initiatives and facilitating educational reforms in the Bulgarian educational system. The main objectives of the organization are to encourage co-operation in the field of education on local, regional and European level, to implement new teaching methods, mainly based on ICT, and to enhance co-operation between public institutions, educational and scientific organizations and NGOs at all levels via professional networks and platforms.
The expertise of CEI embraces the following spheres:
1. Training of teachers;
2. E-learning education;
3. Promotion of innovative practices;
4. Informational campaigns;
5. Organization of conferences, seminars and workshops;
6. Organization of public discussions and debates;
7. Research and fieldwork.
In 2010, Center for Educational Initiatives established a Training center, whose main objective is to train teachers, school principals, university professors and education experts in e-learning skills and digital competencies. The Training center provides variety of methodological courses for ICT-based teaching, ICT-based assessment practices, etc. based on open educational resources as MOODLE. Over 4000 secondary school teachers from more than 150 schools in all the country were trained until now. More than 40 university professors have graduated special programs developed for the Faculty of Slavic Studies and Faculty of History of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”.
Asociația “Tinerii 3D” (The Association of 3D Youngsters) is an NGO from Craiova, Romania existing as informal group since 2007, registered as an NGO in January 2013. We are a group of young people who is fighting for respecting the rights of the young people in the community, for social integration and support of the youngsters that belong to disadvantaged social groups and also for developing a healthy way of life in 3Directions: education of the mind, culture for soul and sport for the body. Among our objectives you can find promotions of the volunteering work, of the general creativity, of gender equality and non-racist prejudices, of the exploration of national and other countries culture, of organization of sport contests and last but not least, the promotions of the principles of European Union and European citizenship.
EGECED (Institute for Educational and Youth Studies) is a non-profit association founded by the professionals from education field (teachers, trainers, academicians, managers and supervisors). Members of EGECED are part of a network of schools which include general, vocational and special education schools. It is a network of schools. EGECED has a broad reach to special education local schools in primary and secondary level and also cooperation with universities. The objectives of EGECED are to gather the professionals who work in the area of the education to contribute to the improvement of the quality of education and to introduce modern applications into education system and youth, to contribute to the development of sustainable exchange between educational professionals in Turkey and Europe, to support intercultural dimension for educators and youth. Egeced have 60 members and 300 volunteers (teachers, school managers, inspectors, students from high schools and universities).
EMinS-Leskovac is a non-partisan, non-profit and non-governmental organization operating in the social sphere of Serbia from 24.07.2001. Members of the organization are gathered by a shared vision based on individuality, personal freedom, proactivity, innovation and reciprocity, as the fundamental values on which they form a society in which the life prospects of anyone are as large as possible. The key challenges to which the members of the Association give an answer are: 1. To release the potential of an individual in conditions of systemic transition. 2. To build a globally competitive local environment. 3. To build local capacities which provide the benefits of accession negotiations and the country’s membership in the EU. The mission of the association is to provide the best support to social actors in the liberation, promotion and realization of the individual’s development potential at the local level. The organization is directed towards meeting the need for freedom, competence, connectivity and entertainment. The organization creates value for its users by developing and realizing a set of: a) primary activities – service design, knowledge management, delivery management, evaluation and dissemination and clustering; and b) auxiliary activities – infrastructure, human resources, information and design.
INNOVA LAB is a non-governmental, non-profit youth organization, actively involved in project development and implementation in the local, national and international non-formal education sphere that directly aims at the personal and professional development of young people.
We have a wide range of volunteers, which at main extent are students at University St. Kliment Ohridski, Bitola, R. N. Macedonia (Faculty of Economics, Law Faculty, Faculty of biotechnical sciences and Faculty of information and communication technologies), aged 18 to 30, but we also work with high school students, and with representatives of different ethnic communities. The mission of the Center is to increase employment opportunities for young people, to create innovative educational and development initiatives, and to encourage creative action. It helps in developing knowledge by organizing workshops and training for acquiring vocational skills and achieving personal development but also it includes young people with fewer opportunities e.g. rural youth, Roma young people, socially disadvantaged young people to participate in youth exchanges, and initiate and run youth initiatives.
INNOVA LAB is a world in which formal education additionally soaks with the non-formal and informal education methods to contribute to the development and accountability processes of the youth. We believe that the vision is achievable only through designing and implementing strategies meant to develop the personal and professional abilities of the youth, both in a formal, academic environment and in a non-formal one. We always drive our volunteers to take part in projects related to a big variety of topics such as entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, leadership, unemployment issues, art and creativity, team building, non-formal education methods, discrimination, media literacy, hate speech, democracy and many others. We help young people in developing skills in planning, organizing, coordination and practical problem-solving skills, teamwork, self-confidence, discipline, and responsibility. INNOVA LAB promotes the development of the youth entrepreneurship and motivates young people especially from rural areas to start their own business or learn about their possibilities. INNOVA LAB also works on the protection and the development of human rights.
We encourage young people inclusion in discussion and solving various problems in our community and we cooperate with other similar associations in our country and wider. INNOVA LAB promotes international mobility projects, in order for young people to study and work abroad, with the aim of enhancing the professional and linguistic skills and promoting greater integration into the global job market.
The Youth Center of Epirus (YC Epirus) is a non-profit organisation located in Ioannina, in the heart of the Epirus region, Greece. It hosts departments of young adult non-formal education and asylum seeker integration. The organisation is internationally certified for Support Services for the Improvement of Citizen’s Lives and the Upgrading of General Living Conditions, by the International Organization for Standradization and has received Certification as a provider of Primary Social Care services of a non-profit nature from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
The young adult center in Kaplani 10, Ioannina is open to public during every study year. The center is an an open space for all young adults who look for non-formal education, local and international opportunities. YC Epirus offers activities related to volunteerism, non-formal education, social inclusion and cultural awareness. Our international team combined of volunteers and youth workers implement various courses and workshops, informative and cultural events for youth and young adults; everyone is welcome to join our team and share their ideas!
YC Epirus organizes and participates also in international educational projects such as youth exchanges, training courses, seminars, as well as voluntarism, research and capacity building projects under the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes. In addition, the place hosts Europe Direct Information Center where regional society can receive information related to EU opportunities, grants, citizen rights, etc.
YC Epirus asylum seeker integration department operates local and regional projects that provide accommodation, integration, health care, educational and other support to asylum seekers in Epirus region. This department operates at Mesologiou 29, Kaplani 10 and Aspraggeli Ioannina.