C a s e S t u d y

Establishing a Model for Community Centers in the City of Dobrich, Bulgaria

1. Summary

On the basis of the agreements and the adopted strategy for cooperation between the two cities, a theoretical model of a community center was developed, based on the American experience and adapted to the realities in Dobrich.
The idea behind the project for a community center was to improve municipal services provided to the citizens in their areas of residence, as well as to stimulate and encourage citizen participation in local government.

2. Problem Statement

In the 70s and 80s, the fast development of Dobrich as a county administrative center led to the construction of large residential areas, relatively independent from each other and far /by Bulgarian standards/ from the downtown area which houses the national and municipal institutions, the administrative buildings, the cultural and healthcare institutions.
This makes it difficult for the citizens living in the farther residential areas to receive administrative services as well as to meet their social, economic, healthcare, cultural and educational needs. At the same time, some neighborhoods have problems related to public works, transportation, environmental protection, etc., which could be solved with the participation of the interested citizens and organizations from these areas.
In this respect, by establishing community centers we could improve the real and specific interaction between the citizens and the local government bodies, to create prerequisites for developing citizen initiatives, to increase mutual understanding and awareness.
During the preliminary work, at meetings and in conversations, it became clear that there is a need for such centers in Dobrich, furthermore that there are established traditions from the near past related to operating similar organizations. There is a public interest in implementing such an idea - more than 20 organizations and institutions, NGOs, regional government bodies, companies, media, as well as many citizens, expressed their willingness to participate in the implementation of the project.

3. Project Description

The model of a community center that was developed has several goals:
- to improve the quality of life in the neighborhood;
- to support the provision of social, healthcare, economic, educational, cultural and entertainment services to meet citizens needs;
- to make improvements to the social and economic infrastructure, green areas, the quality of transportation services, to solve housing problems, unemployment, etc.;
- to stimulate citizens to work as volunteers.
The model also describes the services that will be provided by the community center by housing regional, municipal, non-governmental and private organizations and institutions. In a nutshell, the community center will allow the citizens to get information and consultations from experts /full-time employees and volunteers/ on the problems of:
- unemployment;
- social care;
- work with children at risk;
- disabled people;
- retired people;
- fight with public order breaches;
- environmental protection, etc.
The process of creating the model started with identifying the key stakeholders in the community and with needs assessment in the different neighborhoods.
We considered that the community center should provide healthcare services to poor families /consultations for women and children/ and stage cultural and entertainment events, discussions, surveys, etc.
A major difference between the American community centers and those in Bulgaria is that in Dobrich the community center is not an independent legal person /NGO/, but a coordinating link for the neighborhood offices of regional, municipal, non-governmental and private organizations and institutions.
So far, the following organizations have been involved in the work on the project: Bulgarian Red Cross; Labor Bureau; Social Development Club; Youth Center; departments of environment and planing at the Municipality of Dobrich City; Unified Roma Union; Public Council on Social and Demographic Issues; Children in Risk Program; Municipal Social Care Service; Primary Unified Organization of Blind People; Avizena First Private Hospital; First Area Precinct; Nadezhda Association of Disabled People; Union of Retired People; Union of Blind and Deaf People with the National Association; department of education at the Municipality of Dobrich City; the St. Ivan of Rila Foundation; Center for Work with Children; Citizen Activity Association; Knowledge Association; and many others.

4. Implementation Timeline

March 1999 Exchange of written materials on community centers activities; Defining the key stakeholders for the Municipality of Dobrich.
April 1999 Representatives of Dobrich Municipality are gaining first hand knowledge about the different types of community centers in Spokane.
May 1999 Holding preliminary meetings in order to convene the key stakeholders and to get their final commitment.
In June 1999 with participation of American experts a workshop was held attended by wide range of NGOs and other organizations interested in the project. At the end of the workshop was presented a draft model. The key stakeholders signed the draft model confirming their commitment.
July/August 1999 Finalizing the model and starting preparation for the implementation of the project. During the preliminary work on the project, it became clear that community centers can be established regardless of the limited resources of the Municipality and its partner organizations, and that it is possible to have such a center operational in the Balik neighborhood by the end of 1999. Given a successful start of the community center and continuing cooperation with Spokane, there is an opportunity to attract funds through joint projects of the two cities, both to support the existing centers and build a new one in the future closely following the American model.

5. Solutions Overview

Even though the establishment of community centers will happen in the future, certain steps have already been made, creating prerequisites for the implementation of the idea:
- 20 different organizations and institutions were involved in the project and have declared in writing their willingness to cooperate in the implementation of the project;
- meetings and discussions with each of these organizations were held, including meetings with the American coordinator of the project, Ms. Molly Myers;
- the model of a community center was developed and adopted by all participants;
- information about the project was widely disseminated in the local media /several publications in the two local newspapers, broadcasts on Darik Radio, Dobrich Radio, the local cable TV operators, etc./;
- the work on the project has lead to the coordination of the activities of the organizations on other programs and projects: Children at Risk; Fighting Drug Addiction; La Strada - Bulgaria; Human Rights, etc.

6. Benefits

So far, several positive trends have emerged as a result of the project:
- coordination between the Municipality and the citizen organizations and national institutions involved in the project was improved;
- several specific tasks were initiated;
- NGO and citizen involvement in seeking optimal ways of working with the citizens at neighborhood level has increased;
- the citizens have a clear understanding of the significance and the opportunities provided by the project.

7. Conclusion

We believe that the development of the project for establishing a community center has proven beyond any doubt the usefulness and the great significance of the Bulgarian Technical Twinning Program. The experience of the City of Spokane in the social area is a valuable and effective model for similar organizations in Dobrich and at the same time has become a great motivation for adapting the models and mechanisms used at the American center to the specific Bulgarian conditions. The active and consistent work of the American and Bulgarian experts involved in the project made it possible to attract and involve different organizations and institutions, which so far didn t have a good record of building consensus and coordinating their work. In this respect, the project is not only significant and timely, but is also an example of the great opportunities and potential of citizen participation as a factor in solving the social problems of our city.