Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bulgaria Association

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bulgaria Association (BBBS-BG) is a non-profit organization, registered in public benefit. The Association has been established in May 2006 as a successor of the BBBS Program, functioning in Bulgaria since 1999. The BBBS-BG is an affiliate member of the Big Brothers Big Sisters International (www.bbbsi.org) and delivers mentoring services for children and youth at risk, following the international standards.

BASIC ACTIVITIES of the Association are connected with the development and expansion of the BBBS Program in 3 directions: school-based, community-based and site-based. BBBS-BG established a school network of 7 Preliminary and 13 High schools on the territory of Plovdiv to deliver mentoring services for children at risk. In these schools are concentrated the school-based mentoring activities. The community based direction of the program has been implemented in cooperation with Pedagogy Department of the University of Plovdiv. As a consequence of long experience and community needs assessment, the Association has started to deliver mentoring services for institutionalized children and minority groups in 2008. Since then a long-term projects have been implemented in the orphanages around the city of Plovdiv.

Another scope of basic activities is connected with the promotion of youth citizenship, volunteerism and mentoring. The Association has been involved in variety of short-term volunteer campaigns and initiatives. Young volunteers and members of the organization are taking part in different international activities and projects around EU and USA.

Since 2010 the organization has been hosting an Youth Information Centre, delivering informational, training and educational services to young people and youth organizations and non-formal groups.

The Association has well established partnership network both around Bulgaria and internationally. It works in close connection with the municipalities and the other local authorities. BBBS-BG has developed collaboration with variety of Bulgarian and international NGOs, focusing their work on children and youth issues as well as with all 16 country- members of the BBBS International network.