Official opening of House of opportunity Gabrovo

Official opening of The House of Opportunity in Popovtsi (Municipality of Gabrovo) was held on Februrary 18th . It is a programme for young people who leave state orphanages and need support in the process of becoming independent. The event was attended by the Mayor of Gabrovo – Nikolay Sirakov, Milka Prodanova – Head of Social Work Department, Rumyana Ivanova – Mayor of Popovtsi and other representatives of the local authorities, organizations and businesses.

The project started in November 2010 when the first 2 young people moved in. At the moment there are 5 youngsters who are trained in life and social skills. As part of their training, they are employed at local businesses supported by organizations and the Labour Bureau.

The House of Opportunity is a national programme which was first piloted in 2007 in Botevgrad Municipality. The Foundation for Social Change and Inclusion is planning to open up centers within a network across Bulgaria. This will give a chanve to every young person leaving state care to build up a successful independent life. According to state statisticts for 2010, children in institutions in Bulgaria outnumber 7500, 814 have left the institution in the first half of the year.