Situational Center Open Doors
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Mission Statement
Foundation Situational Center Open Doors’ mission is to help people displaced by the war in Ukraine find security and stability, and to lead a dignified life in their host communities by becoming self-sufficient and integrated into society. We do this by working with authorities, institutions and businesses to create systems and procedures to support people displaced by the war in Ukraine. A priority for us is to keep our knowledge and processes fully open and transparent and to make them accessible to all governments, institutions, organizations or persons that wish to use them to allow people displaced by the war in Ukraine, who want to rebuild their lives elsewhere, to have the necessary support to do so. Through everything we do, we always pursue the following objectives: - Developing a comprehensive, expert and multidisciplinary approach to the adaptation and integration of persons displaced by the war in Ukraine who seek refuge in the Republic of Bulgaria, in all aspects of Bulgarian society, by providing access to programs and services that allow displaced persons to participate with equality, dignity and respect in all aspects of life in Bulgaria. - Building a comprehensive ecosystem to support displaced persons, which includes communication, adaptation, social activities, health care, education, vocational training, mental health care, financial services, security systems, and others, as needed. - Creating conditions for displaced persons seeking protection in Bulgaria to gain access to and participate in the Bulgarian economy to be recognized as valuable contributors to society. - Supporting the development of professional skills of displaced persons seeking protection in Bulgaria. - Providing support and expert assistance to the institutions for consideration, improvement and implementation of crisis social policies towards people displaced by the war in Ukraine. - Combining the experience of international experts (researchers and practitioners) from different fields in independent research on migration flows and security issues. - Creating a platform for exchanging ideas between qualified specialists, representatives of academic circles, and the public sector. - Preparing specific and interdisciplinary research and analysis, methodological guidelines, and recommendations for solving current issues in the field of migration and security. - Supporting, through expertise, the decision-making processes in policy-making and planning for ensuring security and peace in countries and regions characterized by high migration. - Creating information sources in line with the professed mission and goals. - Raising the awareness of Bulgarian society about the plight of people displaced by the war in Ukraine and helping foster positive relationships between Bulgarian society and the community of displaced people by facilitating cross-cultural understanding, awareness and communication. - Supporting persons displaced by the war in Ukraine so they have access to the same care and opportunities as any other person in Bulgaria. - Providing up-to-date, specific, correct and verified information and referral to community programs and services aimed at meeting displaced people's needs. - Striving to address service gaps in support networks by rapidly addressing unmet and emerging needs. - Upholding all the rights of Ukrainian refugees and their families through access to appropriate government agencies, authorities and services, providing translation, information, accompanying visits, and advocacy where necessary. Most importantly, the Foundation always places the needs of the people we serve first. That way, we ensure that our decisions will have a maximum positive impact on the people we work with.
About This Cause
Foundation Situational Center Open Doors (FSCOD) was created in April 2022 by Andrey Nikolov- a Ukrainian national- and a group of like-minded volunteers to respond to the Ukraine war. FSCOD initially created a one-stop shop for immediate assistance for displaced Ukrainians by uniting volunteers, several organizations, and governmental agencies under one roof in the Situational Center. As the situation progressed, FSCOD focused on ensuring access to quality education for displaced children, providing mental health and psychosocial support to all displaced persons, offering re-skilling, adult education and mentoring for improved employability, providing support and mentoring for displaced entrepreneurs looking to rebuild their business in Bulgaria, as well as organizing intercultural events aimed at building bridges between displaced Ukrainians and host communities. The organisation has been rapidly growing and evolving, and today we focus on providing, supporting, and improving education and employment opportunities as we strive to provide sustainable and long-term solutions to their needs. Regarding our education services, we provide a wide range of assistance, as over 50% of the displaced by the war in Ukraine are children. One of the biggest problems they face is whether they can continue their education and how to protect their educational interests. Unfortunately, out of 14,056 displaced Ukrainian school-age children living in Bulgaria, only 2,079 are enrolled in school. Few of them receive the extra help needed to access quality education. Many displaced children and their families will remain in Bulgaria even after the end of the war, and their integration into our education system is crucial for their educational, personal, and professional development. To allow them to contribute to social change in Bulgarian society positively, Ukrainian children in Bulgaria must continue their education. FSCOD offers a comprehensive approach to ensure access to education for children displaced by the war in Ukraine, with personalised interventions based on relevant individual and community needs. We do this through our Ukrainian Education Center in Sofia, where over 180 displaced children, from 5 to 17 years old, study full-day, together with 20 teachers who also fled Ukraine because of the war. In the meantime, we are preparing the children for their successful integration into the Bulgarian education system and the community. The Ukrainian Educational Center offers the following activities: - Full-day education under the Ukrainian system - Psychosocial support activities - Anti-bullying programs in schools - Cultural immersion and integration events - Bulgarian language studies - Teacher training in Bulgarian schools where Ukrainian children are enrolled - Campaigns and awareness-raising events - Other extracurricular activities for the kids In terms of employment, we also apply a synergetic approach in our aid to people finding jobs matching their skills and the community's needs. There are currently 51,500 displaced persons in Bulgaria, the majority of whom are mothers with child(ren), which translates to insurmountable obstacles in accessing the job market and becoming self-sufficient. This is also relevant to fields outside of employment, as studies have shown that current living conditions are related to a prevalence of mental health issues. Material deprivation significantly impacts psychological well-being, with displaced persons in severe material deprivation being 20% more likely to suffer from depression or anxiety than those in better living conditions. Moreover, employment is the most effective way to integrate adults, and unemployed persons are at severe risk of isolation, thus leading to other challenges. Such challenges include lower language practice and retention, mental health issues, low social capital, a feeling of powerlessness, and others. Social isolation, in its turn, decreases people’s chances of finding employment and empowerment. Thus, strengthening livelihoods for Ukrainian people through employment will provide stability and financial security for them and their families. It will also create benefits on a societal level, where displaced people can self-sustain their livelihoods and contribute to society and the local economy. To support their needs and help them eliminate the barriers to integration into the labour market, the economy, and Bulgarian society, we offer the following activities: - Integrational and cultural events - Workshops for job search strategies, resume and cover letter writing, and interview preparation - Courses for industry-specific jobs - Language classes for adults - Involvement with local and national businesses - Assistance with childcare through the Educational Center during and after the job search While we are physically located in Sofia, we hold activities all over Bulgaria, especially in settlements with more displaced people. Our vision for the Foundation is to become self-sustainable and expand the services we offer and the target groups we work with. We believe everyone residing in Bulgaria should have equal access to opportunities for our communities to flourish. Our job is to ensure that this happens!