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 The 16+ Youth Day Care Center |
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The 16+ Center was established by the Free and Democratic Bulgaria Foundation and officially opened on September 29, 1999. |
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The 16+ is an open center for social services, which offers street and homeless youth ages 16 to 25 a wide range of services including social assistance and medical care. A variety of programs are offered to aid the positive development of the young people and their social reintegration. The Center's services are all voluntary - the youths can come and go as they please. Since the beginning of 2003 the center is implementing a new program generously funded by the Oak Foundation in Geneva. The implementation of this project is structured around the following ten programs:
- Outreach and Street Work, an effort to raise awareness among street youth about the services available to them at the 16+;
- Personal Pledge of Commitment, youth identify their primary needs/goals and the steps necessary to achieve them;
- Legal Advocacy Clinic, help for clients with a variety of legal issues;
- 'Stories from the Street', a newsletter that provides a creative outlet for clients while attempting to raise the awareness of the general public about problems affecting street youth;
- Marketing Program, helping clients to find the best deals on clothes and food;
- Parenting Classes, support for young couples and single mothers, education about family planning, proper nutrition and sexually transmitted diseases;
- Tuberculosis Testing, education on prevention and treatment, plus regular TB testing of clients and staff;
- Arts and Entertainment Club, activities that offer clients a chance to relax and have fun;
- Ongoing Staff Training, staff at the 16+ are trained in the most to date methodology and best practices;
- Youth Committee, helps to provide feedback on the operation of the center, generates ideas regarding future programming, scheduling, etc.
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