IT’S UP TO YOU TO PUT DISCRIMINATION OUT OF USE! JUST/2012/PROG/AG/3711/AD Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of Bulgaria FINAL REPORT PROJECT JUST/2012/PROG/AG/3711 IT’S UP TO YOU TO PUT DISCRIMINATION OUT OF USE! OF THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL POLICY OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA MODULE I Round Tables for young men and women from homes for children deprived of parental care, employers, and representatives of the local self- governments, recruitment agencies and representatives of the central administration under the slogan "Tolerance, Respect, Understanding and Equality in the Workplace" Preparation and Holding of Round Table in the town of Sandanski From 20 to 21 March 2014, a Round Table was held in Sveti Nikola Hotel in the town of Sandanski under Project JUST/2012/PROG/AG/AD/3711 It’s up to you to put discrimination out of use! of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy funded by the EC under the Programme EU PROGRESS. The Round Table was attended by young men and women from homes for children deprived of parental care (HCDPC), employers, representatives of the local self-governments, recruitment agencies and representatives of the central administration. Before the beginning of the event a team of speakers and employment agents from the Employment Agency made contact with employers in Blagoevgrad District to discuss the opportunities for employment of the young graduates from the HCDPC and for their participation in the Round Table. The following employers expressed willingness to create jobs depending on the qualifications and aspirations of the youth and to participate in the Round Table: Energoremont - Kresna AD - Metal Casting Activity Piros Ltd - town of Sandanski - Clothing Industry Activity Bor Dimitrov 06 EOOD - town of Sandanski - Woodworking Activity Mariya Dimitrova - Meri Sole Trader - town of Blagoevgrad - Catering Industry Activity Liliya Jo EOOD - town of Blagoevgrad - Trade Activity. All employers were personally given a formal notice to which they responded with interest and desire. Representatives of the municipalities and Social Assistance Directorates (SAD) in the region were officially invited and attended the Round Table. Supported by the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity PROGRESS (2007-2013) IT’S UP TO YOU TO PUT DISCRIMINATION OUT OF USE! JUST/2012/PROG/AG/3711/AD Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of Bulgaria The meeting was also attended by 25 young graduates from the social institutions in the region accompanied by social workers and by officials from the Labour Office Directorates (LOD) which territories housed a social institution and which worked actively with the youth on their career development. Before the beginning of the event a modular training programme which was an integral part of the report was developed. A presentation on the topic "Promoting the Diversity and Non-discrimination in the Labour Market and Characteristics of the South West Region in terms of the Need for Employment" was made at the Round Table. Discussions of case studies related to the topic were made. In addition, all LOD officials shared their good practices implemented in this and previous years with the young graduates from the HCDPC. On 21 March the youth from the social institutions and the other participants in the Round Table visited the following employers: Piros Ltd - town of Sandanski - Clothing Industry Activity Bor Dimitrov 06 EOOD - town of Sandanski - Woodworking Activity Interhotel Sandanski - Hotel Industry Activity The visits were arranged in advance. The visit of each company lasted 1 hour. The time was spent for review and introduction to the company's activities. Mr. Volodya Stoyanov, director of Piros Ltd, personally presented the company's activities and showed all workshops. The company produces knitted garment. The production is mainly exported; only a little part thereof is traded in the domestic market. Mr. Stoyanov expressed willingness to employ a youth from HCDPC. Mr. Iliya Dimitrov also presented in person the activities of his company which produces wood and PVC furniture. The company operates in the foreign markets. Mr. Dimitrov was very friendly and said that he would be very pleased if some of the youth started to work in the company. All participants in the Round Table had the opportunity to visit Interhotel Sandanski. It offers hotel services and spa treatments. The opportunity for direct communication between the youth and employers at the Round Table and during their visits to the companies was extremely useful and effective. They received valuable information about the companies' activities and became aware of the terms and conditions and specifics of the work. The youth had the opportunity to personally present themselves to the employers, to receive the information needed and to negotiate their employment opportunities. Gyurgya Vladimirova Stoyanova from Petar Dimitrov HCDPC in the village of Parvomay will apply to South-West University of Blagoevgrad and if she is enrolled she will spend her free time looking for a job in the town of Blagoevgrad. As a result of these meetings Gyurgya Vladimirova Stoyanova was employed in Liliya Jo EOOD - town of Blagoevgrad and Denis Georgiev Chamishki from HCDPC in the town of Blagoevgrad was employed in Energoremont - Kresna AD. Supported by the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity PROGRESS (2007-2013) IT’S UP TO YOU TO PUT DISCRIMINATION OUT OF USE! JUST/2012/PROG/AG/3711/AD Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of Bulgaria Thirteen of the 16 youth from Asen Zlatarov HCDPC in the town of Yakorouda shared their desire to apply to university. Depending on whether or not they are enrolled in the university they will consider the jobs which they will seek. Three of the youth who do not plan to apply to university will be directed to employment programmes or measures upon their graduation. This was decided after a conversation with the management of Yakorouda Municipality. One of the youth showed interest in joining the training organised by Bulgarian- German Vocational Training Centre, speciality Hairdressing. Two of the young graduates from the HCDPC in the town of Gotse Delchev will start working in Malev EOOD and Pirintex Production EOOD upon their graduation. Conversations with Petar Mingov Sole Trader, Vanita EOOD and Ivan Ezhkov Sole Trader were made. The companies are willing to employ youth who show interest in the work under employment programmes and measures. One of the girls is 17 years old and will be placed in sheltered housing in the town of Novi Iskar. The experience shows that every year, thanks to the sponsors of the HCDPC, all young people prepare themselves for their prom and the employers willingly give a hand to these young people and employ them by advertising jobs in the primary labour market or under employment programmes and measures. In 2013, eleventh youth from the social care homes in the region completed secondary education. Five of them continued their education in a university. Two youth were employed under National Programme "From Social Benefits to Employment" and four youth were employed on jobs advertised in the primary labour market through the support of the labour offices. The youth will be invited to participate in the Youth Job Fair which will be organised in June in the town of Blagoevgrad and in the planned general job fairs which will be organised in the town of Gotse Delchev in June and in the town of Razlog in September, where the youth will also have the opportunity to meet and talk with employers. The tutors and psychologists in the social institutions should focus on the learning of work habits by the young people, since large part of them leave work and wish to be directed to another employer after being employed. Extremely important and useful is the collaboration with the SAD officials in the work with the youth from social care homes. They support the youth in their placement in residential housing and work with them during their stay in the social institutions. The work with the youth will continue in the future in order to support their career development and their involvement in free vocational training. Characteristics of the South West Region in terms of the Need for Employment Blagoevgrad District In the recent years the total number of population in the area has shown a trend toward gradual decrease. As of 2011, it includes 323,552 inhabitants and represents 4.39% of the population in the country. The economically active population is 151,033 people. The following LODs and their branch offices operate in Blagoevgrad administrative district: LOD - Blagoevgrad with a branch office in the municipality of Simitli; LOD - Razlog with branch Supported by the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity PROGRESS (2007-2013) IT’S UP TO YOU TO PUT DISCRIMINATION OUT OF USE! JUST/2012/PROG/AG/3711/AD Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of Bulgaria offices in the municipalities of Belitsa, Yakorouda and Bansko, LOD - Gotse Delchev with branch offices in the municipalities of Garmen, Hadzhidimovo and Satovcha, LOD- Sandanski with branch offices in the municipalities of Kresna and Strumyani and LOD- Petrich. The labour offices and their branch offices serve the adjoining localities. In the first quarter of 2014 the average monthly unemployment rate in the region of Blagoevgrad is 15.3%. The indicator has increased by 0.4 % compared to its value - 14.9% - reported in the same period of 2013. In the recent years, the trend toward higher unemployment rate in the total number of unemployed registered with the labour offices has remained unchanged in the LOD - Razlog (29.4%) and LOD - Kyustendil (16.5%) and in the other LODs the unemployment rate is below the average for the region - LOD - Blagoevgrad (10.2%); LOD - Gotse Delchev (14.4%); LOD - Dupnitsa (12.9%), LOD - Sandanski (14.3%) and LOD - Petrich (14.2%).