As a part of NASO annual programme, on March 25th, 2016, in the building of Razgrad Municipality, a meeting between the team of NASO and Dr. Valentin Vasilev, Mayor of Razgrad, was held. The meeting was attended by Mr. Georgi Georgiev, President of NASO, the two representatives of NASO in the region of Razgrad, and namely Mrs. Valentina Velikova, Manager of a Day Care Center for persons with disabilities "Give me your hand", and Mr. Rosen Avramov, Director of the NGO "Janeta", as well as by Mr. Erdinch Hassanov, Deputy Mayor of Razgrad Municipality. The meeting aimed at establishing contacts with the new mayor, the new team of Razgrad Municipality and its structures, and at creating opportunities for future development of the partnership with NASO in the social sector and in the field of social services. Mr. Georgiev presented the general platform for work of NASO, its active international and national partnership, the main activities of NASO focusing on the results of its work at national and local levels. Mrs. Velikova and Mr. Avramov presented their activities as managers of social services and representatives of NASO. Leading emphasis in the discussion was put on the quality of work and usefulness of NASO’s activities, ongoing events, trainings, forums at national and local level, as well as on the contribution of NASO to the development of the capacity of the social service teams as a whole and their improvement for more efficient support to people in need.
Dr. Vasilev thanked NASO for visiting the city and its support to the social service providers of the municipality. Greatly impressed by the scale and direction of work of the organisation, Dr. Vasilev showed strong humanitarian attitude of thinking and willingness for the implementation of future actions corresponding to the visions of NASO for opening up the social services to users, active participation of users in the realisation of social services, including relatives of users in social work and achieving an overall openness to society of the activities in the social sector. Mutual understanding was expressed that there is not sufficient awareness of the existing forms of support, what the benefits from the supporting activities are and in what direction the efforts of working in this sector are going. A common view was also expressed about the need for a more active dialogue between the society and those working in the social sector as for getting acquainted with the high efficiency and the importance of social work, and for encouraging the proper mindset, empathy and support of the needy and the sector as a whole, for raising the standards of work, attracting additional resources, including through volunteers, involving the corporate sector and other areas of the public sector, including the development of education and schools in order to nurture the proper attitude of young people and learners.
Within the meeting a mutual understanding for stronger promoting the modern European practices for presenting the social work results was expressed in order to have greater clarity in what direction to invest funds for the social sector, so that these results lead to further motivation for users and workers. The sector needs greater public awarenees and recognition. Dr. Vasilev shared his own views on the introduction of new elements in social work and services as a more adequate attitude to users and the creation of conditions in which they can feel as being in a normal environment, the provision of conditions for communication between different groups of people, and between people and nature, people and animals, etc.
The meeting, which lasted much longer than expected, stood out with the professionalism demonstrated, and the adequate attitudes of the new team of Razgrad Municipality for the successful development of current social policies and the improvement of social services in all their forms. At the end of the meeting, Mr. Georgiev invited Dr. Vasilev to take part in the national events of NASO and suggested his personal participation in the discussions of these events. NASO on its behalf received an invitation to organise the next major event on the territory of Razgrad Municipality in partnership with the Municipality. The meeting clearly demonstrated forthcoming active work and partnership between the two parties through the representations of NASO in the region of Razgrad.