ADVOCACY or How civil society organizations achieve their goals

In the Online Talk series, we aim to address topics related to the functioning and management of civic organizations or social enterprises. In our next issue we "open" a new topic, not because we have exhausted the management, but because we see something very valuable and relatively new in it. 

Why do we care about advocacy ?

Sooner or later, many civil society organizations face various administrative or legal restrictions, barriers or locked doors that seem to be insurmountable.   Advocacy efforts and field of work are still not well known or popular in our country, but can be part of overcoming such restrictions, fortunately in Bulgaria there are already great examples of successful campaigns._cc781905 -5cde-3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_

We will present you some of these invaluable advocacy examples and we will try to find the right recipe for their implementation. 

This issue of Online Talk and the topic of advocacy will meet you with many interesting people who have a lot to share:  

Antoaneta Ivanova, Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association - Bulgaria

Antoaneta Ivanova is a civil activist and advocate for children's rights. She is involved in social work and support for families of children with disabilities. Trainer and mentor of a youth advocacy team. Volunteer in various causes for children. Since the establishment of the Association "Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus-Bulgaria" actively participates in organizational activities, visual projects, donation campaigns and partnerships, support for new parents. Organizes the activities of the club of the association in Varna. Since 2016 is on the Board of Directors of the association. Advocating for the rights and policies to support children and families is an ongoing part of her work. From 2020 is on the Management Board of the National Network for Children, where he also actively participates and works to improve the environment for children's development in Bulgaria.

Alexander Ivanov, Hear Yourself Foundation

Advocate for the rights of the deaf community in Bulgaria Alexander Ivanov is a co-founder of MOGA - Youth Organization of Deaf Activists with a clear mission to empower deaf youth to assert their right to communicate, education and live a full life through their inherent language, sign language. Together with their partners from the Listen to Yourself Foundation and the Mutual Foundation, they are working to create effective training programs for empowering the deaf community. Alexander is one of the most prominent advocates by participating in a number of working groups for the adoption of the Bulgarian Sign Language Act, which is a fact of January 21, 2021. One of the first deaf professionals to participate in an exchange program with Gallaudet University, the only one in the world a university that teaches sign language and written language. Alexander is one of the key trainers at the European Union of Deaf Youth (EUDY). Alexander is a trainer at the Truly Sign Language Academy and a member of the board and the Hear Yourself Foundation.

Ashod Derandonyan, Hear Yourself Foundation

Founder and CEO of Hear Yourself, Ashod Derandonyan is one of the most recognizable and active people in the deaf community in Bulgaria. The organization deals with advocacy, mentoring for the implementation of effective policies for full inclusion of deaf people in Bulgaria by creating an environment for innovative educational and social services. One of the most serious achievements we are proud of is his proactive participation in a working group on the drafting and adoption of the Bulgarian Sign Language Act. His mission has always been closely connected with the deaf community in our country. His knowledge of the problems of the community in our country makes him one of the few deaf leaders-experts. With the adoption of the Bulgarian Sign Language Act, the country has taken only a small step towards the inclusion of the deaf in socio-economic life. A number of normative documents are to be prepared to connect the Law with deaf people, and this process cannot take place without the participation of vigilant citizens like Asho. "Nothing for us without us" has become the motto of the community, and Ashod is one of the brightest ambassadors of the cause for the leadership of sign language speakers in a number of processes related to ensuring their equality.

Ivan Burgov, Mutual Organization

Winner of the Advocate of the Year award for his fight for the regulation of sign language. In the autumn of 2020, the parliament approved the Law on Bulgarian Sign Language and in this major breakthrough for the rights of deaf people in Bulgaria, Burgov has a basic role. He is also the founder of the organization "Mutual", whose website contains very important information in video format for the benefit of the deaf community in Bulgaria. 

The moderator will be Dilyana Gyurova, consultant,Impact Drive