site.btaOver 5,000 Underprivileged to be Integrated in Labour Market, Included in Training

Sofia, July 7 (BTA) - Some 4,500 people of underprivileged
minority groups will be integrated into the labour market
through municipal projects funded under the operational
programmes "Human Resources Development" and "Science and
Education for Smart Growth". Their implementation is expected to
 integrate over 720 children, pupils and youths into the
education system, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy
reported on Wednesday.

"The planned activities extend a helping hand to underprivileged
 children and families, so that they can have a chance for a
better future," said Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy
 Ivan Krastev upon handing the contracts for the implementation
of the projects to the municipalities of Stara Zagora, Pernik,
Burgas and Plovdiv under the measure for socioeconomic
integration of vulnerable groups in the presence of Deputy
Minister of Education and Science Evgenia Peeva.

The projects will reach minority groups and severely
underprivileged people who are accommodated in public housing,
funded under the OP "Regional Development".
 
Municipalities will be working simultaneously with
underprivileged parents and children to achieve their social
integration. Additional effort will be directed toward pupils
who have dropped out of school, or are about to. The authorities
 will be organizing activities for them, access to education
will be improved outside of Roma neighbourhoods, and
psychological support will be provided. Work will be done with
parents who obstruct their children from going to kindergarten
or school. Children whose mother tongue is not Bulgarian will
attend extra Bulgarian language classes.

Special attention will be paid to the economically inactive
participants who will receive professional orientation and
consultation, psychological support, and access to key
competence training.

NV/MT