FLAGSHIP PROGRAMMES
National Network
Bulgaria
Address
Ul. Geo Milev 45Country
City
SofiaStreet address 2
fl. 2, ap. 5Mobile Phone
+359878569577Telephone
+359 88 707 0112E-Mail (2)
exchangespfe@gmail.comWebsite
Click HereYear of Establishment
2002Contact Person1
Yuliya AndzhekarskaJob Title 1
Project CoordinatorContact Person 2
YURIY ANDZHEKARSKIJob Title 2
PRESIDENTOrganisation Type
Non-Governmental OrganizationFields of Activity
Environment/Sustainable development, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, International/Cultural relations, Youth and educationGeneral Information
Association “Professional Forum for Education” is a non-profit organization created in 2002, which has a wide range of activities related to the youth work, education and culture. Partners of ours are many schools and NGOs in Bulgaria. PFE aims to involve young people in non-formal educational processes promoting intercultural dialogue, youth mobility, volunteering, entrepreneurship, active citizenship, environmental sustainability, tolerance and appreciation of diversity. These objectives are realized by a number of specific activities provided by our organization, such as seminars, training courses, conferences, summer and winter trainings for teachers and youth workers, as well as youth activities on the local and national level. We also focus on innovations in education and on digitalization.
Our activities are designed both for educators who would like to integrate non-formal educational methods in their work, and for young people who are motivated to learn more on these subjects and to be an active part of society.
Since 2016, PFE has been certified by the Ministry of Education as one of the approximately 80 organizations on the national level in Bulgaria which can deliver trainings for teachers, with 31 educational modules approved, including innovative school models, emotional intelligence, project development, non-formal education, coaching, etc., and it has an official certification for quality control (ISO). During the regular trainings of the organization, more than 300 teachers and youth workers from Bulgaria are trained annually.
The organization has experience in international youth projects as well, regularly sending Bulgarian participants to training courses, youth exchanges and job shadowing activities abroad, in the frame of the Erasmus+ program of the European Commission. We have also been successfully organizing international youth projects in Bulgaria, in the frame of Erasmus+, on the topics of youth unemployment,
entrepreneurship, active citizenship, consumerism, contemporary art, environmental sustainability, storytelling and others.
Since 2020 we have also been accredited as sending and hosting organization for volunteers under the European Solidarity Corps program, and we have been hosting volunteers from different countries, in partnership with the Bulgarian Academy of Science.
Mission and Objectives
The association's core mission is to involve young people and educators in non-formal educational processes. Its key objectives are to promote:
Intercultural dialogue, tolerance, and appreciation of diversity.
Youth mobility, volunteering, and active citizenship.
Entrepreneurship and innovation in education and society.
Environmental sustainability.
These objectives are achieved by building the capacity of educators and directly empowering young people to be active members of society.
Main Projects / Activities
PFE's work is realized through three primary activity streams:
1- International Youth Projects: Extensive experience in designing and implementing Erasmus+ youth exchanges, training courses, and partnerships on topics like entrepreneurship, active citizenship, and environmental sustainability. Acts as a sending and hosting organization for the European Solidarity Corps.
2- Certified Teacher Training: As a ministry-certified provider, it conducts official professional development for teachers. It runs annual "Winter and Summer Pedagogical Academies" and offers 31 approved modules in innovative teaching methods, emotional intelligence, and project management, training over 300 educators annually.
3- National Educational Initiatives: Organizes the "Festival of Bulgarian Education," a key interactive event for youth. Implements local seminars, training courses, and youth activities across Bulgaria, often in partnership with a wide network of schools and NGOs.
How can you contribute to the Network in your country?
The Association "Professional Forum for Education" (PFE) can contribute to the Bulgarian ALF Network through its unique expertise, infrastructure, and national reach in three key areas:
- Capacity Building for Educators: As an organization certified by the Bulgarian Ministry of Education with 31 approved training modules, we can co-design and deliver specialized training for network members on integrating intercultural dialogue, non-formal methods, and European citizenship into educational practice, thereby multiplying the network's impact.
- Project Development and Partnership: With over a decade of successful experience in Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps project management, we can offer practical workshops on international project design and act as a reliable partner. Our established national network of schools and NGOs can help broker new local partnerships for joint initiatives within the ALF framework.
- Platforms for Dialogue and Visibility: We can contribute our organizational capacity and experience in hosting large-scale events. This includes offering our training center, Creative House Petrohan, as a venue for network meetings or youth dialogues, and exploring synergies between our annual "Festival of Bulgarian Education" and the ALF's mission to engage young people on Euro-Mediterranean topics.
Why do you want to join the ALF Network?
We seek to join the ALF Network to transition from a primarily European focus to a meaningful Euro-Mediterranean partnership, aligning our long-term mission with a broader geographical and cultural scope. Specifically, we aim to:
- Enrich Our Educational Work: We wish to integrate Mediterranean perspectives on citizenship, diversity, and sustainability into our teacher trainings and youth activities, moving beyond a purely European context to foster deeper intercultural understanding.
- Exchange and Innovate: We are eager to learn from and share best practices with organizations across the Mediterranean facing similar challenges in youth engagement and social cohesion, believing that cross-regional dialogue sparks innovation.
- Build Strategic Partnerships: We view the ALF Network as the essential platform to find credible partners for developing collaborative projects that address shared challenges, amplify our impact, and contribute actively to the common goals of the Anna Lindh Foundation.