On May 24, 2025 at 9:00 am in the yard of the old school of the village of Dolni Rakovets in Radomir will start the second day of the volunteer action, whose goal is the renovation of the building and its transformation into the first Balkan Institute of Ecological Construction - IEC. For Tomorrow Foundation includes the renovation activities in its project "Green INclusion - Environmental practices for social and labour inclusion of young people with intellectual disabilities" - a youth exchange under the Erasmus+ programme. Project participants - volunteers from Croatia, Turkey and Bulgaria will work together with young people with intellectual disabilities, bringing them closer to their peers with special needs and helping them in their social and labour inclusion. After the working day is over, all volunteers will celebrate May 24 - the Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, of the Bulgarian alphabet, education and culture and of Slavic Literature with a campfire and live Bulgarian music performed by the band MiRa consisting of Stefi Raicheva - drums and percussion, Maria Velkova - voice, guitar, tambura, Alen Benev - bass and gudulka.

"Within the Green Inclusion project, the participants join the volunteer action of the Institute of Ecological Construction - IEC, because we believe that it is through such activities that the social and labour inclusion of young people with special needs is achievable. The aim of our projects is to build a European network of young people who make the future happen with care, empathy and in a community where there is room for all," said project coordinator Borislav Slavchov. "We think that the youth exchange will benefit a lot from an event dedicated to green, sustainable construction and healthy living, working with hands and Bulgarian traditions," Slavchov added. 

The Green Inclusion project of the For Tomorrow Foundation will run until May 30, and the initiative gives young people a chance both to get to know other cultures and make new friendships, and to learn practical skills to help them interact with young people with intellectual disabilities. The aim of the project is to prove that young people with special needs are able to work, communicate and learn alongside their 'normal' peers and can and should be actively involved in the everyday life of society.

Already in the first days of the project, the participants made signs from natural materials to be placed on an eco-trail in the forest near the village of Dolni Rakovets. The familiarization and Bulgarian cultural evening were passed with traditional music, competitive games with information about Bulgaria, its traditions and history, as well as learning the steps of the choir. In the following days the young people participating in the project of the Foundation "For Tomorrow" from Blagoevgrad will make souvenirs from ecological materials, mark the eco-trail in the forest near the village of Dolni Rakovets, construct and place bird houses, participate in the construction of a greenhouse near the peat deposit of Lake Baikal and make a fence for a playground in the village of Baikalskoe. All project activities provide methods and practices to connect youth with their "special" peers, who build on their mental, emotional, and occupational skills, as well as improve their social abilities for inclusion.     

More about the volunteer initiative (23 - 25 May) of the Institute of Environmental Engineering - IES - https://fb.me/e/7F0N7Mb2n 
   

The activities of the team of "For Tomorrow" Foundation, Blagoevgrad are aimed at improving the quality of life of people with special educational needs and their integration into society as equal members. For Tomorrow Foundation promotes the exchange of information, best practices, experience, awareness and support for families in order to enable them to stimulate their child's development despite the medical and social challenges they face.