CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE 50+: SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE DIGITAL SKILLS COURSE

On February 24, 2025, the Digital Skills course, part of the "Career Opportunities for People 50+" initiative under the Synclusive project, successfully concluded, marking a significant step in equipping employed and unemployed people with the tools needed to thrive in the modern workforce. Over three weeks, more than 30 participants, both online and in-person, gained valuable knowledge in high-demand areas such as:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Cloud Computing
• Cybersecurity

The course content was created following discussions with employers regarding the skills in demand in the labor market and is tailored to the needs of the learners.

As part of the Sofia Development Association’s ongoing efforts to facilitate labor market access and mobility, participants had the unique opportunity to engage with an HR expert and meet potential employers.

Certificates for successfully completing the program were presented by Ekaterina Yordanova, Chairperson of the Sofia Development Association’s Board and a Sofia Municipal Councilor, which reflects the commitment of the Council.

Participants shared their thoughts on the course, reflecting on its impact:

"The topics covered were extremely relevant, highly practical, and important to my career. I feel confident in applying everything I learned to my current work."

"The course was incredibly beneficial—both the materials and the organization were top-notch. The instructor was patient, thorough, and attentive. I truly believe the skills I’ve gained will help me find employment and advance my career."

The completion of this course is just one of many steps in the initiative’s broader goal of supporting the 50+ workforce. With an emphasis on lifelong learning, the program not only boosts the employability of participants but also equips them with skills that will serve them throughout their careers.

Looking ahead: The next course in the series will focus on developing personal skills and workplace competencies! Details HERE!

THE PLOUTOS PROJECT WRAPS UP: PIONEERING PATHWAYS FOR THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INCLUSION OF THIRD-COUNTRY NATIONALS IN EUROPE

The PLOUTOS Project, dedicated to fostering the social and economic integration of Third-Country Nationals (TCNs), has successfully concluded its mission with a final event held on December 6 in Brussels. Under the theme "Building Communities Together," the event celebrated the project's achievements and brought together stakeholders to reflect on the initiative's profound impact on TCNs and local communities.

Since its inception, the PLOUTOS Project has delivered meaningful results, empowering TCNs to overcome barriers to integration and enhancing local communities through economic collaboration. The key outcomes include:

· An Innovative Learning Platform: The PLOUTOS Practice Business Virtual Environment has provided a unique platform for hands-on learning and business development.

· Comprehensive Training: Over 250 TCNs have been trained in essential skills such as financial literacy and business language, while an additional 40 TCNs received training in community interpreting.

· Curriculum Development: The project developed extensive curricula, including a Business Language Curriculum featuring 24 modules and a Financial Literacy Curriculum comprising 12 modules.

· Business Acceleration Program: More than 30 TCNs completed the Business Acceleration Program, which included practical simulations designed to enhance their entrepreneurial skills.

The tools and programs developed by PLOUTOS addressed linguistic, financial, and cultural challenges, empowering participants with skills essential for economic independence and social inclusion. Beyond numbers, the project fostered meaningful community engagement and inspired innovation, collaboration, and resilience among its beneficiaries.

The Final Event in Brussels gathered support organizations and experts to showcase the project's impact and discuss strategies for continued TCN integration. During the first panel, lead project partners from work packages 1 through 6 presented their results. In the second panel, Anna Zurek from the European Investment Bank (EIB) outlined European-level instruments and programs aimed at promoting TCN integration. She emphasized the critical role of providing TCNs with tailored Business Development Support (BDS), including mentoring, coaching, and specialized training initiatives.

A highlight was the "Third-Country Nationals Entrepreneurs – Opportunities and Challenges" panel, where entrepreneurs like Sally Ghannoum and Yolanda Bilé shared their success stories and lessons learned. Notable speakers included representatives from organizations dedicated to supporting TCNs, such as BAPA Bxl, Shedidit, Microstart, Singa, and European Network for Migrant Women. The event concluded with a diploma ceremony recognizing participants' achievements.

QUOTES

Sally Ghannoum, TCN entrepreneur
We started in 2016 although most of my friend told me that it is very expensive. I opened my business. Then I closed it. I have restarted it through the help of Microstart.

Anita Zigah, TCN entrepreneur
I received coaching from Microstart (Business Acceleration Program). With their help I have improved my cost calculation, my business plan, my sales strategy. Microstart (Business Acceleration Program) helped me to also improved my "Why" - during the journey I tend to forget my why and the help of David from Microstart I manage to remind why I started my business

Christelle Sermon from BAPA BXL
Most of the challenge the public faces are the language barrier to satisfy the basic needs like a stable house, a job. The social support is personalized to each person due to the different profiles. We offer free language courses. Another challenge is recognising their diploma and experience. It is a complicate procedure in Belgium. It is difficult to have a job and access to market with these kinds of challenges.

Frohar Poya from European Network for Migrant Women
As a network we play a crucial role in shaping the social policy for migrant women. We offer legal, social, support, shelter for women that run from domestic violence

As the Ploutos Project concludes, its achievements will continue to resonate within the communities it served, paving the way for future initiatives aimed at supporting Third-Country Nationals.

PLOUTOS is implemented with the support of the European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.

THE "DIGITAL SKILLS" COURSE FOR PEOPLE 50+ HAS BEEN LAUNCHED BY THE SYNCLUSIVE PROJECT

On January 24, 2025, SofiaLab hosted the first session of the Digital Skills Course, part of the Career Opportunities for People 50+ initiative under the Synclusive project. The session was focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and marks the beginning of a three-session series designed to equip participants with essential digital skills. 

What did participants learn?

Led by expert Plamen Petrov, the first session introduced participants to the world of AI and learned the basics of working with artificial intelligence, how AI can make everyday life and professional tasks easier, and the applications and opportunities for career development through digital technologies.

Why Is This Training Important?

As technology evolves, digital skills are becoming increasingly essential for professional growth and labor market adaptation. Through initiatives like this, the SINCLUSIVE project supports people over 50 in acquiring new competencies and expanding their career opportunities.

Organizers and Partners

The training sessions are organized by the Sofia Development Association in partnership with ARC Fund and Young Talents 50+ as part of the SINCLUSIVE project. The project is funded under the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation program.

   
Този проект се финансира от програмата за научни изследвания и иновации Хоризонт Европа на Европейския съюз съгласно споразумение за безвъзмездна помощ № 101094526

KICK-OFF MEETING OF THE ENACT PROJECT

The partners of the Environmental Effect on Health Care and Wellbeing and Active Interventions (ENACT) project gathered together on Jan. 22, 2025 for a kick-off meeting. SDA is part of the large European consortium and will work together with other two Bulgarian partners, Health and Life Sciences Cluster Bulgaria and Virtech Ltd., on the initiative. SDA will be involved in the project research, analysis, and public engagement activities in Sofia. The project envisions close collaboration with local hospitals and healthcare professionals to conduct studies on the effect of environmental pollutants on non-communicable diseases.

ENACT aims at building a pathway to generate clinical, technological and economic short & long-term impact targeting local and regional stakeholders and create impact by developing a state-of-the-art environmental risk score and analyser driven framework and platform to predict, monitor and prevent the exposomic risk of acute and chronic health conditions of chronic vascular and non-vascular NCDs.

The project is a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action.

PLOUTOS PROJECT FINAL EVENT: BUILDING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER

On December 6, in Brussels, was held the final event of the project. The conference brought together project partners, civil society representatives, policy and decision-makers to discuss the challenges to the integration of third-country nationals as well as to showcase good practices from Ploutos for building stronger and inclusive communities.

An AMIF-funded initiative that gathers a consortium of 11 partners from 7 EU member states, PLOUTOS aims to support migrants and promote social and financial inclusion throughout Europe. The conference offered an opportunity to present the project outputs, among them a business language course, a financial literacy course, a practice business program and an online support platform for would-be entrepreneurs.

Ekaterina Yordanova, a municipal councilor in Sofia Municipality and a chairperson of the Governing Board of SDA, was an invited speaker in the panel focused on policies and strategies for integrations. In her presentation, she emphasized the challenges that local authorities – and not just in Sofia – face in designing meaningful, resource-backed pathways for integration: a dynamic process of migration that makes long-term planning difficult, changing political priorities at EU and national levels, financial constraints to implement wide-scale integration measures, and shifting public support to local initiatives. At the same time, she also stressed that integration is a multisectoral issue and requires a multi-stakeholder approach and constant communication to society, to convey the benefits of integrating migrant talents in the local economy.

Anna Zurek from the European Investment Bank shared similar insights; she focused on EIB’s current work for introducing financial instruments for the integration of migrants, in three key areas: microfinancing, housing and social impact investing. Establishing one-stop-shops to support the coordination of such initiatives and the offer of business development services to migrants is a good practice, Zurek said. Sofia is proud to have established the first in Bulgaria such one-stop-shop, a bureau for integration and information to third country nationals.

Though PLOUTOS comes to an end, we at SDA will continue to collaborate with Sofia Municipality and local organizations to support integration initiatives. The resources created in PLOUTOS will enrich the database of knowledge, good practices, learning and training resources that we have gathered over the past five years, working on integration. Supporting the migrant communities in Sofia is an essential part of ensuring that we live in an open and inclusive society, built on dialogue and shared values.

PLOUTOS is implemented with the support of the European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.