Milena Zaharieva, Bulgaria
LET ME multipliers event in Bulgaria confirms that even if not everything is “pink” there is a strong believe that at some point youth will have access to comprehensive drug education and services
On May 30, 2022, the multiplier event of the LET ME project was held in Sofia. Representatives of non-governmental organizations working in the field of young people and drugs, as well as representatives of various institutions, such as Sofia Municipality, National Center for Public Health and Analysis, Center for Human Resources Development (NA for Erasmus + Program) MPs, young people and activists, representatives of the community of drug users were invited to the meeting.
The meeting took place in The Pink House (the only center in Bulgaria providing comprehensive services to people who use drugs). During the event, the Bulgarian team of LET ME (The SMART Foundation and The Center for Humane Policies Foundation) presented the project, its goals, objectives and partner organizations, results and products. For the first time, the video created by the young people who participated in the trainings of the project was presented. They chose to dedicate the video to The Pink House in order to promote the place itself, but also the need to provide harm reduction services to people who use drugs in Bulgaria, which are currently lacking (except for The Pink House), as well as the need for sustainable support and funding for services and education at local and national level.
The meeting was attended by nearly 50 people who had the opportunity to discuss the state of drug-related education in Bulgaria, as well as what needs to be done to have comprehensive and modern youth programs for prevention and harm reduction of drug use. Special attention was paid to the results of the Drug Education Assessment Report which was produced within the project, which once again proved that young people do not acquire the necessary knowledge and skills related to drugs in school environment or school age, when this is essential. Representatives of the community shared that it is extremely difficult for them to find a job and stabilize their lives when they do not have access to basic services tailored to their needs, but also when they face so much stigma and discrimination from the society. Youth workers and peer educators shared that they receive support by individual school principals, teachers and experts on local level, however, it is hard to make a significant difference when there’s no system in place.
Despite the lack of adequate policies, education and services, the participants in the LET ME project were hopeful that as long as there are organizations and activists to fight for change, things will move in the right direction and one day decisions will come to the state level.
The multiplier event was combined with the introduction to the public of the photo exhibition dedicated to The Pink House, aiming at raising awareness and fundraise.
At the meeting, several specially printed copies of the Manual for Youth and Peer Workers “How to Communicate with Young People About Drugs” were distributed, as well as promo stickers with the project logo. Our team was branded with T-shirts in the colors and logo of LET ME.
