PULSE Foundation is a Bulgarian non-governmental organization, registered on July 7, 1999 under the name “Animus – Pernik”. Since the beginning of 2002, the organization continues its charitable activity under the name “PULSE” – “Positive Personal Skills in Society”. In 2015, PULSE Foundation operates with 19 full-time employees and over 40 youth volunteers.
Contents
Mission
By developing emotional and mental potential of people to create conditions for a harmonious relationship between them, based on equality, understanding and tolerance, leading to successful integration and realization in the society.
Objectives
The main organizational objectives are:
- to contribute to the intellectual, professional and spiritual development and stimulate the rise of social status of Bulgarian women;
- to protect the rights of people, affected by violence, trafficking and other forms of exploitation, as well as drug addicted and their families, in direction of social integration and personal realization;
- to develop and implement projects and programs, supporting people, affected by violence, trafficking and other forms of exploitation, as well as drug addicted and their families;
- to build and develop specialized programs for recovering people, affected by violence and perpetrators of violence;
- to create and develop training programs for people, working with victims of violence, trafficking and other forms of exploitation, as well as drug addicted and their families;
- to cooperate with the state and municipal institutions, as well as non-governmental organizations, in order to solve problems in priority areas;
- to support youth initiatives and builds youth prevention programs.
For realization of organizational objectives, the Foundation team puts efforts in the following areas:
Services
The multidisciplinary approach of work, enables the organization to offer:
Main programs
PULSE Foundation works in six general programs:
- integration and rehabilitation of persons and children, affected by violence and trafficking, by providing rehabilitation programs. The service works closely with government agencies (Social Assistance Directorate, Police, Court, Prosecution, etc.) and NGOs in the country and abroad, in order to provide protection to people, affected by violence, to identify best practices in the field of case management and to assist court prosecution of perpetrators, as well as effective implementation of Domestic Violence Prevention Act, Child Protection Act and Human Trafficking Prevention Act in Bulgaria;
- violence prevention through informal trainings, youth activities, raising awareness, organizing events, seminars, workshops and conferences;
- crisis center for individuals and children, affected by violence - 13 beds for accommodation, secure environment and a safe shelter for affected by violence, space for reorganization of personality and mobilizing mechanisms to deal with the trauma;
- programs providing services to people, addicted to psychoactive substances and specifically at injecting drug users, working with their families and community in the matter of changing the society victimization attitude;
- prevention of HIV/AIDS among intravenous drug users, projects by the Ministry of Health – “Improving tuberculosis control in Bulgaria” and “Prevention of HIV/AIDS among young people who are at greatest risk (15-24 years old)”;
- drop-in center - low-threshold center including a series of services for the target group (counseling for risky practices, blood and sexually transmitted infections, exchanging needles and syringes, distribution of sterile injection equipment, distribution of printed materials).
Target groups
Methodologies and innovative practices
Methodology and innovative practices are concluded in several priority steps:
Volunteering
To support the center activities, the Foundation includes three youth clubs:
Volunteers and interns from New Bulgarian University, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and Southwest University “Neophyte Rilski” - associates of the core team at the center, as a part of their practice, during their university education.
Membership and partnership
Developing its activities, the PULSE Foundation works closely with many key organizations, both within the country and internationally.
Within the country, the PULSE Foundation works as:
At international level, the PULSE Foundation cooperates with: