Stefan Stefanov, educational mediator-coordinator

Dear readers,

Center Amalipe was one of the first organizations that applied the pilot model for community moderators and later educational mediators. In the process of work, it became very clear how great is the need for the quick inclusion of educational mediators in the teaching teams of schools with a large percentage of school students from ethnic minorities in Bulgaria. That is why in 2021 Amalipe Center started a series of online meetings and training for educational mediators to increase their capacity in their work among the community. From March 2021 to August 2021 a total of 225 educational mediators and social workers from all over the country participated in the online meetings and training organized by Amalipe Center.

Within a few weeks, you will have the pleasure to meet educational mediators that Amalipe Center has selected to be mediator-coordinators. Their role will be to coordinate and support individuals who are taking their first steps in the profession of an educational mediator. Through this, we will try to promote the work and activities of educational mediators.

Today we will introduce you to Stefan Stefanov!

My name is Stefan Severinov Stefanov, I am a graduate of the University of Veliko Tarnovo with a Bachelor’s degree in History and a Master’s degree in History and Modernity of EU-European Integration. At the moment I am a first-year student of the Master’s degree in Project Management. I have been working at the Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance “Amalipe” for ten years as an educational mediator at the Community Development Center in Pavlikeni. The focus of my activity and ideology is the activation and development of the potential of people of minority ethnicity. My efforts are aimed at reducing discrimination and increasing social and economic integration. My goal is to change the public attitude to show their positive traits and qualities. I want people from minorities not to be slaves to the stereotypes that have been accepted so far, but to start thinking about change. A lot of work still needs to be done in order to support this development process. The success of integration is only achievable if they want it, because integration is a two-way process.I personally follow the motto that success is not in the time, place or circumstances, but in the person.

If you are an educational mediator and you want to be part of the “Network of Educational Mediators”, you can email us at: cor.amalipe.vt@abv.bg or join our Facebook page by clicking on this address – https://www.facebook.com/groups/331621514717494

Mediators must become a natural and full complement to the teaching team. They can, and should, work alongside teachers to sustainably integrate children into the education system who are at risk of dropping out of school.

Atanas Atanasov, coordinator of work with parents.