Knowledge is a value that can benefit not only the one who knows  but also the society in which he lives. Learning, in addition to acquiring new knowledge, is a time for exchange of values, life experience, worldview. Thus the process of learning creates community and new opportunities.

The NGO House is an initiative of BCNL launched in 2015. We created it with the belief that there is a need for space for work and cooperation between active citizens and non-governmental organizations. Over the years, the House has gradually established itself as a place where activists from different spheres and organizations share experience and ideas, create, celebrate success, seek together solutions to various challenges, set beginnings.

In 2017, we decided that it was time to add something else to  this colorful palette of experiences and shared satisfaction and joy. This is how we launched a training program aimed at building the capacity of people working in the civil sector on two crucial topics - human resource management and accounting. And while in the field of human resources there are universal principles and methodologies that are equally suited to the business as well as to the non-governmental sector, the accountancy requires specific knowledge and, above all, long-term practical experience. The trainings were of great interest, which motivates us to think of and plan a richer and upgrading the gained knowledge program.

Thus, in October this year, the autumn training program of the NGO House started, and will end in a few days. It is divided into three modules and each module - in three training sessions that take place once a month.

The first module is led by Slava Krusteva, who has many years of experience in managing teams and organizations and the sessions are on the following topics: Communication, Decision Making, Conflicts and Mediation. The tips that Slava gives to the attendees are practical and are extremely useful in communicating both in and outside the working environment.

Effective Facebook advertising is the topic of the second module with lecturer Boyana Stoilova, a digital marketing specialist who has worked for many Bulgarian and international brands. Boyana has built the content of the three sessions so that it is understandable and useful to all who need to communicate in an interesting and effective way their present activity, future activities and achievements so that they reach a larger audience and gain new followers.

The third training module presented the topic of NGO accounting and its specificities arising from the activities and the particularities of the financing and the management of funds in this sector. The lecturer is Elena Kalinova – a financial expert at 2MS Consulting Ltd. and BCNL accountant. She shares practical advice on the recruitment of staff and the types of contracts to be concluded, on reporting in project financing and on the accounting of the business activity of non-profit organizations.

We are happy to note that all the three modules enjoy wide interest. Most of the people, that have subscribed, have chosen to visit all the three sessions of the respective module, and the feedback about the lecturers and the quality of the presented content is positive. All this gives us reason to think and work with even more motivation for the upcoming spring training program. We aim to attract new adherents to the House of NGOs which to recognize it as a special place for people and organizations who have the courage and the will to change the world around them through the power of knowledge.

We thank our lecturers Slava Krasteva, Boyana Stoilova and Elena Kalinova for being part of the community and the spirit of the House and for sharing their knowledge in order to develop the civil energy in Bulgaria!