From May 23 to June 1, 2026, the village of Dolni Rakovets hosted the international youth exchange “Green Skills,” organized by the “Za Utre” Foundation in Blagoevgrad. Sixteen young people from Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Serbia participated in the project, including seven young people with intellectual disabilities. The initiative was implemented with the support of the Erasmus+ program and aimed to develop practical green skills, promote volunteering, and create opportunities for social and labor inclusion.
For ten days, the participants lived, learned, and worked together, acquiring knowledge and skills in the fields of sustainable agriculture, permaculture, and eco-construction. The young people participated in hands-on activities such as building a composting system, creating a permaculture garden, producing eco-friendly bricks from natural materials, and constructing a miniature model of a treehouse.
The project was implemented in partnership with the organizations “Zelena Doba” from Serbia and “Natural Perspective” from North Macedonia. The collaboration between the partners demonstrated that international youth exchanges can successfully combine environmental education and social inclusion. The main goal of our youth exchanges is to develop and test models for the social and labor market inclusion of young people with special educational needs, which can subsequently be used by other organizations as well,” said Borislav Slavchov, an organizer and trainer with the “For Tomorrow” Foundation.
In addition to practical skills, participants gained valuable experience in teamwork, intercultural communication, and mutual support. Volunteers from the three countries worked side by side with young people with special educational needs and had the opportunity to overcome stereotypes and prejudices through direct communication and collaboration.
As part of the program, the young people also took part in a volunteer initiative at the Institute for Ecological Construction in Dolni Rakovets. They worked on landscaping the area, creating compost, designing a permaculture garden, and building demonstration ecological facilities.
Among the highlights of the project were the cultural evenings of the three partner countries, which gave participants the opportunity to learn about the traditions, history, and culture of their neighbors. To mark May 24, the young people carved Glagolitic letters from wood and learned more about the work of Saints Cyril and Methodius and the significance of the Bulgarian alphabet for the Slavic people. “The young people with special educational needs demonstrated their potential and proved that they can successfully work, learn, and develop alongside their peers. The practical skills they have acquired will be useful for their future social and labor market integration,” added Borislav Slavchev.
The “Green Skills” project was implemented with the support of the Radomir Municipality and the mayor’s office of the village of Dolni Rakovets. The initiative is part of the “For Tomorrow” Foundation’s long-term mission to create sustainable models for non-formal education, volunteering, and social inclusion of young people with special educational needs.
The “Za Utre” Foundation – Blagoevgrad works to improve the quality of life for people with special educational needs and to ensure their full participation in public life. The organization promotes the exchange of best practices, supports families, and creates opportunities for the development and fulfillment of young people.