Webinar: Launch of the report “I’m here for life” – Study visit on the (mis)use of EU funding to advance deinstitutionalisation in Bulgaria
When? 14th January 2025, 15:00-16:30 (Brussels time)
Who? Organised by ENIL and NIE
Where? Online, on zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_v18D5Ul9RUKPhuShwmioHA
ENIL and NIE conducted a study visit in October 2025 in the provice of Kyustendil, Bulgaria. The monitoring team visited three small group homes and two day-care centers in this area, and held multiple interviews with institution management and staff, residents, experts, persons with lived experience, the Equality Body, and representatives from the European Commission.
Following the study visit, a report has been produced, collecting the evidence of the study visit along with desk research to highlight the shortcomings of the current system and to produce a set of recommendations for the future. This report shows that too much European money is being invested in small group homes and day-care centers, and while the living conditions improve, independent living does not.
In this event, ENIL, NIE and our partners will share their experience producing this report, and provide an overview of deinstitutionalisation and EU funds in Bulgaria. We will explain why Bulgaria is not a successful example of deinstitutionalisation and which is the way forward from here.