The team of Health Activity and Technologies Institute is composed of specialists in the field of healthcare, social services, psychological support, development and project management in medical and social activities. The interest and experience of the experts in our team to innovative methods and new technologies will be applied to support social integration, personal and professional realization and expression in various spheres of life of disadvantaged people. We develop and implement programs in the field of patient care, prevention of physical and mental illnesses. Adherence to a healthy lifestyle, healthy environment, accustoming to healthy habits of adolescents in order to prevent socially significant diseases. We implement еducational policy with the aim of improving the skills, qualifications and integration of patients and their relatives. Stimulating the training and upgrading the knowledge of the risk groups with the aim of empowerment and full participation in the labour market and development of entrepreneurial skills.
Young people in Bulgaria are the most active users of ICTs. A large number of children and adolescents, including in Bulgaria, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, social isolation, impaired learning, struggle with anxiety, depression, sadness and other negative emotions.Social networks have certain risks that must be transmitted and educated, so that youth make responsible and healthy use of them. Increasingly, society focuses on improving the mental, emotional and physical well-being of young people and overcoming digital addiction so that they can use social media responsibly, respectfully and safely.
They do not exist in Bulgaria clear strategies for managing these impacts to answer the needs and priorities for better and safer internet for young people. We need to introduce a number of tools that include measures to protect and empower young people online. Cyberbullying achieves a larger audience than traditional bullying, since it occurs in the virtual space, where free expression is allowed without social control. Victimization related to cyberbullying has been associated with social and behavioral problems. Young people need: specialized training; raise awareness among the public and specialists; provision of trainings ; campaigns to change attitudes; to raise awareness among young people about cyberbullying as human rights violation; to inform of ways to combat cyberbullying in a non violent manner; promoting media literacy, analytical and critical thinking.
Author: HATI (Bulgaria)