The Bulgarian iCentres are the focal points for access to information services, development of ICT skills and competence, and promotion of local business values. They function on national, regional, local, and individual levels to consolidate and distribute education and other information and services from/to citizens. The aim is for them to become the “blood” system for nation-wide projects and initiatives aiming to reach all citizens by the means of information and communication technologies and provision of ICT skills, as well as to establish high level standards for effective use of computers and communications all over the country. 

By 2009, the network of iCentres will expand and mature to develop citizens’ ICT skills and competence and provide affordable access to computers and information for all Bulgarian citizens. The project will contribute to the convergence of the civil and information society to a level meeting the European criteria for the knowledge based society and economy in the part related to access to information and ICT services as well as developing ICT skills and competence. Its social role will involve contributing to e-Inclusion by using innovative learning methods and modern ICTs for integration and professional realization of specific target groups at local level: minority representatives, representatives of vulnerable and marginalized groups, people with disabilities, seniors, participation of women in the Information Society.  In order to achieve the above, the iCentres Project has defined the following goals and objectives:

Goal 1: Develop citizens’ skills and competence relevant to the knowledge based society and economy

Concrete steps to be taken towards its implementation:

Technology base:

The iCentres network possesses a developed technology base allowing provision of various ICT-based trainings in every spot of the network. It includes broadband connectivity, modern computer and multimedia equipment in every iCenter, a sophisticated server system, a real-time communication system as well as a specifically designed Mobile iCentre fully equipped with state-of-the-art technology. For practical and financial feasibility purposes, the equipment is not the cheapest, nor the most expensive one – a good long-term investment.

In 2005, under the so-called Microsoft project, we created a class server park with an e-learning system which enables the provision of distance education and training, and testing to thousands of trainees simultaneously:

• All 47 000 civil servants (45 000 administrative employees and 2 000 magistrates) who have been trained so far in Core ICT Skills have also completed their final course tests on the class server. Approximately another 1 000 civil servants have completed further online expert training courses.
• More than 55 000 civil servants took tests in anti-corruption practices for a period of 2 months only. Since 2005, a total of 100 000 user accounts have been created for training or testing purposes.

e-Skills Curriculum:

The iCentres e-Skills training program is based on Microsoft’s Unlimited Potential learning curriculum. In 2005, it was localized in Bulgarian thus reaching closer to the average Bulgarian citizen and providing better opportunities for raising the general ICT skills level of the local communities. 

In addition, the iCentres Association was given the European Computer Driving License training materials along with the rights for provision of ECDL training and certification of 2 000 Bulgarian magistrates by ECDL-Bulgaria. We were further provided with training materials and were granted the rights for provision of IT Card training and certification of 11 000 Bulgarian state administration employees by the European Software Institute. Issuing internationally recognized ICT Skills licenses has raised the trust of the network in the provided training and certification services, this being for many an additional stimulus to embarking on such ICT training courses now that Bulgaria is a member of the European Union.

The iCentres Project also works closely with Cisco for the provision of Cisco Certified Network Academy (CCNA) courses for the iCentre Managers. We have 5 registered regional Cisco branches authorized to provide trainings (to iCentre clients as well) and issue certificates, thus raising the expertise level of ICT skills locally to higher levels.

The Telecentres Project started as a joint initiative of the Bulgarian Government and the United Nations Development Program - Bulgaria. It was initiated in December 2003 and officially launched in April 2004. The project is implemented following the UNDP policies and procedures. The institution which has assumed the role of both the Executing and Implementing Agency of the project is the State Agency for IT and Communications (SAITC). In its capacity of the above, it decides and controls (in cooperation with UNDP) the project budget spending, as well as promotes project activities among Bulgarian institutions and businesses, and monitors the project.  

One of the most important activities of the iCentres is the provision of comprehensive training to different audiences. The iCentres started to develop their training potential after a number of initiatives to train the iCentre Managers in places. Later, the scope of the iCentres training activities expanded and included new audiences, such as public officials and representatives of different social groups (disadvantaged people, Roma, unemployed, seniors, etc.). In the same time the iCentres started to develop their training capacity by organizing train-the-trainers sessions in order to establish and maintain a pool of professional instructors and by elaborating innovative training programs and facilities.  

In 2005, with a view to better answer the dynamic and fast changing reality in the ICT sector in Bulgaria, a non-profit organization called iCentres Association was established with Bulgarian government entities as its founders (the Ministry of Transport, the State Agency for IT and Communications, Bulgarian Posts and the Ministry of State Administration and Administrative Reform). The iCentres Association serves as the legal representation of the Telecentres Project in Bulgaria and is envisaged to act as the successor in right of the established network.

The establishment of the iCentres Association as a separate legal entity allowed licensing the iCentres by the National Agency for Vocational Education and Training as a network of training venues, possessing the necessary qualified staff and the relevant training facilities. Currently, UNDP-Bulgaria has started transferring the Telecentres Project activities to the iCentres Association – the iCentres Project.  

In 2005, the project expanded its training centres with yet another type – a Mobile iCentre. It is a bus fully equipped with modern ICT technologies and provided with satellite internet connectivity whose aim is to travel to the remote and underdeveloped regions in Bulgaria and serve as a training and testing ICT centre. Acting as a predecessor of the information society in the underdeveloped regions, we consider the Mobile Telecenter as an important instrument for the development of knowledge based society in Bulgaria.   

In April 2005, the Project was recognized as a partner in the international ICT Skills Development Programme of Microsoft. It was granted the implementation of the programme for Bulgaria – the so called Microsoft Unlimited Potential (MSUP) Project - which is directly monitored by the headquarters of Microsoft and UNDP in the USA. Using the MSUP project resources, the full cycle for providing training in ICT skills has been developed. The Unlimited Potential (MS UP) learning curriculum for ICT skills training has been localized in Bulgarian language ensuring that the training is accessible to all citizens. Further, an e-learning system allowing provision of distance education has been developed. And last but not least, a pool of 450 instructors has been created. In 2006, the iCentres Association, in its capacity of the forthcoming successor in right of the Telecentres Project, signed a 3-year contract with Microsoft for the provision of ICT Skills training of various target groups throughout Bulgaria. These include socially disadvantaged groups such as unemployed, persons with disabilities, seniors (aged 55+), orphans, etc. This contract clearly marks the project’s maturity to realize various long-term public-private partnerships securing its self-sustainability but above all it emphasizes its high social responsibility. 

In 2006, the Project developed and implemented the largest Bulgarian training project – the so called iGovernment project whose goal is to increase the capacity of the Bulgarian administration and the qualification of the public officials. The Bulgarian Ministry of State Administration and Administrative Reform and the Institute for Public Administration and European Integration are the Government partners under the project. The iGovernment Project expanded in 265 locations (every Bulgarian municipality) to organize and maintain the established pool of 450 instructors in 2,500 classes in less than a year. In 2006 23,000 administrative employees were trained on site in core ICT skills in 2006. We succeeded to introduce the principle of continuous education by providing materials, exams, and course management electronically. In 2007, another 22 000 civil servants have been trained under the project. e-Learning is now a regular component of the iGovernment project implementation with a request for 2008 to become the main instrument for training the state administration. 

An example of the international recognition of the value and potential of the iCentres Project is the fact that in end-2004 the Korean Government donated USD 300 000 for the establishment of an iCentre in Sofia. Currently, the Bulgaria-Korea Internet Plaza is our largest training centre with 60 work places with modern equipment and demonstrating top technologies (a plasma screen, 2 internet kiosks).  

In 2007, the iCentres Project became a member of Telecentres.Europe - the European movement of telecentres, the iCentres Project Manager and Deputy Chair of the iCentres Association being the Chair of Telecentres.Europe’s Management Board. One of its tasks is consulting the European Commission on the issues and policies in e-Skills for Employability and e-Inclusion. 

Current trainings:

Apart from implementing the iGovernment Project, we are also conducting the following trainings:

• Magistrates – training and certification of another 2 000 magistrates in ECDL. The project aims at improvement of the justice system by increasing the capacity of the Bulgarian Judicial Administration through conducting ICT Training of judicial officials, creating a System for lifelong learning of the judicial administration, and testing the created  system by conducting on-line a pilot training program.
• Training of Unemployed. As a result of effective working relationships with the local Labour Office Directorates, currently more than 780 unemployed citizens are undergoing trainings locally which will empower them with skills necessary to better suit the knowledge based economy.
• Persons with physical disabilities – The iCentres Project works closely with the local Unions / Associations of the People with Disabilities for the realization of ICT training courses for their members. Currently, we are in the second stage of trainings provision with 75 persons undergoing Web Design. As already mentioned, the previous practice has demonstrated that these trainees achieve good results and can quickly realize their potential on the labour market.
• Orphans – as a result of the already established relations, 45 of the children who have already passed Basic IT Skills training are currently undergoing advanced courses. We are also conducting negotiations with other Orphanages in Bulgaria for multiplying these best practices providing the children with better life chances.
• Women – as a result of the established relations with women’s organizations, 115 women who at risk of losing or have already lost their jobs due to mass redundancies are undergoing ICT Skills training in economically underdeveloped regions in Bulgaria.
• Persons of Roma origin – the iCentres Association started in early January 2008 the training of 240 persons of Roma origin in 5 Bulgarian locations with high concentration of Roma communities.