Working with socially excluded Romani communities in central and eastern Europe: lessons from Bulgaria

The authors examine the main issues for organisations working with socially excluded communities in one country in central and eastern Europe, namely Bulgaria. The position of one disadvantaged social group, people from Romani communities, is critically examined. Responses by social policy and social work agencies are considered; in particular, attention is paid to the role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Key issues and challenges for NGOs are explored and some practical initiatives in Bulgaria are outlined based on recent fieldwork conducted by one of the authors. Examples of specific projects in Plovdiv and Targovishte are considered, along with a review of their achievements and shortcomings. The article concludes with an overview of the principal lessons to be learned form these recent initiatives.