Students Campaign for Safe Internet Wins NGO Academy 2026
The grand prize at the NGO Academy 2026 was awarded to the campaign on the topic of safe internet, which impressed the jury with a creative approach to engaging young people and effective proposals for communication on the topic of online risks and digital culture. The winning team received a prize of 2000 euros for the implementation of the idea, which demonstrated real potential for development, with the partner organizations expressing their readiness for additional support and joint work on its upgrade.
NGO Academy 2026, a joint project of NGO Portal, New Bulgarian University and The Convo Foundation, took place from 2 to 5 April at NBU. Over the course of four days, five teams of students from different majors worked on real-life case studies provided by leading civil society organizations – Association of European Journalists – Bulgaria, Institute for Development of the Public Environment, Eyes on Four Paws Foundation, People’s Community Centers Foundation and the National Safer Internet Center.
The cause of the National Safer Internet Center was presented by a consortium including Bulgarian Family Planning Association (BFPA), National Network for Children and Parents Association, which jointly support the Center’s activities. During the event, our colleagues from BFPA, Dr. Radosveta Stamenkova and Pavlina Filipova, also actively participated, working with the student teams and sharing their expertise on the topic.
During the first days, participants received guidance and context from the organizations, after which they continued their work under the mentorship of creative industry experts Ivan Popov – Zaeka and Rado Radev.
The final of the Academy took place on Palm Sunday and brought together all participants to present the developed campaigns. All teams demonstrated creativity, a deep understanding of social issues and practical solutions.
Non-governmental organizations are a key driver of social development – they work on a wide range of social issues and have a significant role in ensuring transparency, accountability and actions in the public interest. Initiatives such as the NGO Academy create a sustainable connection between the civil sector and young people, encouraging their active participation and engagement.
Participation in the NGO Academy once again confirms the importance of cooperation between the civil sector and young people. The meeting of ideas, energy and experience creates sustainable solutions and inspiration for future initiatives in the public interest.