"Social Vulnerability Index"

Project contractor: ISI

Implementation period: December 2002 - December 2003

Source of funding: Own funds and volunteer work

Activities of the project: Data collection and data analysis from across the country, according pre-defined directions and basic concepts. Monitoring of risk groups, study of risk factors and evaluation of politics, policies and law.

The criteria for the Social Vulnerability Index have been defined. Techniques, technologies and mechanisms to assess these criteria have been set.

Compliance with the objectives of the organization: The project directly corresponds to the main objectives of the Institute. It actually monitors social vulnerability, studies the changes in values, in the processes of "social atomization" and stratification, in social and personal crises, in social exclusion and social inclusion of the contemporary Bulgarian society.

Results achieved: At the end of 2003 ISI announced the first results of its representative survey on "Public Image of Bulgarian Politicians". 807 people were interviewed, aged 18 and over, using the direct semi-standardized interview method. The survey is representative for the adult population in Bulgaria. The results were published in ISI Newsletter. The main conclusions directly demonstrate the necessity of an informal, supplementary training for the young politicians - a real need that corresponds to the project itself. The results from the survey were presented at a roundtable in December.

The study confirmed the understanding of the Institute's team that Bulgarians want a different honesty in politics, a different type of professionalism and a different type of personalities - not in terms of age restrictions or replacement of people but a different  approach (responsible, professional, dialogical and sensible) in the implementation of social commitments.