24th MEB Conference - Budapest, 24.04.2026

Individual states are generally expected to protect and care for their citizens by creating and enforcing laws, supporting various underprivileged groups in society, and so on. However, governments often fail to provide sufficient and timely attention to different vulnerable groups, to resolve urgent social issues quickly, and to effectively address serious challenges in such critical areas. This is where individuals, community groups, and organisations step in, supporting and complementing governmental efforts through entrepreneurial, volunteer or other kinds of initiatives – sometimes even taking over certain social functions traditionally performed by state institutions. This paper analyses these processes and highlights good examples of two young people whose ideas and actions solve specific social problems in Bulgaria. Such initiatives foster civic responsibility, promote cohesion, and contribute to sustainable development.