A new study conducted as part of the Erasmus+ MindnArt project reveals important data on stress levels among students in Bulgaria and other European countries. The main objective of this study, in which Values, Virtues, Integrity Foundation and 90 Secondary Educational School ‘General José de San Martin’, Sofia, actively participated, was to assess the distribution of stress among students and to identify the main factors affecting their mental health.

In the first podcast episode, part of the Erasmus+ project Step into Branding, Natalia Kirilova, entrepreneur and digital marketing expert with over 20 years of experience, explains how NGOs and educational organizations can build a strong and sustainable brand, even with limited resources. Branding, she notes, is not a luxury but a key mechanism for trust, affecting visibility, partnerships, funding, and the overall impact of any organization.

In the second podcast, part of the Erasmus + project Step into Branding, our guest is Silvia Nikolova, journalist, PR and marketing expert active in education, media literacy, and social causes. The central message is clear: sustainable communication starts with truth. Good communication, she says, is “hygienic” – accurate, honest, and free of sensationalism. Mission-driven and promotional communication differ only in purpose, not in ethics. Embellished stories may create short-term attention but inevitably damage trust.

The guest in the third episode of the “Step into Branding” podcast is professor Ivanka Mavrodieva, a media and commnications lecturer at Sofia University “St Kliment Ohridski” and rhetoric expert, creator of the podcast “The Orator of the 21st Century” and founder of the Institute of Rhetoric and Communications. With extensive academic and practical experience in rhetoric, strategic communication, and digital formats, she discusses how non-profit and educational organizations can build a sustainable and recognizable brand, even with limited resources.

This episode of the podcast Step into Branding is dedicated to the power of branding and communication as tools for social change, with a focus on the visibility and inclusion of people with disabilities. The guest is Stephan Viet – a digital marketer, activist, and co-founder of The Variant, the first hybrid communication agency in Bulgaria led by people with diverse abilities. From the very beginning, it becomes clear that the conversation will not be theoretical, but deeply personal and practical, grounded in Stefan’s real-life experience as a person with a disability and a professional in the field of communications.

Screens have become an integral part of children's everyday lives. From television and tablets to smartphones and social media, digital devices are increasingly shaping how children learn, communicate, play and interact with others.

But how does this growing exposure affect children's development?

Research suggests that the impact of screens is complex. It depends not only on how much time children spend in front of screens, but also on their age, the type of content they consume, the context in which screens are used and the quality of interaction with parents and other adults.