The International SOFT Federation (ISF) has arised from
co-operation for over ten years between the Hungarian SOFT and
the Netherlands SOFT Tulip foundations aiming at the
improvement of health care and welfare services in behalf of
children and youngsters with disabilities primarily in Hungary. As
an outcome of this co-operation, a network came into being
encompassing Dutch, Hungarian and Romanian NGOs. The further
development of this network and the involvement of new NGO
partners has effectively been stimulated by the European Union
through financial support to the PHARE LIEN INTEPNet-Coop
project which has been designed by the two SOFT foundations and
implemented by them in co-operation with the Romanian Caritas
Satu Mare in East Hungary/North-West and Mid Romania during
the years 2000-2001. This project affected about 1000 families in 17
communities, moreover between thousand and fifteen hundred care
professionals, whereas nearly 450 experts and parents of children
with special needs were directly involved in training programmes.
The participants in the INTEPNet-Coop project realised that
sustainable development of the health care and welfare services
presupposes effective collaboration of NGOs not only within one
country, but also in the whole region. Therefore, at the closing
INTEPNET-Coop conference they have signed a Letter of Intent
expressing their will to develop further their co-operation. Based
on this document, subsequently a Foundation Assembly has
established the International SOFT Federation.