Help Today Hope Tomorrow - Bulgaria
Objectives of the Project
The objective of the project is to establish
sustainable vocational training workshops, for disadvantaged youths,
with the eventual aim of socially integrating the youths.
Brief Outline of the activities of the projects
The activities in Bulgaria comprise 3 main areas,
these are:
1. Establishing vocational training workshops, through
art therapy in the orphanages
2. In the orphanages for older children offering professional
education, supplying the other orphanages with essential items such as
beds, cots, bedding, pyjamas etc
3. Establishment of satellite workshops, for the older children once
they leave the
orphanages in order to socially integrate and offer
the opportunity of employment.
Establishing Vocational training workshops through art
therapy
To induct a new orphanage into the project we offer a
series of seminars as detailed below.
Goal: Forum for Disadvantage Groups in order to assist
Social Integration of the members of those groups
Activities:
1. In the 1stYear to be held 3-4 "smaller" seminars in
each nucleus. Each seminar will include:
· Three new participants from disadvantage
groups will be invited to join the project during each "smaller"
seminar.
· Staff development and training will be
nurtured on the first day by introducing them to the ethos and business
ethics of the project.
· The second day, being more practical the
three new participants will be attending workshops, accommodating for
the next season, in various fields
2. One "larger" seminar in the local area in the end
of the 1st year, where all the participants from the region will be
invited, as well as all nucleus coordinators. The main aspects will be:
· During the first day the participants will
present their reports.
· During the second half of the first day,
third parties will share their observation.
· During the second day the coordinator will
present a SWOT report for the achievements
During the second half of the second day there will be training on the
problems highlighted by the feedback from the previous reports.
· To encourage regular meetings (i.e. seminars) to exchange
contact details and to nurture self-governing ethics.
· To encourage regular contacts with different stalls and places
selling the production, to supply printed material and good quality
produce to be sold
· To encourage their participation at the seminars.The way the
seminars will act as a catalyst are as follows:
1. Education - business and practical
2. Competitions
3. Social empathy encouraged through greater participation.
4. Information exchange.
In the orphanages for older children (SUPZ) offering
professional education, supplying the other orphanages with essential
items such as beds, cots, bedding, pyjamas etc
The project encourages the children from the SUPZ’s,
which have a bigger production capacity to take orders for the benefit
of other homes including the smaller social homes, adults, elderly
peoples homes and Day Centres.
Example of the above include the SUPZ Varna supplying
beds, mattresses, bedding for the equivalent of ?35 for a smaller home
in the same area called Rudnik.
The activities for this phase include the following:
1. Accessing the needs of the other homes
2. Accessing the capacities of the SUPZs
3. Costing the supply of the essential items
4. Ensuring suitable vocational training is available in the SUPZs
Establishment of satellite workshops, for the older
children once they leave the orphanages in order to socially integrate
and offer the opportunity of employment.
The project is directed to purposive groups of
children who are deprived from parent’s cares, children from
institutions, which doesn’t have possibilities for organisation of an
independent life. Children from vulnerable social and ethnical groups or
another risky social environment.
The fundamental characterization of these groups is
the lack of a possibility for work and education, low general condition
and qualification, chaotic family life, bad hygiene, insufficient
income, shortage of motivation for independence, shortage of public
conditions for their development and integration.
The fundamental idea is to establish an interstitial
section which has to provide organizing of life and service, including
delivery of food and satisfying of the daily needs in a close to the
family background conditions and a labour and professional realisation.
Activities
· To provide work for satellite workshops, producing according the
qualification and possibilities of the child and a possibility for
professional education.
· To arrange a way of life for each child which nurtures social
integration.
· To provide daily social-pedagogical work in the group by individual
planes depending on the problems.
· To emulate conditions for social inclusion and reintegration in the
community.
Benefits of the Project
Establishing Vocational training workshops through art
therapy
Purpose: 
· To strengthen and co-ordinate partnerships
· We anticipate the following groups to benefit
· Disadvantage groups
· Staff development
· SocietyOutputs:
· Staff development and training.
· Cross-fertilization of knowledge.
· Seminars to act as catalyst to the forum.The project has been
established since the Autumn of 1999, currently with the assistance of
DFID funding there are now 23 orphanages participating with an average
number of orphanages per home of say 80 culminating in 1840 orphans
directly benefiting from the seminars.
Testimonials from Directors of Homes (as per the
original translation)
Analysis of the achieved results regarding the labor
therapeutically activity at the Home for Mentally Retarded Children and
Youths town of Mesdra as per a project of BHAGAVAT Educational Trust for
the period between 20.04.2001 and 25.10.2002.
The development of labour therapy by means of BAGAVAT
Educational Trust at the Home for Mentally Retarded Children and Youths
in the town of Mesdra started in the month of April 2001 and was
financed initially by 1100 BG leva needed for machinery /the funds were
spent on buying 2 pieces sewing machines/ and 1311 BG leva on materials.
Thanks to the support of BAGAVAT Educational Trust the labour therapy
at the Home for Mentally Retarded Children and Youths acquired
professional character as for the material and education. It becomes
possible the development of activities at a good level /tailoring/. Good
financial results were achieved. The profits up to this moment amounts
to 1500 BG leva.
Galia Tzvetanova - director
R E P O R T ON THE WORK OF THE HOME FOR MENTALLY
RETARDED CHILDREN SAINT EKATERINA, VILLAGE OF ISKRA, REGION OF BURGAS AS
PER THE PROJECT “HELP TODAY – HOPE FOR TOMORROW”
SAINT EKATERINA Home for Mentally Retarded Children,
village of Iskra is an establishment for mentally retarded children at
the age ranging from 3 to 18 years. It was established in 1961. The
establishment is designed for 61 children. Almost all the children have
no parents or have been abandoned by them to be more precise, what is a
situation rather unfamiliar with the other states.
I have been working for a long time with these children and I am very
familiar with their problems. That’s why I felt obliged to seek
different ways, organizations, foundations and people feeling involved
with children’s problems and wanting to help them to survive in their
not an easy life.
It was a great pleasure to take part in the joint
Bulgarian-English project HELP TODAY – HOPE FOR TOMORROW, in spite of
being a little more skeptical because we have not known whether our
children would be able to cope with the assigned tasks. I offered to Mr.
Paul Baron to include us in the project as an entertaining labour
therapy, just in order to diversify the routine life of our children. He
agreed to our suggestion and we took part in the initiative from the
very beginning – the autumn of 1999. We accepted the financial and moral
support of BAGAVAT Educational Trust represented by Mr.Baron.
We equipped a specialized room for labour therapy, bought the
machinery and materials needed. We trained three labour therapeutics at
a purposely-organized seminar, which took place from 12 until 14 October
1999 on a subject “Organization and forms of the labour therapy”. At
this seminar the establishments participating in the project exchanged
experience.
The first group at our Home, which was formed for entertaining labour
therapy, included 10 children. They made paintings of sequins, straws,
and natural materials. It was a pleasure for them to work out articles
from mussels: little frogs, rabbits, swans, rapana, vases, etc. They
also drew ceramic articles. Their first attempts were timorous; the
articles made by them were not well-elaborated but gradually children
mastered the way and technology and started working more independently.
A little later the children got also acquainted with drawing on silk. At
a two-day seminar which took place at the Social school in the village
of Bata the labour therapeutics from Saint Mina Children’s centre for
social rehabilitation, city of Sofia explained and showed the method and
the whole technology of drawing on silk.
The whole labour therapy provides children with great pleasure and a
lot of emotions. Together with this they acquire a lot of skills and
habits, a sense of aesthetic and beauty, and their movements’
synchronization develops, the labour therapeutical process becomes
steadier. The reputation of the establishment has improved also as a
whole. The Burgas Association for marketing development, represented by
Mrs Borislava Simova contributed a lot to all this. They are our
coordinator under the project.
The funds from the sold articles are being invested in materials and
one part is being set aside for children’s stimulation in the form of
prizes, excursions, etc. This year they went to excursion to the town of
Varna and visited the dolphinarium and the zoo place. They were very
satisfied and happy.
It is very encouraging that more and more children wish to participate
in the labour therapeutically activities. It means that the project has
not to stop and finish but has to further develop and improve, new and
alternative forms have to be searched for, an exchange between the
different establishments has to be exchanged, exhibitions and bazaars to
be organized.
In the beginning of the project the problems were of quite different
nature: lack of suitable building, facilities, children’s and educator’s
fear whether they will cope with the assigned obligations and tasks,
etc. Nevertheless the desire to take part in something new, unknown, to
diversify the gray routine of our children was stronger and helped to
beat the fear. We further met comprehension on behalf of the whole
personnel, obtained the support of the Municipal service for social
support in the town of Karnobat and the Municipal service for social
support in the town of Burgas. The project started successfully,
developed well and a good synergetic effect was achieved. We would not
realize everything by ourselves and achieve these results. The project
has not to stop and finish up to here. It contributes to the better
integration and socialization of our children. Furthermore our
establishments become more popular among the society. The barrier and
fear between children and educators was broken and today they are good
friends sharing everything about the work and life. Now our children are
already more self-assured in their actions, more happy and cheerful for
being able to make articles and objects by their own, which are well
appreciated. We thank cordially to the organizers of project “Help today
– hope for tomorrow” and personally to Mr.Paul Baron, that we together
succeeded to return the joy and smile to these kind children. The world
is for everybody, dear people!
Director of SAINT EKATERINA Home /S.Chaneva/
INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORK AS PER THE PROJECT “HELP
TODAY – HOPE FOR TOMORROW” OF RELIEF SCHOOL WITH BOARDING HOUSE VASIL
LEVSKI, TOWN OF SREDETZ, MUNICIPALITY OF BURGAS
VASIL LEVSKI Relief School with boarding house, town
of Sredetz was included in the project “Help today – hope for tomorrow”
due to the fact that in the recent years the school has outlined against
the specialized school establishments by its success in the school and
labour activity.
Every year about 50 children take part in the work. Up to the present
the number of children that have worked under the project together with
those ones completed 8th grade exceeds 75 students.
We thank once again Mr.Baron that he took a lot of pains to train our
teams. The results from this training were demonstrated several times up
to now.
We got over the following kind of difficulties until this moment:
1.We studied to work in a better way and to present our articles
in good aesthetic aspect.
2. We studied to produce by making fewer expenses for materials.
3. We work and do our best in order to know what the market
demands, in what quantity a given article could be produced, at what
prices the article could be sold.
Getting over these and many other difficulties in the process of work
we engaged other colleagues and students who involved in the project,
which is only of use for children. What did the school and students
acquire up to the realization of the project.
1. With the beginning of the project the most needed machinery,
tools and materials were bought in order to start working during a
difficult for the country period by using quite insufficient funds.
2. Teachers were trained; the heads of the labour therapy teams
and students developed and expanded their knowledge.
3. Teachers and students acquired further confidence in their
capacity.
4. The students obtained opportunity to better prove themselves in
the chosen by them profession by working.
5. The Ministry of Education, The Ministry of Social Works, The
Regional Inspectorate, and Non-governmental organizations learnt more
about our school and students.
According to us the project achieved good results in
the Republic of Bulgaria thanks to:
1. The constant support, showing the right direction for our
activity by the head of the project Mr. Baron assisted by Kathy Fox.
2. The stubbornness of Mrs.Lambova and Mr.Valchev in the work from
the first year up to now gave results. The work continued successfully
regarding the coordination between us, the work with new ideas, the work
at the market for selling the articles by Mrs Borislava Simova, to whom
we have to thank cordially too.
3. We owe our success not at last place to the good atmosphere and
mutual assistance between the participants in the project. Why not
mention the spirit of rivalry created between us.
We wish ourselves to find opportunity to pay the labour of the
therapeutics for the lecture’s hours or assure them a per cent of the
sold production.
Director: Hr. Kovachev
ABOUT THE WORK AS PER THE PROJECT “HELP TODAY, HOPE
TOMORROW” OF NATIONAL CENTER FOR SOCIAL REHABILITATION, DAY CENTER
“ST.NIKOLAI- TCHUDOTVORETZ” TOWN OF BURGAS
After the first sales we analyzed the market demand 
and
on this basis we replaced our supply with other articles and introduced
new techniques. We continuously strive to diversify the range of
products with something new. We continued to draw on:
O Shawl from chiffon;
O Ceramic, glass-ware and china articles;
O Elaborating pictures by means of pastels, water-colours, oils,
tempering and acryl paints;
O Elaborating cards, boxes, agendas and picture’s frames from
recycled paper;
O Dolls elaborating;
O Elaborating of clay figures;
O Elaborating of packing bags
Sonya Georgieva, who is a specialist in the art therapy, copes with
this activity basically. She develops the ideas, techniques and
supervises the whole process connected with the activity’s fulfillment.
We work with children individually and in groups. Our colleagues -
social workers take part in the group work. The art therapeutics works
with 10 children individually. The interest is stronger in drawing
regardless of the technique used. The cabinet is the favorite place of
children. They go there with a lot of affection and interest. They study
to create, to model, to master different techniques for drawing. A part
of the rehabilitation program comprising a development of fine movements
and space orientation, which is individually develop for each child, is
being effected with a great pleasure and ease.
The articles elaborated by children are possible thanks to the help of
our colleagues from the centre under the control of Sonya. They all keep
the requirements for precision and quality performance. The effect is
apparent after the sales are made.
We are satisfied with what was achieved because the art therapy is not
our core activity but a part of what Centre offers. Thanks to the sales
we have a return on investment allowing us to buy materials needed for
the work, as well as the equipment of the cabinet for curative physical
education. This allows us not to interrupt the classes in art therapy
due to financial troubles.
By the funds granted we bought all kinds of paints, ceramic and
glass-ware articles, silk and other materials. The income from sales
from the very beginning up to the moment amounts to 1430 BG leva. They
are kept in record in the cash-desk of the children’s centre and are
being used for buying materials for the further activity and tools
necessary for centre equipment (Didactical materials for a logopaedist’s
office, elaboration of a device for Curative physical training, etc.).
We have not met problems regarding the project, on the contrary due to
it we received further funds at the centre, which are basically designed
for the art therapy.
According to my colleagues and me, it will be good if all done till
this moment continues to develop in the same way, with the same ambition
and enthusiasm.
For us the project is useful not only for its educational but also
training purposes.
30 October 2002 Written by: Stefka Todorova
INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORK AS PER THE PROJECT “HELP
TODAY, HOPE TOMORROW” OF NATIONAL CENTER FOR SOCIAL REHABILITATION, DAY
CENTER “ST.MINA” TOWN OF SOFIA
Before taking part in the project “Help today, hope
tomorrow” Saint Mina Children’s centre had taken part in the project
under the name “Integrated education of physically and sense injured
children”. It started from the month of December, 1998 and continued
till March, 1999.
On the basis of this project Saint Mina Children’s centre accumulated
experience regarding the activities, which are useful for the children
and the market needs.
Drawing on silk and elaborating figures from sequins proved to be
extremely useful for the development of the fine movements of children.
Due to this reason the last two activities remain basic in the
children’s art therapy.
Since the autumn of 1999 we have been included in the project “Help
today – hope for tomorrow”. Thanks to the Burgas Association for Market
Development the first sales of already drawn pictures were made and new
ideas regarding the quality and distribution of children’s articles were
given.
For a period of three years about 40 children took part in the
elaboration of children’s article. Two people have worked with children.
ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT ON
CHILDREN
The basic working purpose is the improvement of knowledge, the motive
and social development of children.
Children with motor disturbances, but intellectually preserved
obtained an opportunity to express their internal world by means of
their pictures.
The intellectually retarded children confirmed their knowledge about
colours. On the other hand the emotional impact was basic for them.
It was a challenge to get over the fear from new activities working
with children having autism and multiple injuries.
The Children’s centre is not aiming at the preparation for
professional realization.
PROBLEMS
The children’s centre does not report problems connected with a
coordinator, a municipality or a normative base. The basic problem is
the extremely slow speed of elaborating the articles. Children take part
in their elaboration. The colleagues form only the packing and the
prices of what is elaborated. We are not able to prepare a greater offer
of different articles for less than 1 month.
THE GREATEST SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT IS THE CHANGE IN
THE SOCIETY AS FOR THE ACCEPTANCE AND DESIRE TO SUPPORT CHILDREN WITH
INJURIES AND IN UNEQUAL SOCIAL STATUS.
R.Dafova
Saint Mina Children’s centre
30 October 2002
In the orphanages for older children (SUPZ) offering
professional education, supplying the other orphanages with essential
items such as beds, cots, bedding, pyjamas etc
The benefits of the above include the following:
1. The children from the SUPZ homes acquire, gain and
practice vocational skills
2. The orders are cost effective to the end user
3. The receiving homes obtain the benefit in a timely and efficient
fashion.
4. A viable alternative to sending aid runs to Bulgaria
5. Cost effective for other charities.
Establishment of satellite workshops, for the older
children once they leave the orphanages in order to socially integrate
and offer the opportunity of employment
With this phase of the project we would hope to reach
effective social inclusion by averting the risk from vagrancy and
influence from the negative surroundings. We are hoping to create
conditions for the development of the child’s potential. The child will
be given social support in a tranquil and healthy environment a
substitute for the family and at the same time introduce the children to
the other children in the community.
The benefits of this phase we envisage will include
those above and also:
1. Employment of personal:
§ Social workers – 3 persons
§ Specialist professional education – 1 person
§ Cleaner /Hospital attendant/ - 1 person
§ For producing section /working shops/:- 2 persons
§ Workers / accommodated children/ - 15 persons
2. Social integration of the Children
3. The opportunity for these children to become self-sufficient.
4. Less of a burden on the Taxpayer.
My role in the particular Project
My involvement with the project is very much at a
strategic level, as well as the short term I ensure that the project
complies with our overall International Strategy. It is very important
to the charity that the ethos of establishing vocational training
workshops for disadvantaged groups is applied. Despite the fact that
each country is different we very much rely on the fact that lesson
learnt in one country can benefit the project in another. Consequently a
very important role of mine is to learn from other projects in different
countries and to apply this knowledge to other countries. Often this
entails pre-empting problems that already have been encounted in other
projects and ensuring solutions are available.
The ‘Modus-operandi’ of the charity is to work in
conjunction with other organizations in order to avoid the duplication
of scarce resources. Part of my duties include research in to suitable
partners for such projects. An example of this is working very closely
with BHAM, which specialises in Marketing and Accountancy. Our aim will
be to implement all three stages.
The projects undertaken by the charity, in order to
achieve sustainability and maximize the return to the project; adopt
business ethics and policies. Such policies include synergy, economies
of scale, opportunity costing etc. Again my role entails ensuring that
the charity maximizes its scarce resources, furthermore I am for this
project in charge of all expenditure and oversee on a regular basis the
budget.
To summarize my role in this particular project
includes the following:
· Ensure at all times that the ethos of the charity is adhered
too.
· Comply with the legislation of that Country
· Undertake research regarding the project, in particular locating
suitable partner organizations.
· To ensure adequate funding is available, incompliance with
budget and to investigates reasons for deviances from the budget.
· To pre-empt potentially problematic areas and ensure that there
is a viable solution.
· To ensure that the projects adhere to our overall International
strategic planning.
