Social and Vocational Adaptation

2005

At the end of 2004 the Foundation team looked into the situation of young people reaching the age of 18 who had to leave the social institutions where they were living. We wondered whether they were ready to face the challenges of independent living; whether we could assist them to be more successful in this difficult transition. Our research showed that most young people were leaving the social institutions without completing secondary education, without any specific vocational qualification, without an idea of what they were going to do for a living, where their home would be. For all of them having a job which would support them was of crucial significance. Our team decided that the Foundation was in a position to help young people learn the skills which would enable them to support themselves to earn a living. This is how our first project was initiated – Social and Vocational Adaptation – it was developed to address a serious need that was not considered by the national authorities.

Our initial effort was focused on the P. R. Slaveykov Children’s Home and later on the Hristo Botev and Assen Zlatarov Children’s Homes in Sofia were included in the project. Following detailed consultations with their educators, the young people chose vocational courses which would make them successful on the labor market. Over one calendar year 19 young people from the Sofia children’s homes took part in vocational courses of their choice: 6 in driving, 2 in computers, 4 in cookery, 1 in confectionery, 1 in beauty therapy, 2 in construction, 1 in massage, 1 in mathematics exam preparation, and 1 in English language. As part of their training our beneficiaries met people with similar professional interests, got to know a new environment, learned about different ways of looking at the world.  All of our trainees invested serious effort and acquired the self-esteem of people who are able to overcome challenges. By working together with the training organizations, job agencies and personal contacts, the Foundation assisted the young people in finding jobs.

It was decided that in addition to the above, as part of the project, two young boys from poor families and one disabled young woman would receive sponsorship to attend computer and beauty therapy courses respectively.

The total amount spent on the vocational training of 22 young people was 5052 Bulgarian leva.

2006

Over the year, 17 young people completed courses of their choice: 4 in driving, 2 in hospitality, 6 in cookery, 2 in hotel services, 1 in massage, 1 in mathematics exam preparation, and 1 in English language. Some of the young people leaving social institutions were assisted in finding jobs.  Over the two years of its existence, the project gained popularity among the young people who were about to start their independent lives. They learned that they could rely on our support for gaining a vocational qualification and for finding a job – two of the main prerequisites for a good start in life.

As part of the project, two more individuals coming from poor background were supported – a boy was sponsored to attend a driving course and a girl was sponsored to take a course in beauty therapy.

The total amount spent on the vocational training of 19 young people was 5780 Bulgarian leva.

2007

Over the year, 14 young people coming of age chose from a variety of training courses: 4 in driving, 7 in cookery, 1 in hairdressing, 1 in hospitality, 1 in manicure. The project was able to include young people from SOS Children’s Villages Bulgaria from the town of Sofia.

Together with the Partners Bulgaria Foundation we ran a seminar on the topic of “How to look for and find a job”. Participants were the young people from the Sofia social institutions who had already completed a training course. They acquired skills such as preparing a CV, a letter of motivation, and useful job interview techniques. The training tasks and role play contributed to raising the participants’ confidence on which they would have to rely in real life in the months to come.

We were able to support our trainees in finding jobs by relying on our network of job agencies, employers, friends, and contacts.

Young people from the P. R. Slaveykov, Hristo Botev and Assen Zlatarov children’s homes attended a personal development course entitled “Get to Know Yourself”. In the journey the participants extended the boundaries of their self-knowledge and became aware of their own responsibility in making the right choices. They discovered their positive qualities and valuable skills to help them fulfill their dreams.

The total amount spent on the vocational training of 14 young people was 6980 Bulgarian leva.

2008

Two young girls from the Hristo Botev home and SOS Children’s Villages Sofia successfully completed courses in massage.

The young people from the P. R. Slaveykov and Assen Zlatarov homes, and SOS Children’s Villages Sofia, who had completed cookery courses attended formal job interviews at the “Dobro” chain of restaurants in Sofia. Vasko was appointed Commis chef.

Three young men from the P. R. Slaveykov home started driving classes. Yanko received his driver’s license.

Five youngsters from the P. R. Slaveykov home in Sofia started cookery courses and three others started driving courses under the Creating my Own Life Project funded by the 2008 State Budget.

Under the I Can. On Equal Terms. Project, funded by BTK, three young people from the Vassil Petleshkov home in Bratsigovo completed courses in welding in the town of Plovdiv.

The total amount spent on the vocational training of 16 young people was 6049 Bulgarian leva.

2009

Under the Creating My Own Life Project (funded by the 2008 State Budget) 22 young people, living in homes for children deprived of parental care in Sofia and Isperih, received vocational training, became aware of their personal responsibility in planning their vocational choices, took an active part in a courses in personal development and proactive strategies for the labor market.

• 8 young people from the Ludogorie home in Isperih chose courses in driving; one young person chose an IT course.
• 4 young people from the Sofia homes chose cookery courses, 2 chose courses in hospitality, 3 – in beauty therapy, 2 – in foreign languages, 2 – in mathematics exam preparation.

Under the I Can. On Equal Terms. Project (funded by VIVACOM) 23 young people from the Vassil Petleshkov (Bratsigovo), Bulgarka and Maria Terezia (Stara Zagora) homes took part in vocational training courses. They also took part in personal development and proactive behavior on the labor market courses.

• 8 young people from Bratsigovo chose cookery courses.
• 12 young people from Stara Zagora chose cookery courses; three others chose hairdressing courses.

Under the Social and Vocational Adaptation Project one young person completed an English language course.

Under the Establishing a social services centre in the Municipality of Bratsigovo Project (funded by the Phare Program) 11 young people took the opportunity to complete various vocational courses, took part in a personal development course and the Professional Orientation training.

• 6 young people chose a cookery course.
• 5 young people learned hairdressing skills.

The total amount spent on 57 vocational training and exam preparation courses in 2009 was 21 652.48 Bulgarian leva. The training was carried out under various projects funded by the 2008 State Budget, the Phare Program, and the Foundation.

2010

• In the beginning of the year two secondary school graduates chose to undertake exam preparation courses. Vanya from SOS Children’s Villages in Sofia chose a course in chemistry while Natalia from the Hristo Botev home chose geography as her subject. In March Natalia sat the first preliminary entrance exam at the University of National and World Economy and got a grade of 4.70, 6.0 being the top grade.