Project “Mentoring for inclusion”
The educational boarding school “Hristo Botev” is the only specialized educational institution for girls in the country, accommodated under the Law on antisocial behaviour of minors. Both the teachers and educators there are trying to overcome the social stigma on the girls who are housed there.
Implemented in: Podem village, Pleven district
Program: Active Citizens Fund Bulgaria
Implementation period: 11.10.2019 – 11.05.2021
Project Promoter: Fund Community Chitaliashta, Pleven
Partner: Educational boarding school “Hristo Botev”, Podem
Summary and results:
The project aimed to introduce an innovative approach for correctional and educational work with the schoolgirls from the country’s only Correctional Boarding School in the village of Podem, Pleven region – with the active participation of the local community. The main activities included the development and implementation of the Mentoring Programme, the Social Skills Programme, creative workshops and application of an impact measurement system.
In the course of the project’s implementation, a methodology for the Mentoring Programme was developed on the basis of resilience, a procedure was prepared for the selection of mentors, and training of the formed mentoring team was conducted to work with the target group. Mentors held informal trainings for personal growth, discussions, case studies, active individual and group communication. Family vacations and activities were held using the following instruments: psychodrama, world café, forum theatre, and art therapy. A Social Skills Programme was implemented, including visits to cultural events and public institutions. The creative workshops included classes in fine arts, applied and performing arts. On the basis of a methodology developed for measuring the impact, the actual results of the approach introduced were examined and defined. A network of institutions and organizations was established to continue the project activities after finalizing the project and to multiply the approach. At the final Conference of the Future, the results of the project were publicly presented in order to motivate organizations and institutions working with children and young people at risk to introduce the “Mentoring Support” approach. A declaration was voted on to take concrete steps to extend the approach already in place.
See more on the project’s website: https://fondchitalishta.com/
In 2022, the Bulgarian State Agency for Child Protection awarded the project the distinction “I guarantee a happy childhood” – third place in the category “Significant innovation” to the “Hristo Botev” boarding school, Podem village, Pleven region.
Grant amount: 44 194 EUR
Contact: Daniela Dimitrova
email: fond.pleven@gmail.com
phone: +359 896 66 92 05
address: 5800 Pleven, Vazrazhdane sq. 1, office 311
Website: https://fondchitalishta.com/
See also the article on this projects: About mistakes and forgiveness
Innovative approaches, role-plays and situational tasks help the reintegration of the girls from the “Christo Botev” corrective boarding school in the village of Podem
The State Agency for Child Protection /SACP/ awarded the distinctive sign “I guarantee a happy childhood” – third place in the category “Significant innovation” to the boarding school “Christo Botev”, village of. Podem, Pleven Region. The award was presented to the director Eng. Nina Atanasova by the President of the SACP Dr. Eleonora Lilova for their mentoring initiative. Over 300 educational institutions and NGOs participated in the competition with their initiatives.
“Christo Botev” corrective boarding school is the only specialized educational institution for girls in the country, accommodated under the Juvenile Delinquency Act. Both the teachers and the educators there are trying to break the social stigma on the girls who are placed there. Often, the negative societal attitude towards these children who have made mistakes in their lives weighs on their future. “It’s extremely important that the public understands that these are young people who have the right to a second chance,” says Daniela Dimitrova, a psychologist at the boarding school and head of the award-winning Mentoring for Inclusion program. And that’s why the people who work here with these children are looking at how to change them. Not as a penal institution, but as an educational one. Funding for the initiative’s activities comes from the Active Citizens Bulgaria Fund under the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism 2014 – 2020.
“The students are provided with conditions for a comprehensive educational process, a residential environment for permanent stay, correctional and educational work and psychological support. The pedagogical staff is highly qualified, experienced and highly motivated to implement innovative approaches in their work”, Daniela Dimitrova is adamant.
The girls are aged 13 to 18 and have a history of deviant behavior and antisocial acts. Most of them are without families. Or, if they have parents, they do not exercise full parental care. Under the influence of an inappropriate environment, lack of parental control and concern, these girls have dropped out of the education system. Some of them have used drugs and other harmful substances, have criminal and immoral behavior, which makes them one of the most risky social groups.
“In the educational institution they are reintegrated into the educational system, receive psychological support and active correctional and educational work is carried out. The only deficit during their stay is related to direct communication with a natural, positive social environment. This problem has been solved with the introduction of an innovative approach for the country in working with such target groups – “Mentoring support”, says psychologist Dimitrova.
The innovative approach makes it possible to expand the parameters of correctional-educational work with the target group, involving the efforts of specialists in other social spheres and with other professions in extracurricular activities for personal development and upgrading social skills on a voluntary basis.
The mentoring team that works with the students includes an artist, musician, choreographer, psychologist, social worker, manager, IT specialist and others. “For this purpose, a methodology has been developed containing a procedure for selecting mentors, for training and preparing the mentoring team, for implementing the mentoring support and for measuring the impact. The approach is built on the principles and methods of resilience (the ability of a traumatized individual to develop and grow in very difficult circumstances, to start again and recover) and positive psychology.
The implementation of “Mentoring for Inclusion” includes individual and group work; educational sessions using non-formal education methods; creative activities in the field of performing and applied arts; organised visits to theatre performances, concerts and film screenings; meetings with representatives of various public institutions and local government structures; family holidays. All these activities are organised and carried out with the direct involvement of the mentors.
“In 2021, regular meetings were held with the mentors on the premises of the educational institution. The topics addressed were prevention of drug use and other harmful substances; human trafficking; effective communication and overcoming conflict situations. In addition to training sessions, discussions and lectures, psychodrama sessions, creative activities and performances, participation in competitions and cultural events are held to develop the personal potential of the students, change their perceptions and attitudes towards a fulfilling life, and break down the inherited social stigma about them,” Dimitrova goes on.
Through various role-plays, situational tasks and group work the children participate in the panels “Effective communication”, “Overcoming conflicts”, “Leadership”, “Tolerance in relationships”.
In the process of implementing the innovative approach, an impact study is also carried out using a specially designed methodology. As a result of the applied approach, clearly defined changes in the attitudes and behaviour of female students at the boarding house have been identified. The school claims that incidences of aggressive behaviour, attempts to escape, acts of intolerance and non-compliance with the internal rules have been drastically reduced. Tracking the reintegration process of the female students who have terminated their stay in the boarding school during this period, a faster and more effective adaptation in the social environment has been observed, the boarding school management claims.
“The approach was publicly presented during a regional conference attended by chairmen, secretaries and public educators of the committees for combating juvenile delinquency at the 11 municipalities of the Pleven region. An interest was provoked for the application of the approach in the work of the commissions, as well as other institutions and organizations working with and for target groups similar to the target group of the “Christo Botev” corrective boarding house in the village of Podem”, Daniela Dimitrova summarizes.
