CADIP - Volunteering in an orphanage in Bulgaria

Playscheme for the children
in Social home in Rila

The project

The Social home in Rila provides home and care for 58 children from the age of 5 to 15 years. They are children deprived of parental care, children of single mothers, of alcoholics or criminals, children who are victims of violence or abuse. Some of the residents have mild physical or mental disabilities. The social institution is newly established in Rila after being settled in a village nearby for many years. The children are quite isolated and have great need of social interaction.

The first volunteer project in Rila was organised last year. The contact with the young people from different countries had very positive impact over the kids and this naturally led to the continuation of the project this year.

The volunteer workcamp is intended to play an integral part in offering a programme of purposeful and planned activities to the children during the summer period. It would be a chance for them to meet and learn from people from a different background and culture. The volunteer group is expected to offer the residents the opportunity to participate in new and different fun activities that work towards improving an individual’s communication techniques. Another aim of the volunteer activities will be to support children to community activities, encouraging community integration and participation and help them learn social skills.

Volunteer activities

Volunteers will organise a program of social and play activities for the residents of the Social home. The program may include for example playground games, team games and sports (traditional sports and games from your own country, from Bulgaria, etc…), creative workshops, art performances, painting, venues in the community, presentation of the represented countries, English classes, hiking in the mountain, swimming in the river nearby, international evenings, etc. The group itself will choose and plan the activities with the kids.

Special requirements

- To be able to make creative use of basic resources
- An imaginative approach
- A sense of humour
- To be able to organise activities for groups of children

Accommodation

Volunteers will share the accommodation of the children in the social home. Meals will be prepared by the cooking staff.
The nearest international airport is Sofia Airport (SOF).

Location

The international volunteer project will be organised in a quite attractive location, a picturesque small town in the most majestic Bulgarian mountain - Rila, which is also the highes on the Balkan Peninsular. The town which bears the name of the mountain, Rila is situated about 100 km south of Sofia, in the south-west part of the country.

Workcamp dates

July 30 - August 12, 2006

Who can apply

This is a Canadian charity project in support of the orphanage in Rila, Bulgaria. Volunteers from 18 to 35 from all over the world are welcome to join these camps. Few conditions, related to the country of residence of the applicants, apply, because of visa procedures, medical requirements, etc.
NOTE: Participants from Canada and the US, the European Union, Switzerland, South Korea and Japan, Australia and New Zealand do not need visa for a stay of less than 30 days in Bulgaria. A valid passport is required.

Leisure time

The town of Rila lies close to the world famous Rila monastery, which is one of the Bulgarian sites protected by UNESCO. The group can visit it as well as other places of interest around. The mountain itself offers lots of possibilities for nature lovers.

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