Our 2010 volunteer programme will focus on helping babies and children up to 7 years of age.
Our 2010 volunteer programme will focus on helping babies and children up to 7 years of age. We are starting with one home to begin with and volunteers who are interested in taking part should contact CAST for application details. Their website is www.cast-uk.com.
TBACT are delighted to announce their partnership with volunteer organisation CAST (Child and Adolescent Support Team). CAST will be managing a rolling volunteer program in the Bulgarian social care homes supported by TBACT.
During 2008, TBACT hoped to organise a number of volunteering programmes in social care homes for children in Bulgaria. Due to factors, mainly out of our control, most of these programmes were cancelled or short-lived. Only in one home, Kustendil, are volunteers, placed by TBACT in the summer, still working. It’s a disappointing outcome to this particular part of TBACT’s work.’
The lack of staff is a familiar complaint by some of the Directors of Bulgaria’s 144 social care homes and it is the reason that many give for the lack of stimulation the children receive.
With one carer to over 20 children, it is a sad fact, that even if the staff were inclined to give attention and care, there is precious little opportunity to do so. As a result, the children suffer – repeated rocking, language delay and even self harming are clear indications of the lack of attention and stimulation they endure – and this behaviour has been seen in every home that the TBACT team have visited this year.’
Therefore the need for dedicated, motivational volunteers to bring attention, affection and activity into the children’s lives is critical. Consequently, securing volunteer placements in social care homes in Bulgaria next year will remain a key objective for TBACT.
We are only too aware of the difficulties that can be encountered in organising this and so we have joined forces with a respected volunteer organisation; CAST, to help us implement our 2009 programme. CAST are the international division of the Life Improvement for Everyone organisation and have a wide range of experience in managing volunteers across Europe including Romania and Belarus. They bring a wealth of knowledge and understanding with them. We are delighted they have agreed to spread their skills to Bulgaria. Their approach is very flexible, with placements lasting as little as 2 weeks right up to 3 months.
CAST are the international division of the Life Improvement for Everyone organisation and have a wide range of experience in managing volunteers across Europe including Romania and Belarus. If you would like to apply to be a volunteer please go to www.cast-uk.com
The home has over 200 babies and children and facilities are basic – conditions for the disbaled children are truly appalling.
Children lie in their cots for hours on end with little stimulation – the need for human contact and activity is key to the childrens’ development.
TBACT has made a long term commitment to this home and as well as helping the children in the home, we will be supporting prevention of abandonment programmes in the local area.