VIVACOM supports orphans in their personal and professional realisation

This is the motto under which one of VIVACOM''s largest social projects is being realised. The main goal of the project is to ensure the support to young people in disadvantaged position for adequate social adaptation after they leave the institutions. VIVACOM''s partners in the project are the Blagotvoritel Foundation and JobTiger.

So far, young people between 16 and 18 years of age have been included in the project, all of them alumni of the care homes in Bratsigovo and Stara Zagora.

"I am happy we managed to get deep into the essence of the problem of such kind of social institutions", shares Simona Charakchieva, CSR and Corporate Relations Adviser at VIVACOM. "It is not only a problem of the material base of the care homes but also in the personal consciousness of the youngsters and their future realisation" she adds.

With this project VIVACOM states itself the ambitious task, together with its partners, to help these children realise, analyse and break the main prejudices for their own personality and qualities. The organisers believe that this way the youngsters will gain more confidence when choosing a profession, searching for and starting a job.

During the training the professionals from JobTiger - a psychologist and a career specialist, were constantly near the children. To guarantee the success of the programme, they use various techniques and games - interactive methods, psychodramatic, sensitive and art techniques, role play, discussions, etc.

At an official ceremony held on 8 July 2009 in Stara Zagora representatives of VIVACOM and the Blagotvoritel Foudnation handed certificates for 1^st degree professional qualification to 15 youngsters aged between 16 and 18, alumni of the Balgarka and Maria Theresa care homes. The event was held at 11:30 am at TPK Pobeda 32 in Stara Zagora. This was also the successful end of the first stage of the project.

During the one-year project "I Can" the youngsters attended a qualification course in cooking and hairdressing. They also took part in additionally organised psychological trainings and workshops for active behaviour at the labour market. To offer the best schooling, the training included also writing a motivation letter and a CV, selection of job offerings and attitude during interviews with employers. In addition to certificates for the acquired qualification skills, the children also received solar eco-chargers from VIVACOM and a Guidebook for Planning and Realising a Successful Career from the Blagotvoritel Foundation.

The highlight of the event programme was the organised demonstrations, in which the children showed the acquired skills in hairdressing and cooking. The guests and organisers had the opportunity to try cocktail bites and desserts, as well as to freshen up their hair styles. Georgi Stoyanov - chef at the Uniqato Restaurant in Stara Zagora, and a stylist from the Tedi Beauty Salon judged on the merits of the taste qualities of the prepared food and the hairstyle aesthetics.

Dr. Antonia Todorova, Head of the Health Care and Social Activities Department of the Municipality of Stara Zagora was among the special guests of the event.

Two months after the end of the training a second meeting is organised with them. The purpose is to follow the results and to identify the most motivated among the youngsters, whereupon their training to be continued in a particular profession