1. PROJECT STATUS
Call for action
NAME OF PROJECT
Home Alone
TEAM LEADER
Denitza Velcheva
BENEFICIARIES
Young people from the “Petko Slaveykov” orphanage in Sofia
NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE TEAM
2, and hopefully growing
VOLUNTEERING TIME SPENT
3 years prior to the project idea
NUMBER OF YOUTH IMPACTED
Up to 160 in the long term, start with less than 10
PERIOD OF PROJECT
Long-term engagement. Pilot initiative.

2. We did a lot of things in three years in terms of helping the young people
learn new skills. One of the most beloved activities was learning how to
sew. On a relatively modern machine.

3. We are happy that Angel and Diana made their
first steps in something that could grow into a job
rather just a fun activity at the orphanage.

4. Home Alone – what is it about?
This is a sustainable long-term idea aiming at helping orphans to be citizens of full capacity by:
– enabling them to live in a real domestic setting by themselves
– helping them develop soft skills
– helping them find a job

5. What is the target group
Beneficiaries: Orphaned young people from the largest orphanage in Sofia
Age: 18+
Number: the young people who live in the institution is around 80, but their number has a tendency to grow
due to restructuring and budget cuts in other orphanages
And why…
– the administrative local environment doesn’t give access to anything but the basic survival conditions –
food, shelter, some kind of education.
– the young people have no civic skills, no idea how the social constructs work.
– the beneficiaries are not physically or mentally challenged but they are isolated in such a way that when
they leave the orphanage at 18, they are just as unable to adapt to a “normal” environment

6. What do we want to achieve
Full inclusion of the target group in the society through:
– establishment of out-of-orphanage domestic environments – protected homes
– providing training and education for essential civic skills
– scheduling enough time for them to learn how to take care of themselves before they leave the protected
home and be substituted by a younger person
We see this possible by
– financial or infrastructural support for creating the homes
– partnership with youth centers and educational NGOs who will provide the soft skills training
– creating a network of possible employers
Steps
– establishing a foundation as a managing body of the project – the first half of 2012
– establishing the homes – starting with a few orphanage graduates in one location based in Sofia
– road mapping the soft skills schedule fit to the different individuals
– providing access to possible employment

7. How is this relevant
The Home Alone initiative is the answer to the unwillingness of the state to take care of unprivileged young
people. The nightmare of a child, who lives in a similar environment grows with the advancement of their
age. The more they approach being 18, the sooner they have to leave the institution with nowhere to go.
If they have where to go, and what to do there to improve their lives, we could help them become healthy
citizens instead of a forgotten statistic.
What will the effects be
Making the transition to “real life” less traumatic, and ideally – fun – by focusing on youth training in
household management; economical, political, information, health, and social literacy; business skills
allowing the young people to take their lives in their hands
The ideal outcome is that in 6-to-12* months time per person, each beneficiary will learn how to live
independently, and will be able to leave the protected home.
*this period is a flexible one and could be extended accordingly

8. Is it innovative?
It is a rare thing, but not innovative.
There is a successful example of a similar project in Bulgaria:
– a protected home located in the village of Gurmazovo
– established in 2008
– currently hosts 10 young people supporting them through their adaptation
– the former inhabitants are 12

9. Is there potential for further development?
Yes.
Locally and regionally
We see ourselves as continuers of a working idea. If the pilot phase of the project is realized and proves to be
successful, it will serve as a good practice example and could easily grow in proportion in Sofia, as an
economical center, and in the whole country.
Internationally
Sky is the limit. The idea is simple, not complicated and depending on the way the national legislation allows
public private partnerships it could be executed worldwide.

10. The team
Asia Rusanova, Bulgaria
Denitza Velcheva, Bulgaria