ZOV
Veliko Tarnovo
About
ZOV UK helps children and young people growing up in institutional care, often struggling for the need of specialist therapies and at risk of personal safety.
Latest update
Recognised at a UNICEF seminar on the inclusion of children with disabilities. Running summer camps and Children’s Clubs across the Balkan Mountains.
ZOV: Veliko Tarnovo, since 1993
Friends of Bulgaria supports the work of ZOV, whose name means appeal in Bulgarian. ZOV deliver extra-curricular activities and individual support to children’s centres across the Veliko Tarnovo area. We have supported OXAB’s volunteer-run projects since 1993 and funded ZOV since 2006.
What ZOV sets out to do
ZOV seeks to foster each child’s unique potential – working to develop individual talents, life-skills and self-confidence by providing them with creative and educational activities.
ZOV’s aim is to prepare every child and young person for independent living.
The Children’s Club
Year-round activities: music, drama, dance, team games, sport, cooking, English, IT, help with schoolwork and outings. It began with 30 children in 2006 and now reaches 135. It is led by Katerina Zlatkova-Doncheva, who holds a doctorate in social work from Veliko Tarnovo University, with a team of volunteers.
The club works across four settings:
- Balvan orphanage — closed in 2015, with the children moved to Family Centres and day care
- Penyo and Maria Velkovi Home — around 40 children
- Gorna Oryahovitsa — around 56 children with disabilities, since 2010
- Crisis Centre, Veliko Tarnovo — around 14 girls at risk, since 2015
Staff report better concentration, better school results, stronger social and communication skills and higher self-esteem. In 2012 the Folklore Club’s traditional performance was televised nationwide on Christmas Eve, for the President and Vice President.
Therapy methods
The clubs have brought in new approaches as the evidence has developed: elements of the Montessori method since 2015, the Nikitin method for cognitive and social skills, the Picture Exchange Communication System from 2017, and an alternative communication system trialled through 2018 and 2019 by Desislava Angelova Popova.
Mentoring and Outreach Projects
Since 2008, Outreach programmes have focussed on providing educational support for groups of children in care, with attention to individual needs.
The Mentoring project addresses adolescents, pairing individuals with student volunteers to offer support with preparing for academic and professional qualifications and the prospect of employment as well as the opportunity to foster personal friendships outside care.
Both Outreach and Mentoring programmes now cater for 80 children and adolescents in care and engage them with student volunteers from the department of Social Sciences at Veliko Turnovo University.
Since 2008, 320 students have volunteered as mentors and 15 of them have continued into full-time employment in Social Services.
30 children have gained professional qualifications in catering, gardening and IT skills.
What it has achieved, 2012–2019
- Educational support to more than 250 children; 30 gained professional qualifications
- Over 90% of those aiming for university passed their entrance exams
- 32 found part-time or full-time work; 59 received paid work experience
- Doctoral research in 2017 and 2019 documented improved self-esteem, communication and independence
- Eight volunteer mentors were commended for their roles in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme
- Since 2008, 320 student volunteers have mentored; 15 went on to full-time employment in social services
Recognition in 2019
Four ZOV mentors were recognised by St Cyril and St Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo on 5 December for volunteer work and active citizenship. ZOV presented its Best Practice Methods at the National Forum for Inclusive Education in Sofia that November, and on 20 November the Child Protection Agency gave ZOV an award for good partnership with a children’s home, presented by Deputy Minister Zornitsa Rusinova. ZOV also joined a national meeting on the new social services law alongside 265 municipalities, and a round table at Veliko Tarnovo University with 32 directors.
Summer camps
Group expeditions to the mountains and the coast: community living, team activities, cultural and historical visits, and time outdoors. Most run from Baba Stana, a traditional village house in the Balkan foothills near Troyan.
2020 — 60 children and young people from six homes. For the first time this included severely disabled children from a care centre, accompanied by a ZOV psychologist. Games, walking, cooking, art and crafts, theatre and local visits.
2019 — 56 children from five homes.
2017 — 82 children from seven homes, with a swimming pool visit. Staff worked from a UK games book funded by Friends of Bulgaria, targeting behaviour, self-confidence and communication.
2015 — OXAB ran overnight trips at Ksilifor near Veliko Tarnovo for children aged 12 to 18 and their mentors: horse riding, climbing, football and volleyball. ZOV took the Maya Centre group to the Troyan foothills for football, cooking, river fishing, mountain walking and the Nature Museum near Cherni Osam.
Summer Camps
Group expeditions to locations outside the urban setting of care homes and centres — in the mountains or at coastal sites — offering children and adolescents in care new experiences of:
- engaging with peers and adults in community living and team activities
- awareness of history and culture through visits to historical and cultural sites
- exploratory ventures in the natural countryside and seaside
2026 Summer Trips – ZOV
Between June and July this year, trips to Baba Stana in Oreshak were organised for 75 children and young people from six residential care centres. Some of the participants have special needs. During their stay, the children and young adults had the opportunity to take part in a range of recreational, educational and outdoor activities, spend time together, enjoy nature and experience a different environment away from their usual daily routines, including:
- Nature walks through the forests and along the rivers
- Organised recreational and educational games in the countryside and village
- A visit to Troyan Monastery
- Visits and walks around Oreshak
- Arts and crafts
- Theatre and drama
- Sports
- Cooking
The children and young people also took part in a traditional folklore event with members of the local community.
These trips give the children invaluable time away from residential care, allowing them to experience a new environment, explore the world around them and relax in nature. They also help participants strengthen their communication and social skills, build friendships and become more independent. Spending time together in a relaxed, supportive setting encourages confidence and cooperation while giving them the freedom to simply enjoy being children and young people.
Trips to Baba Stana are consistently among the children’s most popular activities. They also play an important role in participants’ social, emotional and personal development, creating positive experiences and lasting memories long after the trip has ended.
Thank you, Friends of Bulgaria, for making this possible!
“Baba Stana is my favorite place, and I always want to come back here again.”
V, 14
“The nature here is so beautiful, and it makes me feel calm and happy. Thank you so much for this wonderful experience.”
E, 16
“It is very important for young people with special needs to have opportunities for experiences like this in a different environment. It helps them discover the world around them, become more independent and develop new skills.”
Director, residential centre for young people with special needs
“It is always wonderful at Baba Stana, and the children always look forward to the summer and all the excitement this trip brings. Having the opportunity to spend time in a different place, enjoy a change from their everyday routine, and feel like other children who grow up in families is very important for their overall development and confidence.”
Social worker
2020 Summer Trips – ZOV
Thanks to the generosity and support of Friends of Bulgaria 60 children and young people from six homes stayed at the beautiful Baba Stana this summer. They did lots of games, activities, walking, learning to cook, making art and crafts, theatre sessions and visiting local places of interest. For the first time children from a centre for severely disabled children deprived of parental care were able to visit Baba Stana. This group was accompanied by ZOV qualified psychologist who supported staff and arranged all the activities for youngsters.
Staff, teachers and children are very grateful for the opportunity to go to Baba Stana especially after 4 months of being locked down. THANK YOU !!
“Thank you for the incredible opportunity to take our young people to Baba Stana for the first time, it was a great emotion for them and an amazing experience. They learn through experiences and gain social experience, which is essential for their development and adaptability and makes them independent. After the great isolation during the COVID pandemic, this was an extremely important and significant event for us, for which we are extremely grateful to Claire and John, as well as to ZOV for sending their specialist to help during the trip. I wish you on behalf of the children and the team to be alive and healthy and always with such huge hearts!” Meggi, director of Residential Centre for disabled youth and children 1 (Pishmana 1).
“It was so cool and lovely trip, thank you very much Friends of Bulgaria, we are so grateful and was it was so bad this last 4 months, Baba Stana was fresh air in our lives!” Mila, 17, Residential centre for children (Meggi 3 centre)
“Baba Stana was so fun and I am so happy thank you, I love the forest, the nice house and the river!” Emi, 9, Residential centre for children (Meggi 2)
“Amazing place, amazing nature and so lovely trip! Thank you so much for giving us this great time and emotion!”, Valya, 16, P and M centre 1
“I have never been before to such a great place, thank you very much that you didn’t forgot about us even in pandemic time!” Mary, 15, P and M centre 2
“Lockdown was so bad, we were like prisoners, but Baba Stana was great and my favorite place, thank you!”, Danka 23, Residential centre for disabled youth (Maya centre 2)
“I love Baba Stana, I love games, trees, the place, it was so cool”, Ani,19, Residential centre for disabled youth VT (Meggi centre 1)
2019 Summer Trips – ZOV
Thanks to the generosity and support of Friends of Bulgaria 56 children from 5 homes stayed at Baba Stana where they did some walking, learning to cook, making art and craft sessions, theatre and visited local places of interest. THANK YOU !!
“We would like to show our respect and gratitude to Friends of Bulgaria, who once again supported us and again provided their wonderful home in Baba Stana for our young people. Ever since they changed our center and housed mostly young people and adults with disabilities, everyone stopped helping us. Everyone wants to help children, and no one thinks that our young people are like helpless children, but they are already 18 years old – without parents and relatives, without opportunities for development. People think that when they are 18, they should be able to cope on their own, but many have severe intellectual disabilities and are also entitled to a chance of support. Most sincerely THANK YOU for your huge hearts!”
Maya Bojkova, director of Centre for disabled youth and adults.
“Thank you for the wonderful trip, it is very nice in Baba Stana, we feel it as a second home! “ Nenka, 6, Residential centre for children (Meggi 3 centre)
“It was so great to be in the mountain and we had so much fun! I love this place, I feel free there and makes me really happy!” Ana, 15, Residential centre for children (Meggi 2)
“I have never been to a place like this! It is amazing how calm and quiet it is. I feel so free and I forgot about my hard life, thank you!”, Tedi, 16, Crisis centre
“I love Baba Stana, I want to go there again. I like cooking there, it makes me so happy!”, Mary, 22, Residential centre for disabled youth (Maya centre 1)
“Its so nice to go back in a place where you are looked after,. I am for 3rd time there and I can’t wait to go there again!”, Danka, 23, Residential centre for disabled youth (Maya centre 2)
2017 Summer Trips – ZOV
Thanks to the generosity and support of the Friends of Bulgaria 82 children from 7 homes went to the beautiful Baba Stana for a summer holiday. They did lots of walking, learning to cook and even made their own food. They made arts and crafts sessions and a theatre performance. They even found a swimming pool nearby and visited local places of interest. A lot of the sessions we do as part of the Childrens Club funded by Friends of Bulgaria we did on this trip. The staff and volunteers also used the book we produced with the help of Friends of Bulgaria, which translated a number of games used in the UK targeted at children to improve behavior, self-confidence and communication.
Staff, teachers and children all agree that Baba Stana is a very special place and we are all so grateful for the opportunity to stay there this summer.
THANK YOU !!
“Baba Stana is one of my favorite places, I feel free there and I can express myself and become calm, quiet and so happy!” 17 years old Katia girl from Crisis centre.
“Thank you for the opportunity for our children to have a real vacation, despite being disabled. They are like other children with emotions and feelings, thank you” Iskra who works in the family centre.
“I love Baba Stana, I feel free!”, Maria, 15 from Penyo and Maria home
“Thank you for the opportunity for this trip, it was amazing!” Danka, 16 from Maya Centre.
ZOV Summer Camp 2016
From volunteer Emily Kirov
…..Offer time and place for ‘children to reflect on their lives, as seen in the letters they wrote “What it means to be a Bulgarian”, where one girl wrote about her dreams for her future
OXAB 2015 Ksilifor Summer Camp
‘Ksilifor is a place near Veliko Tarnovo where people go to be near to the nature, for picnics and sports. Overnight trip means that children (12-18) and mentors can participate in activities together that they usually can’t do, like horse riding, climbing, playing football, volleyball or other sports in a nice, quiet place with a lot of fresh air. Kids can spend the night away from the home, be with their mentors and have fun in the nature.
Team work and socializing are two of many important things that we learn only in big groups and the project tries to give opportunity to everyone to educate how to use them. We encourage try using new social skills and prepare for future. The trip tests friendships and gives chance to make new ones.’
ZOV report Summer Camp 2015
Group from the Maya Centre, Veliko Turnovo at traditional village in the foothills of the Balkan Mountains near Troyan:
They loved it and spent a lot of time outside enjoying the nature and beauty of the area whilst also learning about Bulgarian traditions and history.
They took part in different activities such as playing football and other ball games and even cooked all the food themselves.
They spent time at the nearby river, fishing and playing in the streams as well as walking in the mountains.
They also walked to a very popular Nature Museum not far from Baba Stana in Cherni Osam. They had such a lovely time and they shared this was the best trip they have ever had and would like to come back again.
“Baba Stana was amazing, and so great wow” – 17 year old Violeta
Projects with ZOV
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ZOV expanding – 2017 Christmas Appeal: Mentoring Project in Vratsa
Vratsa Project This is the first project to roll out childcare services provided by ZOV in Veliko Turnovo outside the region. The project aims to benefit a large institution in Vratsa catering for 45 children aged 7 to 18 deprived of parental care. The Child Protection Agency reports children suffering from a high level of […]
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