New Frontiers in Bulgaria

An expedition to improve the lives of Bulgarian orphans

Our alternative curriculum re-engages students with learning by teaching practical, meaningful skills that increase self-esteem.

A key part of building self-esteem is to encourage our students to take positions of responsibility, looking after others and teaching them the skills the students have learned.

A second, equally important goal is for our students to give something back to society, by doing work that supports others less fortunate than themselves.

To further these goals, we run a project where our students travel to another community and pass on the skills they have learned at Frontiers, giving something back to a group of people that has less opportunities than they do.

Our current students went through a group process to decide what would be a suitable project to take on, and made a decision to help an orphanage in Bulgaria. They spent six months planning, fundraising, and preparing for the expedition.

At the orphanage, our students carried out building work and gardening, improving the condition of the orphanage. They also taught the orphans many of the skills they had learnt at Frontiers such as bush-craft, agriculture and running forest camps, in order that the orphans may themselves have better prospects in life and pass on the skills to the younger orphans.

They formed emotional bonds with the orphans and gained self-confidence by leading groups and taking responsibility for looking after others less fortunate than themselves.

They plan to visit the orphanage regularly in the future to continue developing the orphans’ skill set in order that they may become self-sufficient. A new charity, Pioneers, was set up to facilitate this.

This was a win-win situation.

Our students gained a huge amount from the programme. Many of them had never left their immediate locality, and they experienced different cultures, gaining a better understanding of Europe and the outside world.

They had increased self-esteem by taking on a position of responsibilty, acting as group leaders and passing on the skills they have learned. Also they appreciated the situations of those less fortunate than themselves and gave something back to society.

The orphans received valuable help and support, and gain skills which would expand their horizons and offer them many more opportunities.

Pioneers

Pioneers is an ambitious initiative set up by Frontiers to enhance the life opportunities of disadvantaged and vulnerable children in Bulgaria, by developing a skills training environment and rural trading co-operative in the Plovdiv area.

Firstly, Frontiers students will work on rebuilding a derelict house near Plovdiv to be used as a base from which to run bushcraft camps and other outdoors activities for the orphans.

In the longer term, Pioneers plans to continue to bring students from Frontiers to help set up a bakery, farm, butchery, mill and granary where the orphans can learn trade crafts, farming and agriculture. With these skills and raised confidence, the orphans will form a self-sufficient co-operative trading in high-value produce such as soups and pies. This will enable them to support themselves, without having to resort to dangerous and criminal activities.

Jon Berry, director of Frontiers, said:
Learning meaningful skills enables our students to support themselves, and we wanted to apply the same approach in Bulgaria. Rather than giving a handout, our students coached the orphans in ways to become self-sufficient and gain a better future.

Joe Thorpe, student at Frontiers, said:
We were responsible for making this expedition happen and were involved in all the planning and preparation. We hope to become more mature by trying challenging new things. The trip gave us the chance to do something we feel proud of.