Summer Start Academy
Start Academy Sofia
Evidence of results
Purpose related to Let's Care
Level of Education
Pillars
Brief description of the Project
Duration
Scope
Funds
Objectives
Preventing school drop-out among vulnerable pupils in 4 Bulgarian cities, through a summer school that reduces the education gap.
Methodology
The goals of the Summer Academy correspond to children’s specific needs. The
students are trained in different level groups depending on their knowledge, skills, and
needs. The goal is to motivate students to retain school, to help them pass the exams
successfully, and to receive adequate marks in basic school subjects, such as Bulgarian
language and Mathematics. In the academy it will strive to develop 21st century skills -
reading literacy, civic engagement, and communication skills that will make children
competitive to students who graduate from elite schools in Sofia. They invite
inspirational role models in the classrooms. They will track students’ progress on a
regular basis. The programme uses a method similar to the "Mantle of the expert" -
choosing every year a different topic and the students are in the role of experts (pilots,
ecologists, writers, scientists, etc.)
Type of Action
Target Group and Determinants attended
Professionals involved
Networking - Actors and Institutions mobilised by the Project
Enablers
They work 1 school hour a day in Bulgarian language, mathematics and English. In this way, they succeed in
reducing illiteracy rates and narrowing the education gap in the summer between the most and least affluent
students.
For the second issue, they use different motivational strategies, such as planning 1 school hour to explore the values of
the community and the people in it, or to meet with a guest. Each day ends with 1 hour of reflection on what has been
learned during the day. Students reflect on the things that have happened to them during the day, answer questions about
their emotions and progress.
Barriers
IIlliteracy and inferiority complex are two big problems which stay in the focus of the summer school.
Grade of linkage with the Safe Education Model
The programme complies with the Safe Education Model, providing a safe learning space for the most vulnerable students.
This is reflected, for example, in the presence of daily emotional work workshops for the most vulnerable students, and in
the active involvement of families and local stakeholders in students learning.
Grade of linkage with the purpose of Let's Care
The programme's main objective is to reduce school failure and/or early school drop-out rates by reducing
the educational gap that is generated in the summer period between the most vulnerable pupils and those
with more economic resources. To this end, specific work is carried out in the subjects of Bulgarian language,
mathematics and english.
Grade of evidence about impact and political relevance
The organisation works with local entities. They are in close collaboration with HESED Foundation - an organisation
which works in the local field and has in-depth knowledge of the local community as well as personal contact with the
families of the students they want to attract to the academy.
However, there is no evidence of the impact of the programme in terms of number of evaluations carried out, studies
conducted, degree of satisfaction of students or other educational stakeholders, etc.
Grade of evidence about impact - Project deliverables
All the documentation can be found in the 'links' section.
Reproducibility
Every academy recruits 40 students with learning difficulties for the 3 week summer academy. In 2022 they had 6 different
academies supported by local organisations. The two academies in Bulgarian capital Sofia are held at the HESED
Foundation's place called “MIR” centre (Model for integrated development).
Outcomes
Literacy, self-esteem, prevention of early school leaving