The Maltese Islands are known to be a nation with big hearts and over the years, various establishment and organisations have been founded to help those less fortunate. One such establishment is the Conservatorio Vicenzo Bugeja – a home for girls. We spoke to Carmen Brincat, the Head of Care who gave us more insight of life at the home.

A little bit about the Conservatorio

The Conservatorio currently caters for 22 residents ranging between 11 and 18 years of age and helps them regain their dignity and unlearn previous unhealthy coping skills, while learning how to function better in life through a caring environment. Each resident has a care plan personally formulated that includes a number of facets such as health, education, contact with families, amongst other things.

Carmen took on managing the home a good eight years ago, taking on a new path of management. “I wanted to involve the girls more and removed the padlocks to make it more of a home than a prison. It wasn’t easy and it had different initial reactions. The place had a black cloud a stigma, from both people out there as well as professionals. We were trying to change the image of the place,” she explains.

They also started youth exchanges, thanks to the residence’s programme coordinator Joanne Bugeja; the first one being a trip to Ireland. “It was a success,” Carmen said, sharing that they applied for other trips and it became a yearly event that helped a lot and gave the girls something to look forward to. “They had a goal to work towards and it worked well for them – it was a reward.”

“For a lot of the girls, education would be last on their agenda compared to everything they have going on. Later on, they try to make up for the lost time,” she notes, saying that the older cohort realise this later on. There is also a system of independent living in place that offers girls who have no place to go a home. “If they have a job and are studying, they can stay here until they turn 23. We would have worked hard with them on getting through their trauma. Like this, we can help them get back into society.”

Carmen also says that education of staff on how to deal with different situations is offered at the Conservatorio. She also shared that that they usually have EU funds to have high training for staff, but due to COVID-19 these were postponed to January 2021. 

How has COVID-19 affected the Conservatorio?

“In the beginning it was not easy, but once they got used to the routine, it became normality,” Carmen shares. “They thoroughly clean their room more than they used to before, they contact their families through Skype, they attend online sessions with social workers and therapists, as well as their school lessons.”

“We are doing the same work we’ve always done; just now there’s more close contact with the girls,” Carmen says. Requests from the girls to go out have decreased a lot, with most residents staying indoors at the home. They also purchases some games, some through donations people sent in. “Especially in the beginning of the lockdown, they helped a lot to entertain the residents.”

Want to learn more about the Conservatorio? Check out their website.