Youth are the strongest weapon of the nation. They are very energetic and enthusiastic to learn and act to achieve their goal. A care Leaver is a young adult who has spent his/her life in a residential care in Child Care Institution or any other care arrangement ( Foster care or Kinship care) and leaving at the age of 18 year. Leaving residential care, they start their life for themselves. Once they leave care institution, they need support in career mapping and financial support to achieve their aspiration.
This period is very difficult time for many care leavers after leaving care setting. Get a good job, good salary, good shelter and continuation of support. It’s a transition time from school to further higher education and employment. It’s also a transition period from childhood dependency to adulthood responsibility person in society. YCDA giving periodically Life Skill Training to deal the root causes of problem faced by the care leavers to empower them confidently into independent lives, career Counceslling for their higher education. We are also giving psychosocial support to avoid the critical period of vulnerability and to address the issues of risk during this period.
Young adults require a combination of cognitive and social skills to tackle their problems, and prepare for future challenges.
We have given them skill development training to care leavers to empower them by providing different training for sustainable livelihood that lead to economic independence.
So a strong friendship network is needed for a good life skills and social skills in promoting positive wellbeing after residential care. Leaving care services can help young people in developing relationships and building self-esteem and some extend fulfill emergency need. They feel that they are alone.
Job fair organized by YCDA for empower the young adults for providing job opportunities in different sectors. In this two days event several employers of different company /traders and job seekers were there for the purpose of suitable job for a suitable candidate.
Being A Successful Care Leaver…..
Bina ( Name Changed) was just completed 18 years when she left the residential Institutional care. When she was only 6 years old her mother died and the child got neglected. She was only child. Her father was also died before. Automatically the child got out of parental care. The child was put into the child care institution. There she spent around 9 years. When she completed her 10th grade, she got admission in Skill Development centre to continue her higher study. So she left the institutional Care. With the permission of Child Welfare Committee, she entered into the group living home. She stayed there with her other friends and continued her education.
YCDA taken this case and started the preparation of her care plan and counseling. Life skill training also has given to her to lead successful life in future it was realized that the she has a dream of successful future .So looking into her best interest and suitability she was enrolled in a one year course of Skill Development Institute. Educational support and counseling support was provided her. In course of time she completed the course and soon after completed her course, she recently got offered a good job in reputed company in Hyderabad. Somehow she did not show her interest to join in Bhubaneswar rather she got interested to go to Hyderabad along with her other friends. Now she is working in a reputed company job and getting her salary of Rs.8000 per month excluding food and accommodation. Now she is happy to get her job and fulfill her dream. She is working hard. She is very dedicated and enthusiastic to learn. She said, “it’s more important to be happy than to be rich.”
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Young adults in state care will remain in care system until they reach the age of 18. Young adults, out of home care often struggle to build stable lives. This is not surprising: typically young care leavers not only have to overcome a difficult childhood, but also tend to receive less support during the crucial period of early adulthood than youth living with their parents. In that period they require handholding support to built their life perfectly. They need support in the field of financial support, training in skills, handholding for career development, counseling for managing emotions and such other measures that contribute to the process of their mainstreaming in the society.
Care leavers face different challenges. They struggle with their identity in society, build career in higher education, loss of job, less salaries, accommodation. Care Leavers Association is benefit for the young people where young people feel they are not alone. The network is there to allow them to raise their voice where they need, advocating for change together rather than doing it alone. The young people group can listen to their other members issues and help them and give them a word of support in their crisis time. Dedicated care leavers worked for the progress of the challenges such as emotional support, job opportunities, housing information, mobilize financial resources.
The leading care leavers giving focus on career developmental tasks for care leavers and to know their interests, capacities, values and acquire knowledge about work to decide upon the realistic educational and career aspiration. When making career-related decisions, care leavers develop a positive career attitudes and behaviors and base their decisions on career-relevant knowledge and skills. The discussion with other care leavers was very much fruitful for the young adults for career mapping and to make their self assessment and self reflection.
YCDA organized Governing Body Meeting of Odisha Care Leavers Association (OCLA) on October 2022. Almost 20participants were participated including all the governing body members of OCLA and given their valuable suggestion for the growth of OCLA. The President of OCLA preside the meeting and discussed the following points during the meeting:
New hope of Care leaver
A Young adult of aged 20years, who has lost her mother during her childhood several years ago, is staying with her father. Her father is working as a daily wage labour in village. After the death of her mother it was too difficult for her father the family with low income. So, her father placed the her in Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for seeking institutional care. As per the order of CWC, the young adult was referred to a Child Care Institution (CCIs) for further care and Protection when she small. From that day onwards that CCI became home for her and now she has completed her 10th class examination with good marks. As per the JJ Act guideline she was referred to Youth Council for Development Alternatives (YCDA) by Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for the aftercare support.
After several round of counseling sessions & doing carrier interest mapping. It was noticed that she has interested in technical Vocational education. Looking to his best interest she was applied & got admission at Govt. ITI collage, Bhubaneswar with the Support of Youth Council for Development Alternatives (YCDA).Now, se is very happy that he started her skill education in technical trade for employment opportunities.
Thank You GlobalGiving for the generous support to make a better life....
Care Leavers are young adults who have lived any Alternative care arrangements both foster care, kinship care or any residential care, and left them on attaining adulthood, mostly age group of 18 years. Living in a highly protected and controlled environment till 18years, then they find difficult in society after independent staying without guidance. The transition period from dependent life to independent young adult stage is quite challenging.
The initial transition experience can impact their life to cope their ability in later phase. Social support network is very important for care leavers during this transition period. Growing up in child care institution or any family care arrangement for certain age limit sometimes affected the continuity of education, skill training and social stability of care leavers after leaving care arrangement. This can help them get though the difficulty during that period both from emotionally and practically. Having no stability in their life, the care leavers are facing immense mental stress. Social support network is extremely important for the care leavers during this transitioning period. During this period they deal very comfortably with the care leavers those who are facing any difficulties in transition time. After the transition the care leavers usually faces accommodation, unemployment, financial deficiency. The care leavers have many aspirations in their life. Through the network care leavers gives hope to the care leavers to resolve the issues and show a correct path to fulfill their aspiration and live a smooth life.
Care leavers network is very much important for the care leavers to discuss and find some kind of solution. It bring together the voices of care leavers to support the care leavers at their difficult stages. During Covid-19 pandemic care leaver faced many challenges like loss of job, housing, higher education opportunities, health services, increase stress & isolation and financial crisis. After interaction among Care leavers network, some kind of emergency issues resolved immediately
YCDA in collaboration with the district administrative District Child Protection Committee (DCPU) of Boudh & Balanagiri has been organized a training and orientation programme for the Care Leavers attaining 18 years of age to prepare their career path. Their motivation factors and aspiration mapping was conducted taking certain tools and techniques. Around 50 numbers of young Adults participated from different care arrangement setup from Boudh & Balangir district and got trained to prepare their career opportunity based on their interest. It is very much important for the care leavers to concrete their career path and skill. Normally care leavers residing in the child care institution get difficulties to identify their potentiality, strength and weakness which supposed to help them to prepare their career plan. This orientation programme helped them to chose the technical education rather than the general education, gave exposure to wider thinking for self independent
Life skill education is very much important for Care Leavers attain 18years. This transition period is very much crucial period in young adult’s life. They require the support by someone to help them on their path to live independently in the society. Life Skill Education training programme was conducted for the care leavers to deal the root causes of problem faced by the care leavers to empower them confidently into independent lives. Life skills play an important role in everyone’s life. Life skills make Care leavers to know their life easier and simple, live in a positive life with a right way. Therefore, life skills are very important for Care Leavers. Life skills education is one such type of skill, young people can develop a concrete plan of his life appropriately and to organize the activities related to life in a systematic manner. It is a type of education in which skills are developed to make the care leaver efficient in such a way that they can make decisions in every situation by his talent. With the right information, knowledge and support, these children can develop a concrete plan to fulfill their aspirations and be successful in their independent life.
Mental health & wellness for care leavers was conducted virtually with support of PATH, India. Amid the global health crisis, the present environment has created panic and anxiety amongst most of the people. This pandemic crisis has brought the youth to a painful life. Day to day it’s very challenging time to cope in today’s life. Anxiety and depression, the two most common forms of mental health conditions, are more prevalent among young adults age group 18-24 than in the general population. Care leavers also facing many challenges social isolation and psycho social stress. This training enlightened young people in positive improvements in their life.
A care leaver is a young adult who is leaving and spent their career in child care institution or any alternative care arrangement and has left the institute or care arrangement family after attain 18 years approved by the Statethrough a court order or a child protection unit of the Government under the law is considered as the Care leavers.
Leaving home care and setting out in a life lead is slightly terrified for any young person in India. Living independently is the most complex process in Indian society. Children after leaving the institutional care,is path to them in preparation for life in a normal society. Care leavers faced many challenges when they leave from Institution and they start living on their own for the first time without family. So this is very important for young adults to access their rights and entitlements and live their independent lives smoothly.
During this Covid pandemic Care Leavers have faced many challenges in social isolation and psychosocial stress. We have explored these after discussion with them. The fear and anxiety in this situation is being away from work, peers, adjusting to new ways of learning, fear of losing their job and income. The emotional and mental distress may increase the risk of psychiatric illness. Looking into the importance of the situation and the need to deal with the issues arising due to psycho social stress, YCDA conducted workshop on self care for Mental Health to reduce the stress and anxiety of care leavers and lead a healthy life.. In this workshop around 50 Care leavers were participated. The care leavers This workshop has motivated to care leavers to discuss about mental health and maintain healthy attitudes for communicating and help-seeking.
Life skill Education is giving frequently to the care leavers to enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life.It helps to the care leavers in confidence to take decisions, communicate effectively with others and developing their skills and manage themselves to build a perfect life in the society.
Care leavers faced many difficulties after the institution when they start living independently without support from family/care givers. So association is very important for young adults to access their rights and entitlements through lobby and advocacy and it also support the young adults who have grown up in aftercare programme, they can lead independent lives smoothly. Odisha Care Leavers Convention was held during this period. Around 150 numbers of young representatives from different parts of India participated and shared their journey, their learning and challenges they faced during covid19 pandemic. They also highlighted the issues and the support they required from the stakeholders.
New Life begin......
Mami (name changed) 20 years was staying in Child Care Institution when she was very small. He started a new life with loving care takers, where she continued her schooling there. She was very much kin interested to study in stiching. After completion of school education,she took admission in Govt. ITI Bhubaneswar to pursue higher education. She was bit worried about her study during covid 19 pandemic. It was hard time but she finished her course with a good result.
In this situation and her interest in stiching, YCDA came forward to extend cooperation. With the support of Inner wheel, YCDA supported her sewing machine for dress making which helped him to earn for her livelihood. Now she started earning for her new life. She personally thanks to the donors for making her dream possible. Her kin interest makes her dream fulfill.
Executive Summary:
Care leavers are special category of youth who have lived in alternate care for a large part of their lives and are transitioning to independent adult living. The alternative care in most cases in India is provided by Child Care Institutions (CCI) and children living in these can have a background of abandonment, neglect, abuse and exploitation. Long term institutional care is not in the best interest of children, as studies have shown that it can impede physical, emotional, and cognitive development. Further, most care leavers at the age of 18 years have not completed their education or received adequate vocational training to be financially independent and seek employment or entrepreneurship opportunities or actively participate as change makers and leaders.
Hence care leavers, more than other young people, are not sufficiently equipped at the age of 18 years to transition from childhood to adulthood. Along with an incomplete education, care leavers face challenges in accessing identity documents, bank accounts, housing, employment, financial literacy, psychosocial and health services, and the absence of a support system, which is critical in emergency situations as revealed by the COVID- 19 pandemic. Looking into their situation YCDA is facilitating the process to enable care leavers to mobilize themselves into a collective platform to take care of their needs, support each other and make their voices heard. The care leavers association is visualized as an umbrella collective with representation from all districts care leavers irrespective of origin
Key Intervention During the period:
Critical Support to Careleavers:
Around 200 care leavers are associated with us in our associations & Looking into the COVID-19 pandemic we have done do a quick assessment on situation of Care leavers in COVID Pandemic. Analyzing the situations & with proper planning 100 careleavers are supported with counselling, cash, food, ration, health & shelter support. These careleavers are continuing with their career in exploring the jobs for livelihood opportunities. Our social workers are regularly visited to care leavers and providing them support with counseling & analyzing the situation which helped them in mainstreaming in society.
Psycosocial & Lifeskill training:
The psychosocial and lifeskill training support was provided to 200 care leavers through trainings & counseling by professional experts. These careleavers have been trained up to prepared their own career planning and future options because of the motivational camps and career counselling. These young adults are getting support of aftercare and continuing their vocational education and living their independent life.
The careleavers are getting counselling, life skill support regularly. The social counseling and psychosocial support helps to to come out from the depression & traumatic situation. During the sessions, tips to the careleavers have been provided to meet their needs in their life.
Education & Job Placement:
100 children eligible for the aftercare and pre aftercare support have been trained up to prepare their career planning and future option because of the motivational camps and career counseling. Prior enrolling the careleavers into vocational & education as an after care measures, we gave them enough exposure to understand their need & choices .We provide exposure to encourage them to make their choices & choose the career opportunities.
These young adults are getting support of aftercare and continuing their vocational education, and living their independent life. Out of them 16 young adults are living in group living arrangements and getting the educational support and During this period 12 young adults have got placement in different jobs and earning 6 thousand per month.
Executive Committee Meeting of Odisha Carelevaers Association:
We have organized the Executive Committee Meeting taking the 25 members and review the progress of the associations. The care leaver association is working as a coordinating source for the upcoming care leavers. During the meeting different resolutions have been taken by the committee members for providing critical support to the careleavers in need and approval of the new membership drive. Now 200 careleavers have been associated & get the support in sustained their life who are struggling for financial & social by linking in education, job ,housing & food .
A Story on Building Hopes in Life…
Hii … I belongs to a poor family where my parents are daily wage labourer & my whole life changed when I was attacked by acid while going for my education classes . My whole life in passed in struggle when my parents left me in hospital. Then after I came in contact with the Child welfare committee and they rescue me and put me in CCIs. CCIs personnels helped me & operated for plastic surgery many times then after I stay in CCIs. Now as I reached 18 years I left out from CCIs and came to my grandmother home. YCDA Counsellor came to me in regular basis and helped me in preparing career planning as per my choices and interest. On the time beign she enrolled me in dress making trade in Vocational education and supported me in group living . I am very much happy that now I have completed my training and got support of a machine for my earning .Now, I am a self employed careleavers and sustained by life through my earning of rs 7000 per month. Me & my grandmother are living happily .
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