Help Give Cambodian Young Adults Independence

The H.O.P.E Trustees were together on the ground in Cambodia for the majority of December, January and February so the biggest challenge for this update is keeping it brief.  Before leaving Cambodia, we met again with each of the four Partner organisations that H.O.P.E supports to run young adult/life skills programmes.  This gives us the best opportunity to share ideas and best practices, the benefits of which we have seen time and time again.  In addition we were able to complete a comprehensive record of the current education levels and targets for each and every one of the 79 young adults (“YAs”) in our programme.  

Yes that’s right currently 79 YAs are now receiving much needed support with their education, career aspirations, living expenses and accommodation thanks to the funds you have helped us raise.  Not forgetting on top of this the nine who have already “graduated” from the programmes and are living independently.

Of course numbers will change over time but here are a few current statistics of YAs in H.O.P.E supported programmes (Note: there is some duplication – for example some study and work, some having life skills training while still at high school)

-               10 YAs are in full time employment

-               5 YAs are studying at University

-               6 YAs are in a Vocational Training scheme

-               16 YAs have finished secondary school while a further 37 YAs are completing secondary school (Grades 9 – 12), a very significant statistic when considering UNICEF’s most recent stats note only 29% of boys and 26% of girls attend secondary school in Cambodia.  We are very proud of this achievement.

-               4 YAs have current work experience placements, many others have completed one and are now focusing on their Year 12 exams

Turning specifically to Sangkheum Centre there are 22 “budding” young adults aged 14 – 19 taking part in various Life Skills workshops aimed at preparing them for life when they have to move on.  A new Common Room was recently decorated, ready for the YAs to “hang out” in and of course perfect for these workshops.  H.O.P.E recently donated funds specifically to help furnish the Common Room with bookshelves and scatter cushions. 

While H.O.P.E does not run the projects directly where we can lend our own experience and assistance we will.  And hence, in February, Trustee Tanya was delighted to run one of the much needed workshops for twelve of the older YAs exploring job options and the vital skills and qualifications required for their dream roles; with a view to identifying the right academic path over the next few years

As always the first 10 -15 minutes were hard work – encouraging the YAs to share their ideas and thoughts and speak up.   However by the end of the two hours they were all volunteering to present to the group.  Turns out we have budding teachers, nurses, lawyers, accountants, receptionists, policemen, cooks and a football coach!

We began by exploring what they enjoyed doing and which subjects at school they liked – playing football and reading books were the most popular pastimes, with a wider selection of school subjects including Chemistry, English and Khmer literature.

We then asked the YAs to shout out all the jobs they knew – there was a great response and we soon had a white board full of potential.  Turning to skills we were very impressed – they identified not just the academic side but also the important life skills such as good communication, problem solving, teamwork; so another long list.

After a short biscuit break, we split into two smaller groups working with them to match skills with job titles using laminated cards.  One group discussed Khmer Teacher, Receptionist, Lawyer and Architect – in all cases they agreed the job would require skill at handling with difficult customers!  Watching them work together and share their thoughts was very rewarding.

We finished the workshop putting their presentation skills to the test.  A small audience but nonetheless any opportunity to build their confidence and self esteem is valuable practice. 

The workshops are meant to be informative, learning forums but it is equally important for these YAs to have a voice, practice their presentation skills, and leave motivated.  There will be a follow up shortly where they will prepare 5 year plans so we can make sure they are enrolled in the right classes going forward.  We are looking forward to following their progress.

Running these Life Skills workshops, organising culture visits, providing English classes and sport activities are all extra curriculum resources aiming to ensure once these YAs leave care they will be well equipped in their independent life.  Please help us continue this support and extend it to more beneficiaries.

THANK YOU

This update is written from the field as both HOPE trustees have been on the ground together in Cambodia since November.  They have been working closely with all of the HOPE supported projects and in particular the Sangkheum Centre Young Adult Programme as they turn their attention to the next group of children reaching the critical age when they realise one day they will have to live independently from the Centre.

In some ways the next group are more fortunate as the programme has been tried and tested, but each individual child has had different experiences and issues in their short life time and we have learnt that one cap does not fit all.  There is an increasing need for social workers to help these children some of whom, have been badly affected by their past – for example dealing with a feeling of rejection, isolation or a lack of confidence and not knowing who they can talk to. The programme is seeking to equip them to cope with these feelings and issues but there is a distinct lack of qualified Cambodian staff to help address all the problems.  In addition the number of Centres with children reaching this critical age is increasing – there are so many who would really benefit from programmes like this.  We are grateful to all of you helping us help so many, but as you can tell our task is getting bigger every day. 

While some of the young adults already living in the transisiton house have now started on the path of university, nursing college or hospitality school (see attached link for some of their stories)  there are nearly 20 budding young adults aged 13 - 17 who are just taking their first steps.

So at Sangkheum Centre the team of educators are busy planning ahead and ensuring this next group of young adults who still live at the Centre get the chance to follow in the positive footsteps of those already well advanced in the programme.  This an extremely exciting time to ensure the younger ones benefit from the experiences of the past – taking into account both what did work and what didn’t!

To start this process the Sangkheum staff have been running “Life Skills” workshops to enable the budding young adults and youths to think through potential moral scenarios they might find themselves in and give them the opportunity to answer and explain what they might do and why in any given situation.  Scenarios included ‘being mean to someone just because everyone else is’, or ‘taking someone else's things without asking’, or ‘keeping money you find in the library’, etc.

Hannah, the Alternative Care and Education Program Coordinator, at Sangkheum who is initiating the workshops said “We had only planned 15 minutes for the activity,but they really got into it, I heard some really great iscussions, and it took over an hour to finish! At the end they put together presentations to explain to the whole group what their answers were and how they came up with them.”  This interactive approach is very successful with the participants.

Most importantly Sangkheum are using these sessions to start the new young adult preparation programme and Hannah says that “We'll link this activity to the next meeting where we'll use those examples to start creating their own rules, and hopefully they'll get as involved as they were this time.”

They also utilised this time to broach pending questions on being a teenager, to avoid any embarrassments they were asked to write down any questions they had and put them into a secret box. The discussion went extremely well and again the subjects discussed will be key to curriculum planning for the next sex education classes.

The next workshop will be held at the end of January where the students will be divided into smaller groups to really benefit from the classes. 

I have managed to extend my stay in Siem Reap until March and will be helping out at the planned workshops in February where the children will be discussing employment options and skills.  Again we hope this will be an interactive and positive workshop for all.

Thanks again for your support - it really makes a difference to the present and future of these children.

Links:

• Dec 2012 update on all Young Adults supported by H.O.P.E