To help more street children to help themselves

A joint program of the Childhope Philippines Foundation and the Asian Community Center  (ACC21) of Japan has produced its new batch of graduates of street youth who were once unschooled.

Following months in training in their chosen vocational-technical courses under Street Youth Empowerment Project (SYEP), 18 street youths are now certified TESDA specialists and ready for work.

SYEP Project Coordinator Amante, Childhope’s street educators, led the recognition of the graduates in rites at the organization’s headquarters in Paco, Manila.

"They may have missed out on schooling, but found hope on vocational-technical education through this joint program of ACC21," Amante said.

Meanwhile, the President of ACC21 and Japanese co-organizer of SYEP, Mr. Ito, expressed his congratulatory message to the participants through a virtual message. He salutes the perseverance of the street youth participants to finish their training despite the hurdles brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Because of the pandemic, there may not be enough employment opportunities as you wish. Yet, the pandemic may also pose the same difficulties to graduates of other schools such as high schools and colleges. I am sure that the values, knowledge, and vocational skills you have acquired through SYEP will be certainly of high value for you.” Ito said.

The two agencies partnered for the program to give a boost to vocational-technical training by making it within reach of youth students who could not continue their studies because of poverty.

Another highlight of the event was featuring the story of the former participant, Myla, who was able to apply what she learned from the program and now she is a successful online entrepreneur. By that, she already achieved her ultimate dream of having her own house.

Capping off the event, Ms. Salen, Childhope Program Manager, expressed her closing heartfelt gratitude to graduates for choosing to be part of the program as their second home. Aside from education, she also reminded the graduates to always carry with them the good values that the institution has instilled in them.

The event was also graced by the presence of Childhope Ph staff wherein everybody strictly and properly followed the health protocols such as all graduates were wearing face masks and shields all throughout the event, checked body temperature before the event, sanitized all the materials before and after the event, and strictly maintain physical distancing.

Watch the full video of SYEP Recognition Day on Youtube: Childhope PH Produces 18 Street Youths Voc-Tech Graduates

Links:

• Dishwashing Liquid Making | Street Youth Empowerment Project
• Embutido Making | Street Youth Empowerment Project
• Lumpianisa Making | Street Youth Empowerment Project

*Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the child. 

My name is Arnold, I am homeless 21 years old, and I am a survivor.

Way back before, the only means for us to survive from hunger was through begging money from other people. My mother was a helper in a public market near our place and my father was nothing and had been addicted to illegal drugs since I was 10 years old. At a very young age, I already had a notion in my mind that I needed to help my mother in providing food to the family. So right after school, I ran out to the streets of Quiapo and beg something from people while carrying my youngest sibling with my skinny shoulders.

But the most tragic point of my life was to start at age of 14 when my mother died because of her chronic lung disease. Due to loss and pain, I started not going to school and joined the legions of rebel youths who fend for themselves by robbing and pickpocketing. I also learned from them how to use, buy, and sell illegal drugs. 30 packs of cigarettes and bottles of beer every day were my norm for four years. After experiencing emotional and physical pain at a young age, I found solace in alcohol, which helped me escape my family reality and fit in with those around me. My addiction had already taken me by age 17 and eventually I was sent to jail. Yet the binges continued. I was in and out of the system for years, moving to different places, until I spent weeks in jail. It was during this time that I learned about Childhope Philippines and I finally admitted could no longer outrun myself.

I was ready to stop the cycle. I describe it as a moment of self-actualization: “I needed to change, I needed to do something, I wanted to get sober.”

How did Childhope Philippines help?

I finally accepted the power addiction had over me, I seek help from Childhope Philippines. With help from the Street Educators who challenged and motivated me, I realized that sobriety would be possible and that I could live a healthy and fulfilled life despite all that I had gone through.

While attending regular alternative education sessions, my days consisted of individual counseling, group discussions, and a bit of homework for self-improvement. Each of these activities not only taught me to speak about myself but to also learn about others. Childhope’s social workers, who were willing to speak with me at any hour of the day, helped me develop new habits that replaced the ones I had developed in the real world. But when I reached a point in treatment where it was time to transition from full-day treatment to half-day, panic set in. Unsure of how I would react to a less structured environment, I began to apply the skills I had learned from my Street Educators. As I began attending VocTech training, it became clear that I was ready for life. I have come a long way since receiving help at Childhope Philippines.

At present, after finishing the training on Food and Beverage Services, Arnold was lucky to get absorbed as an employee by the establishment where he engaged his on-the-job training and is now assigned in their newly opened branch in Angeles, Pampanga.  Although his original plan after the training is to study in college after passing the Alternative Learning System Equivalency Test (he passes the test last April 2019). But he decided to set aside it first and just proceed to his employment.  His decision is to allow himself to help first his other siblings whose currently under the care of a Christian church in Tayuman Manila.

“I’m so grateful that God used the Childhope to find me. I’m also grateful to the people who give their time and support so that I can have this wonderful opportunity”, Arnold said.

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Despite the ongoing current situation due to pandemic, implementation of the Street Youth Empowerment Project for the 2^nd batch of its FY-2021 still managed to take place although delayed, due to unexpected further lockdowns and restrictions, as well as changes in implementors of the project.

All youth were thoroughly oriented about the project and what to expect of them in compliance with their engagement. As always expected in the orientation, most of the youth were thinking that the project will provide them work after their engagement. Hence, it was corrected and instead; told them that the project will help them to acquire motivation and skill and be able to open opportunities to be more competitive for job application.

Preliminary sessions on Skills For Life (SFL), Financial Education, and Entrepreneurship Sessions were scheduled and conducted after the initial orientation of the new batch. There were six (6) sessions facilitated for Skills For Life while the session on Financial Education was facilitated in three (3) sessions and (2) sessions were allotted for Entrepreneurship. These were all held in Adamson University SV Hall.

Skills For Life (SFL): These sessions help them to learn the different life skills that they need to develop among themselves and guide them in achieving their goals. The modules of Skills For Life consist of the following:

• Self Awareness
• Interpersonal Relationship and Communication Skills
• Coping with Emotion and Stress in a Positive Way
• Critical Thinking and Decision Making Skills
• Problem Solving and Conflict Resolution Skills

Financial Education (FinEd): Financial Education (FinEd) allows the participants to learn how to distinguish needs from wants and be able to identify the different levels of importance of their needs in order to prioritize with regards to spending their money. This is to help the youth in understanding the value of money by spending them wisely. Moreover, the session encourages the youth participants to develop their habits of savings. Thus, as an application of their learning, youth were encouraged to start saving voluntarily. The Financial Education Sessions consists of the following topics:

• Preliminaries (Life Dream- Personal, Family, Peer, and Community; NEED vs. WANT)
• Difference between LOAN and SAVINGs
• Importance of BUDGETING and PLANNING

Entrepreneurship: The session topic was interesting for the youth, which they were able to enhance their skills in terms of the micro-business and marketing strategy. These training sessions will help them to improve their knowledge of the marketing business. This will also help them to manage their budget in putting up a small business by their own strategy. The Entrepreneurship Session consists of the following topics:

• Marketing Strategy
• Entrep 101 Writing a business plan for Small Business

Service Sills Training (SST): There were ten (10) youth and twelve (12) youth who took the Barista and F&B Service courses, respectively. The training was scheduled every Thursday and Friday only due to the availability of the resource person from the MMDC-TESDA. The ongoing training of BARISTA and Food & Beverage was also timely scheduled from Morning and Afternoon Session and it was held in SV Hall Adamson University. Service Skills Training courses taken by youth participants are as follows:

1. Barista
2. Food & Beverage Services (F&B Services)

Livelihood: This training session was also implemented for three days whole day session, that was held in Adamson University SV Hall, We divided the group of 22 participants into morning session and afternoon session, so it will not too crowded during the face-to-face session, to follow strict health protocols. Livelihood Training: The Silk Screen Training Session

• Introduction of Silkscreen
• History of Silkscreen
• Actual Demonstration and Printing

At present, street youth participants were observed to have been prevented or reduced their engagement in some vices and negative habits, by participating in more productive activities.

Within this project, youth participants are beginning to realize the importance of identifying goals or dreams in life that they want to accomplish. Their perspective and personality in life were improving as manifested and shows unexpectedly.

MANILA, Philippines – In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Childhope Philippines Foundation Inc. in partnership with ACC21 held its annual recognition for street youths who were successfully completed their vocational-technical skills training under Street Youth Empowerment Program (SYEP), on March 2, 2021.

A total of 30 street youth students — ­eleven (11) participants from Batch 2019 -2020 and nineteen (19) from Batch 2020 -2021, completed their 6-month training in Food and Beverage Service and Barista course and had been recognized. The actual number of participating students is lower than expected. Nevertheless, the event was still full of inspiration and fun as graduates proudly walked and accepted their certificates symbolizing their perseverance in education.

In the welcome remarks given by the Assistant Executive Director, Ms. Quinto is grateful and she is proud of the dedication shown by each student to finish their training despite that there is a current pandemic. “You just proved that even if you are poor, you have a dream that you want to come true. You proved that you can fulfill your dream. And this is the beginning of reaching your dream. Be proud of it”. Ms. Quinto said.

Also, the highlight of the event was the sharing of personal stories of the three successful graduates of SYEP, Joshua (Barista, 2017), Jake (Food and Beverage Service, 2017), and Patricia (Food and Beverage, 2018). A common note in their speeches was the impact of the training they received from Childhope and how it has shaped their skills and qualities to become better individuals ready to join the workforce or take on higher education.

Capping off the event, Ms. Barasan, Assistant Program Manager, expressed her closing heartfelt gratitude to graduates for choosing to be part of the program as their second home. She also reminded the graduates to always carry with them the good values that the institution has instilled them.

The event was also graced by the presence of Childhope Ph staff wherein everybody strictly and properly followed the health protocols such as all graduates were wearing masks and face shields during the event, checked body temperature before the sessions, sanitized all the gadgets before and after the event, and strictly maintain physical distancing.