To help more street children to help themselves

Not least among Childhope’s Street Education programs is the Alternative Learning System for Basic Education among the street children, which Childhope is currently conducting in partnership with the Department of Education. This program allows the Street Educators to give the street children the opportunity to earn DepEd accredited elementary grade school and high school certificates, even outside the formal school system, enabling them to claim the brighter future they deserve.

During the period, there were eighteen (18) street children who attended in the Basic Literacy and Numeracy (BLAN) classes. The street children participants learned how to read the ABC’s, count 1-10 digits, write their names and how to pronounce simple words.

In addition, there were twenty-six (26) and fifteen (15) street children from the areas of Binondo, Divisoria, Ermita, Luneta and Pier, Manila who attended the Basic Literacy Program (BLP) and Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Program, during the period. The BLP and A&E modules, usually require 6 to 10-month class that participants need to attend in preparation for the ALS examination.

On the other hand, most of the street children participants of A&E returned to formal school this School Year 2015-2016, while waiting for the ALS examination scheduled in November 2015. 

The Street Educators will continue to monitor those street children enrolled in formal school. The Street Educators will also conduct home visits to establish relationship with the parents/guardians of the street children beneficiaries, and to conduct counselling sessions to help ensure that the students will continue and finish their studies.

The street educators assigned in different areas continue to identify and assess street youth who are potential participants of Vocational Technical / Service Skills Training. There were thirty eight (38) youth enrolled in Hotel and Restaurant Service Training, of which 24 participants completed the training while the fourteen (14) dropped out because of different family problems.The 24 youth who completed the training have attended their On–the-Job Training (OJT) sessions at Queensland Catering Service located in Las Piñas City. Out of twenty four (24) children, twenty (20) took the  NC2 examination and received the National Certificate 2 accreditation from Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), while four (4) youth are still waiting for the schedule of the examination this year 2015.

At present, trained street youth are engaged in the following establishments:

•  Eleven (11) of the graduates have an On Call Job at Prime Power Agency who have connections in the different hotels in Tagaytay, Subic (Olangapo), Cavite, Makati City.
• One (1) youth is already working in Crown Hotel in Malate, Manila.
• Two (2) are working in Red Ribbon Bakeshop in of their branches located in Cubao, Quezon City for two months now. 
• One (1) is working in McDonald’s Fast Food in Manila.
• Nine (9 ) are working On Call basis in Queensland  Catering and other catering service in Las Piñas  and Paranaque City.
• All children in On Call jobs are continuously looking for permanent jobs

All trained children who are engaged in On Call jobs are continuously looking for permanent jobs. The Social Workers assigned to this youth are also continuously conducting individual counselling to monitor their behaviors and attitude towards their jobs. 

Cheers to Lanie, a street child assisted by Childhope Asia Philippines who just recently referred to a center by our own Street Educator/Social Worker, Jelo Larracochea. Lanie is one of the children who greet and offered sampaguita to our dear Pope Francis during his visit in the Philippines.

The story of Lanie will prove that everything happens for a reason. Lanie was abodoned by her parents and from the street  of Manila, she met Childhope Asia Philippines. After series of counselling, she was then agreed to be referred to Tuloy Foundation to live a better life that every child deserves. Now, with Tuloy Foundation continues guidance, its not only a better life that is waiting for her but a blessed experience that she will treasure for the rest of her life.

Links:

• an article from ABS-CBN

For the reporting period, a total of 94 street children participants participated in the Focused Group Discussion sessions on the different Alternative Education topics. FGD’s are conducted to assess how the children apply their learning in their daily lives. Some of the behavioural positive changes demonstrated by the children are: able to  greet and respect adult /older persons, able to forgive the faults of their peers and other children, children performed agreed tasks with their street educators and they believe and pray to the God/ Supreme Being.

The eleven (11) youth trained in different vocational/technical skills/ service skills training continued to work in different business establishments mentioned in the previous report. These street youth hopefully will be able to support themselves and eventually leave the streets.

There were 5 classes in Basic Literacy with thirty eight (38) learners while A&E had two (2) classes with a total of forty six (46) learners. The street educators /facilitators continuously conduct the modular sessions of BLP and A&E in the following areas; Ermita and Kalaw, Luneta, Pier, and Divisorna/ Binondo and Delpan .

The child who passed the Dep. Ed examination is currently studying at Access Computer College taking up Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT). 

There were 5 classes in Basic Literacy and Numeracy training with thirty eight (38) learners (24 are new learners) while Accreditation and & Examination Training had two (2) classes with a total of forty six (46) learners. The street educators /facilitators continuously conducting the modular sessions of BLP and A&E in the following areas; Ermita and Kalaw , Luneta, Pier, and Divisorna/Binondo and Delpan . Out of the 13 learners who filed to take the Department of Education examination under A&E level, one (1) passed the examination. He received the equivalent certificate of Secondary level. All children who passed the examination will be recognized by the Department of Education. They will be having their graduation rites in April of this year. The child is planning to pursue his formal studies in College; he is in the process of preparing for the entrance examination at the Universidad de Manila (UDM). He is hoping to pass the examination and be able to take up a four year course in College. In addition, the child is hoping also that CHAP can help him to support his studies in formal school. Two (2) children (siblings) who were referred to Pangarap Center (1) and the other (1) to Manila Youth Center respectively passed the examination. They were previously attending ALS A&E sessions when they were on the streets.

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