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RE-STRUCTURING CAS NEWSLETTER 36 - OCTOBER 2005. Dear Reader, Here is the newsletter of CAS again. CAS has completed more than 12½. Yes, therefore this is the copper jubilee of CAS. You might wonder why the theme “Re-structuring CAS has been chosen for this newsletter? Although we are 12½ years young, and have been working for and with street children for this period we have reached a stage where the structure and set-up of CAS has to be changed due to the different focus group we meet these days. In newsletter 35 we explained already that we meet different type of street children. Initially, most street children came from the rural areas of Ghana and beyond, to search for better future. All of them were disappointed and landed into a life of survival. The average age of these children was 14 years. After a few years in the streets, they discovered that they could not stay there forever and the lucky few managed to acquire a job which gave them an income to cater for their daily bread. Another smaller group came in contact with Street Girls Aid or CAS and were offered the opportunity to learn a trade. These children were prepared to go to a school or workshop and so enjoyed support from the sponsorship programme. But times have changed and so have the street children. Sometime back, we observed that more and more children could not follow our preparation programmes and dropped-out and returned to the streets. We examined this phenomenon and have come to the conclusion that in fact we do not know much about these “new” street children. We observed that the age group has changed. Most of them are not up to 14 years. We observed that their behaviour is different. We reported to you previously about these observations. This made us decide to start a research into children who need to have more attention and a different approach. This research started two years ago. The conclusions of this pilot research have prompted us to re-examine CAS’ set-up and approach. As most of you know, CAS has six departments which work together to assist the children in various stages of their preparation. Some of these departments have tried to become income generating. Especially Hopeland farm, but also the Demonstration department tried to produce products which could be sold. Because of the involvement of the children this proved to be too difficult. These experiments were carried-out over a period of ten years and our conclusion is that it is not possible to make profits when working for and with children. From the onset CAS is and will remain “a service provider”. We try to give social services to the street children and concentrate on them. This approach has prompted us to re-structure CAS. When we want to remain a “service provider” with the main focus being the children, then all activities should be geared toward that. Child focused means each department has to re-examine the approach. As we mentioned before, we do not know much about these “new” street children. We do not know how they live in town, who their parents are, why they behave the way they do, why they do not have little patience in learning, why they do not listen to anybody, etc. FIELDWORK. CAS main activity is the work we do on the streets. Majority of street children are met in the streets. During the past years we have conducted experiments on “Street Corner Education” classes which are given at meeting points and mini refuges. It is now time for us to examine the impact. These lessons are part of the preparation of the street children. Running Mini Refuges is quite expensive. Do street children want to visit these refuges? We have observed that often children of poor families are our clients at these mini refuges. Street children are busy doing minor jobs to earn some money for their daily food. Several attempts have been made to develop their interest as well and this proved to be partly successful. Most street corner lessons are however given at the meetings points. The workers go to the children and educate them there. Therefore, should we gradually phase-out the use of these Mini Refuges? HOUSE OF REFUGE. The main preparation is done at the House of Refuge. Individual children need to have personal attention. They have to learn how to write, read, and speak a little bit of English. Fortunately, we receive a lot of assistance from part time workers as well as from volunteers and students. But it remains necessary that the teaching staff remains in-charge. This group of workers is very small. Only four teachers are involved. One is a music teacher, another the sports coach and the remaining two are the teachers. When one is on leave or sick we notice that the programmes continue but not as it should be. We have to examine the possibility of making street corner facilitators work hand in hand with the teaching staff at the House of Refuge. After all, the teaching should be a continuation, from field to Refuge, from Refuge to Hopeland, from Hopeland to another training centre. The “development of teaching materials” has gone into its final stage. Two more years are needed to complete them. The literacy materials are almost completed. What remains is the materials for the teaching of numeracy and arithmetic. Computer educational games are excellent additions to the teaching programme. The main requirement is that the computers are in a good condition. We hope to have, at the end of this year, enough Pentium three computers in the House of Refuge as well as at Hopeland for this programme. We are experiencing a lot of problems with the supply of electricity. Most often power- supplies or hard disks get damaged because of the power fluctuations. Therefore, more protection equipment is needed but this is very expensive. Much more attention should be paid to the children while at the House of Refuge. Before a child will be invited to stay at Hopeland, staff should be sure what process this child will go through and how long CAS will take care of this child. We also have to keep in mind that once the decision has been taken that a child can go to Hopeland, the preparation costs will increase. PREPARATION COMMITTEE. About a year ago we re-organised the “preparation committee”. The members are from various departments and are persons who keep records on the children. Indeed, this committee has understood their tasks. Therefore we have plans to involve them in the various stages of preparation. They should know what happens once the child has left their department and has been passed-on to the other. Often the staff at Hopeland discovers the real problems of children, but then it can be too late. It is therefore very important that good social survey reports are written about these children. Not only the basic information is needed but the in-depth back ground of them. We have to obtain information on their living condition while on the streets. We have to be sure why they are on the streets. Social workers who are responsible for these social survey reports need to be assisted by other members of staff to obtain all this information. When two persons are involved in writing these reports we can be surer that they are complete. Because daily we are with the street children, many members of staff are able to identify the problems of the individual children. Even the administrative staff knows them. The “preparation committee” should make use of this knowledge. So that it becomes a collective approach. All staff are collectively responsible for the well being of the children, not only the ones who are carrying out an activity. At the House of Refuge children are introduced into several different kinds of trades. Several of the instructors are ex-street children themselves. They have a good relationship with the “new children”, but they have to be assisted in organising and training of the children. House of Refuge staff, including the volunteers and students, have to re-examine the timetable and activity schedule at the Refuge. HOPELAND. Hopeland training centre will experience most of the changes. This centre will have three different activities: 1. Since it is difficult to become self-reliant or make profit while keeping animals, we have decided to change it into a demonstration farm. Animals will be kept but in smaller numbers. Different activities will be organised such as dry season gardening on a small scale, tree planting and care, rearing small animals such as grass-cutters, rabbits and snails. These changes will ensure that no extra financial support is needed to allow children to learn how to take care of animals. 2. Many investments have been made for the income generating workshops. Now the time has come to produce and have income. The Demonstration department, together with the management of Hopeland has to re-structure the running of these workshops. Fortunately, the foreign market of our products is improving very well. Efforts are underway to learn how to sell into the local market. We have asked for some expert advice. Members of the department have to learn this aspect of the trade and we will make time available for it. 3. Taking care and preparing the children will be a separate activity. This means, the team working with the children will be responsible for it. They have to choose a leader and make decisions on regulations of the children, their accommodation and feeding, their teaching and other activities. Also they have to budget the costs involved in money and in kind. The programme managers of CAS will assist the various groups to come to good programmes and regulations which are understood by all members of staff. CHANGES. All these changes proposed, have to be implemented before the end of the year so that in January 2006 CAS can take off in a different setting. This will require the understanding and cooperation of all. We are sure that several members of staff have become workers with a certain routine during the past 12½ years and it will be difficult to accept changes, but these changes are necessary because of the realities on the ground. Let us hope we will succeed. Finally we thank you again for your help and concern. Bro. Jos van Dinther