NEWS EVENTS
(2021 - Present)
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & CAPACITY BUILDING
This component was designed to respond to the SNSP’s Phase 2 – more specifically, the capacity building needs of CiSS NGOs. It supports organizations in strengthening their role as service providers to CiSS through enhancing their staff members’ leadership skills. It ushers in new online learning platforms to increase learner engagement.
The Training Needs Assessment (TNA) conducted in July-August 2021 served as the basis for priority topics in LDCB’s first year under SNSP Phase 2. Subject matter experts/resource speakers developed the learning content and session design of the modules. Meanwhile, the target group constituted primarily of staff members from partner CiSS NGOs in VIsayas and Mindanao. It is also open to other organizations and LGU implementers nationwide catering to CiSS needs.
SNSP successfully implemented several events under this component.
Online Trainings
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Module 11. Enhancing Practice by Revisiting Basic Attitudes and Principles in Development Work
(February 15, 2022)
This module put the spotlight on key concepts and challenges on NGO work, basic principles in development work, and the code of ethics of development workers. This was attended by 88 participants from 9 organizations.
Module 10. Children's Participation focused on Children in Street Situations
(January 18, 2022)
This session was a follow up from Module 8 and focuses on the children participation of children in street situations. The objectives of the session is to provide the Child Participation Principles and Frameworks that are needed when working with CISS and to discuss the different child-friendly methodologies when working with CISS.
Online Trainings
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Module 9. Concept Paper Writing Workshop
(December 7, 2021)
This is a collaborative workshop geared towards guiding organizations that aspires to submit a concept paper or project proposals for potential funding from the LifeBank Foundation (LBF). Select partner NGOs were trained on concept paper writing using LBF’s template. The session yielded three draft concept papers from Iloilo City, Bohol, and Cebu City NGOs.
Module 8. Children’s Participation for CiSS NGOs & Local Government Implementers
(November 9, 2021)
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This module put the spotlight on key concepts and principles surrounding children’s participation, developing an enabling environment to realize children’s participation, and the challenges/risks in physical as well as digital environments.
Module 7. Child Rights Programming Focusing on Children in Street Situation
(October 12 and 26, 2021)
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The training module covered two key topics in two sessions. Topic 1 focused on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC): Four Principles and General Measures of Implementation. The session’s general objective was to familiarize participants with the abovementioned topics, covering fundamental concepts, background, and significance. Meanwhile, Topic 2 was on CiSS and the Advocacy Guide. Discussions highlighted the international framework on working for and with CiSS, and understanding the steps in achieving equality for CiSS that are applicable in the program of work.
Module 6. Conducting Research for CiSS NGOs & LGU Implementers (September 14 and 21, 2021)
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This module was created to orient participants on research involving CiSS and share basic tips in complying with research ethics in conducting research activities involving CiSS. Session 1 was on, “Basic Tips in Research Involving CiSS”, while Session 2 centered on “Designing a Case Study for Children in Street Situations during the COVID-19 Pandemic”.
Module 5. Documenting Good Program Practices for Children in Street Situations NGOs & Local Government Implementers
(August 17 and 24, 2021)
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Participants were trained to write good practices narratives and take photographs with captions supporting said narratives – skills that are essential for replicating effective interventions in working with CiSS. Organizations were able to produce eight outputs by the end of the training.
Module 4. Management Development Program (MDP) for Children in Street Situations NGOs & Local Government Implementers
(August 17 and 24, 2021)
The MDP aimed to build capable and agile leaders who can actively contribute to their organizational goals and respond to opportunities as well as challenges using personal and team strength. The program focused on managerial and leadership skills that will help not only in enhancing participants’ knowledge and aptitude in managing/leading their teams, but also in achieving intended results for children, especially those in street situations.
Module 3. Mental Health & Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Program for Street Children NGOs
(May 11 and 18, 2021; June 1, 8, and 15, 2021)
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This five-day training program was particularly designed for participants to:
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Be introduced to the broad scope of mental health and psychosocial support, including the services under it;
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Comprehend the fundamental concepts in mental health and wellbeing;
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Learn and demonstrate rudimentary psychosocial skills, including first aid and crisis management; and
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Apply stress management techniques to personal health plans.
Module 2. Estimates of Potential Children in Street Situations in the Philippines
(February 23, 2021)
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The study pioneered by the LifeBank Foundation and Social Weather Stations (SWS) on the “Estimates of Potential Street Children” is the first of its kind after almost 18 years since Dr. Exaltacion E. Lamberte’s study on CiSS in 2002. Key findings include:
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At least one in every 100 children in the country aged zero to 17 years old is a potential street child.
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There are at least 369,242 potential children in street situation (CiSS) in the country in 2015, but the actual figure could be higher.
Module 1. Understanding Children in Street Situations: The Profiles of CiSS in Iloilo and Cagayan de Oro Cities
(February 9-10, 2021)
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This training aimed to develop NGO workers’ understanding of two key topics: (1) the life of CiSS in Iloilo and Cagayan de Oro Cities, and (2) the utilization of data to strengthen CiSS programs.
Training Needs Assessment
On September 30, 2020, SNSP conducted a Training Needs Assessment among network members in Visayas and Mindanao. The results were shared online and key highlights of the findings include:
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Interest topics across all staff positions and according to years in the organization are: promoting children's rights, leadership and management, and mental health.
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NGOs prefer webinars and video-based learning as the mode of learning, with availability between 2.00-2.75 hours/day and 3 days/week.
Communication, Research, and Public Advocacy on CiSS
This component focuses on providing a platform for communicating and raising public awareness on who the Children in Street Situations (CiSS) are and their issues. The goal is to influence plans, programs, and policies impacting CiSS. CiSS non-government organizations (NGOs) work together in creating and implementing activities directed at strengthening public action on CiSS issues.
Video Animation Series on CiSS
SNSP co-created and released a set of information videos tackling key concepts on CiSS to effectively introduce the topic. The series consists of four episodes: (1) Who Are the CiSS; (2) Ways of Guiding the CiSS; (3) Proper Handling of CiSS; and (4) Plans for CiSS.
The video animation series was created in partnership with the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC)’s Subcommittee for the Welfare and Protection of Children in Street Situations. It was launched just in time for the celebration of the National Children’s Month on November 24, 2021, together with CWC.
Compendium on CiSS
While it is important to raise awareness on CiSS issues, it is equally vital to have a clear understanding of how NGOs dedicated to it are addressing the CiSS phenomenon.
To this end, SNSP compiled and released two editions of a compendium on CiSS. The first edition launched in 2020 provided basic profiles, programs, and services of 17 organizations in Visayas and Mindanao.
The latest edition launched in 2021 was created in collaboration with the National Council of Social Development Foundation of the Philippines, Inc. (NCSD). It highlighted situational changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and how CiSS NGOs and LGUs responded accordingly to address them. It presented 25 articles –23 of which featured NGOs from the National Capital Region (NCR), Visayas, and Mindanao working with CiSS, while two are on LGU implementers. The articles delved on their adaptive practices to match programs and services to the urgent needs and demands of the circumstances surrounding the CiSS amid the global health crisis. Implementation details and measures of success were discussed in the hopes of inspiring others or providing a blueprint to spark similar endeavors.
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Webinar Launch of the Video Animation Series and Second Edition CiSS NGO Compendium
The SNSP and Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) collaborated yet again in another awareness raising campaign in time for the National Children’s Month. In partnership with CWC, SNSP hosted, “Walang Batang Maiiwan: A Virtual Forum on Children in Street Situations and Launch of the Short Video Series and Compendium on CiSS NGOs”, on November 24.
Representatives from the CWC, LifeBank Foundation, Inc., National Council of Social Development Foundation of the Philippines, Inc. (NCSD) and its NGO members, as well as various NGOs in Visayas and Mindanao participated in the event. Speakers shared their experiences amid the pandemic, how they recalibrated their programs and projects to fit the needs of the times, and plans for future actions. Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas and Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno sent messages of support.
The event also served as an apt launching platform for the video animation series on CiSS and the second edition compendium. NORFIL Foundation, Inc. and NORFIL Adoptive Parents (NAP) likewise presented and officially launched the book “Born from Love” at the forum.
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International Day of Celebration for Street Children
April 12 marks the International Day of Celebration for Children in Street Situations. This occasion provides a platform not just to celebrate the resilience of CiSS, but also to unite and call on the government to protect CiSS rights.
SNSP collaborated with network NGO members/partners in Visayas and Mindanao for a simultaneous celebration of the occasion. It also served as a fitting avenue to launch the first episode of the video animation series on CiSS in collaboration with the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC).
Online Forum on the National Situation of CiSS During the Pandemic
Speakers and participants from various LGUs and NGOs implementing programs and services CiSS gathered in a forum entitled, “The “State of Children in Street Situations Under COVID-19 Pandemic”, on December 9, 2020. This is part of the Street Children NGO Support Project’s (SNSP) Phase 2.
The speakers shared stories about CiSS in their respective areas, how they were doing, and where they were. The biggest challenges the participants/speakers encountered as well as future plans amid the global health crisis were also points of discussion.
Ms. Catherine Scerri, Executive Director of Manila-based NGO Bahay Tuluyan and Chairperson of the Council for the Welfare of Children’s Sub-committee on the Protection and Welfare of CiSS, talked about the status of children at the national level, along with the push and pull factors impacting CiSS conditions that drive them to the streets even during the pandemic. Ms. Scerri also presented the approved Philippine National Multi-Sectoral Strategic Plan for CiSS.
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Network Building and Strengthening
This project component puts a spotlight on creating and nurturing healthy, effective relationships among non-government organizations (NGOs) working on Children in Street Situations (CiSS) and Local Government Unit (LGU) implementers in Visayas and Mindanao. Network partners/members are encouraged to collaborate at the regional, provincial or city and municipal level – whichever would be most applicable and fruitful for them.
Regional meetings kept the partners/members abreast of each other’s progress and renewed their commitment to the advocacy. A Theory of Change (TOC) serves as a roadmap that keeps the network aligned while working towards its long-term goal. Progress markers, outcome mapping, and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) help in tracking changes, progress, and achievements in further strengthening and cultivating the network.
Regional Meetings of the CiSS Network in Visayas and Mindanao
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Regional partner NGOs working in the Visayas and Mindanao regions came together in four online “Kumustahan” meetings on October 14, November 4, and November 5, 2021. These renewed participants’ commitment in advocating for the rights and welfare of CiSS as partners in the network. They also paved the way for reaching key agreements:
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Region VII partners will carry on with their regional set-up with Cebu City and Bohol given the established Facebook chat group;
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Regions IX and XI will pursue their joint region-wide loose organizational form. Given the small number of NGOs in both regions, they decided on grouping together and reevaluating later;
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Region X decided on a CDO City-level formation as the City Council for the Protection of CiSS Chairman and members are already part of the network; and
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Region VI opted for an Iloilo City-level formation with representations from DSWD VI. The inclusion of LGU focal persons from Panay Island can be explored in succeeding meetings.
Phase 2 Project Orientation
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As the Street Children NGO Project (SNSP) moves forward to the next phase of implementation, NGO network members and partners were oriented on the goals and components of Phase 2 through a workshop held on January 22, 2021.
SNSP set a major focus on two elements for year 2021: (1) conducting webinars under the Leadership Development and Capacity Building component, as well as (2) pursuing start-up activities to provide support for livelihood activities of CiSS families.
Other equally comprehensive and relevant SNSP components are (a) building and strengthening the network, (b) website and social media, and (3) communication and public advocacy.
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Theory of Change of the CiSS Network, Outcome Mapping, and Development of Progress Markers
Tracking progress and working towards a common goal are essential parts of project implementation.
Network partners/members gathered in a two-day workshop on January 27-28, 2021 and crafted a shared Theory of Change (TOC). The TOC serves as a road map to keep the network aligned as it works to reach the long-term goal of ensuring the rights of CiSS are respected, protected, and fulfilled – all this in support of LGU interventions.
Basic concepts and principles of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) were also discussed in the workshop. In relation to this, partners/members tackled Outcome Mapping and how it can be applied to the network’s M&E efforts. The Outcome Mapping already identified the Boundary Partners of SNSP and of the CiSS NGOs.
Workshop participants were divided into breakout sessions as well to determine the project’s Progress Markers. These are used to track achievements and positive changes in the behavior, actions, and relationships of the network members.
Livelihood
The Street Children NGO Support Project (SNSP) moves on to the second phase of implementation that highlights this component. The main focus is on providing support to the livelihood activities of the families of Children in Street Situations (CiSS) through strengthening the CiSS NGO network in Visayas and Mindanao.
SNSP conducted assessments of beneficiaries and implementing NGOs, profiling of barangays with CiSS families, and training in order to effectively gauge how to proceed with appropriate livelihood activities for the project.
Loan Readiness and Enterprise Needs Assessment of 30 Families and Capacity Assessment of Two Partner NGOs in Davao and Cagayan de Oro Cities
SNSP commissioned two assessment activities to determine two key factors. One assessment is for the readiness and needs of CiSS families to acquire loans and support their existing or planned enterprise. The loans may either be to prepare for wages or for self-employment to support their families. The other assessment keys on the capacity of two partner NGOs to provide technical assistance to the beneficiaries in establishing and managing their livelihood project or enterprise.
The assessments were done from May 5-20, 2021 in nine barangays covering 30 respondents in Davao and Cagayan de Oro Cities. The results informed SNSP’s proposed livelihood intervention pathways.
Barangay Profiling of CiSS Families in Davao City
SNSP conducted follow-up data collection in September 2021 to profile barangays in Davao City where CiSS families reside. This is to supplement information gathered from the loan readiness assessment. Tambayan Center for Children’s Rights. Inc., SNSP’s local NGO partner in Davao City, deployed the enumerators who did the information gathering.
The collected supplemental data focused on the barangays’ socio-cultural and economic background, areas’ accessibility, and the community’s physical boundaries as well as safety and security situation. They will aid LifeBank Foundation in determining whether the CiSS families can qualify for the existing loan product, or if there is a need to design or customize a loan service.
Notably, the absence of updated data due to barangay officials and service providers’ other priorities in light of the pandemic was among the challenges that arose during the profiling. Respondents of the barangays also had limited understanding of the factors that drive CiSS to the streets.
Training of Trainers on Mindset Transformation
Results of the assessment on loan readiness and needs of CiSS families, as well as the organizational capacity assessment of the two partner NGOs helped in forming appropriate recommendations for SNSP’s proposed livelihood intervention tracks. In response to these recommendations, SNSP held the “Training of Trainers (ToT) on Mindset Transformation” and “Introduction to Financial Literacy”, on November 19 and 26, 2021. The ToT feeds into SNSP as it helps set the foundation for the latter’s integrated livelihood program for CiSS families in target areas.