20 • MODULE FOUR: RELATIONSHIPS
ACTIVITY SEVEN
Hotline- This exercise brings all the activities together. Tell the children that there is a special hotline for
children in distress. Group A is a panel of children who take turns to answer calls of help. Group
B children call in for different kinds of problems. A prop of toy telephones helps to make the
situation more realistic. - Ask the Group B children to discuss the kind of problems they would like to call in for. If the
children do not have any idea, you can help them with suggestions like the list below:- My best friend has stolen my homework notebook;
- My friend has said that if I do not smoke, then he does not want to be friends;
- The police officer always beats me up when I am sleeping on the railway station;
- My friend and I are constantly arguing;
- My friend wants me to help while s/he steals something from the shopkeeper;
- The teacher is angry with me and always shouts at me;
- My father gets angry and beats me if I do not do housework and only play;
- I feel lonely; and/or
- A panel of two or three children consults and answers. The roles can be swapped so that
all children get a chance to participate.
Review
Ask what the children learned, what they found difficult and what was easy when they had to
answer the calls.Linking Learning With Life
Children find out from friends where they can go for help when they have problems. After
analyzing the results with the facilitator, the children decide what could be done to help them.
Can a service be set up with certain times such as a drop-in center? Can peer educators receive
more training for counseling? Can an existing resource be identified and sensitized? Can the
child himself help? Make an action plan based on the discussions.Experience from the field
This activity helps the child to know that help is available and where to seek help in a community.
Younger children gave their own examples and could also participate in this activity. The older children
(12-14 years) were initially confused giving answers but later, responses to the common problems they
face such as conflict at home, use of abusive words by friends were very innovative. (Positive Living
Project, Namakkal)