LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION TOOLKIT FOR ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN INDIA• 15
SECTION TWO: Developing a Life Skills
Education Program
A Life Skills Education Program can be conducted
in a variety of settings such as institutions, the
open community, community centers, schools,
children’s clubs or any other place where children
like to gather. The program can be adapted for
diverse groups of vulnerable children such as street
children, orphans, children affected and infected
with HIV/AIDS, rag pickers, children of sex
workers, in- and out-of-school youth and many
others. A comprehensive Life Skills Education
Program provides opportunities to develop
psychosocial skills that help children and young
people make healthy, safe decisions in daily living
and in situations that carry a high risk of acquiring
HIV. The program also provides a number of
coping skills for those who are infected by HIV or
living with or caring for People Living With
HIV/AIDS (PLHA).
Systematic planning, implementing and program
evaluation are vital to ensuring the development of
effective and sustainable positive behaviors in
young people. These program components should
be integrated when the program is launched.
The section on planning provides simple guidelines
for developing an effective program. It discusses
why it is important to understand the needs of
children as well as to obtain an organizational
commitment to children’s participation. An
effective Life Skills Education Program is possible
only when an organization values children’s rights
and the contributions they can make. The section
concludes by suggesting how to create supportive
environments with communities, by creating links
with other programs and through the active
participation of youth. To be successful, the
program must involve the community, schools,
families and other services.The section on implementation explains what is
meant by participation and how it can be enhanced
by children. Practical ways in which participation
can be implemented are suggested, and the Child-
to-Child approach to learning life skills is explained.
This section contains tips for facilitators. It also
includes how to use active learning methods and
describes the challenges in working with children in
vulnerable situations. Facilitators will also find the
discussion on peer education and developing youth
friendly services useful. This section suggests ways
in which children can plan and implement activities
in their communities through peer educator
programs. A good Life Skills Education Program
creates a demand for friendly, accessible health
services as well, and the Facilitator’s Guide suggests
ways in which these services may be strengthened.
Most programs for children describe activities
implemented by adults through non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) or the community. Few
programs actively encourage children to play a
positive, useful role in their communities. When
children learn to contribute in positive ways in their
community, they can have the power to change
community perceptions and biases.The evaluation section discusses the importance of
participatory evaluation. Tools for evaluation,
especially involving children, are explained in detail.
There are also suggestions on what children can do
once the Life Skills Education Program is completed.The final section provides a list of useful references,
assorted energizers and warm-up exercises.