LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION TOOLKIT FOR ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN INDIA• 17
For a better understanding we must also ask:
- What are the strengths, positive skills and
behaviors of children, their families and
communities?
Many times we focus only on problems. Yet
children and young people, especially those in
vulnerable conditions, have many skills that have
helped them survive. Many children are resilient
and have learned to cope with the unfavorable
circumstances in which they live. When we collect
data on children’s needs, we can identify these
strengths, and programs can be planned to build
on them.
Some of the information that must be collected includes:
- Background and profile of the children;
This includes age, education, economic
status, family, hobbies and interests. - Information on risky behavior; What is
their knowledge of HIV and related sexual
risky behavior? Are children involved with
drugs, alcohol and smoking? When did they
start? Who influenced them? How do they
perceive the risk? Sources other than
children, such as key informants, can
provide this information. Children should
not be asked these questions directly. - Socio-cultural milieu; What is the
environment like where they live, study and
work? How supportive is it, and how does it
influence risky behavior? Who influences
decision-making—friends, family, media,
teachers, or other adults? How do they form
relationships with their own sex and the
opposite sex? What are their values and
societal norms? What are the threats in the
environment? How do they manage these?
What are their problems?- Access to services; Are there services
available such as youth organizations, STI
clinics, educational facilities (formal and
non-formal), recreational facilities,
counseling centers, detoxification centers,
health clinics/hospitals? Are these youth
friendly? What other NGOs are working in
the area, and what services do they provide?
HOW TO COLLECT INFORMATION?
Different methods can be used to assess children’s
needs when planning programs. It is a good idea to
obtain information from various sources to
provide more confidence in the plan.
Valuable data can be obtained from an array of
reports and statistics. This may include related
research; information on the prevalence of HIV and
STIs; tobacco, drug and alcohol use and abuse; data
from health and STI clinics, counseling centers, and
detoxification centers; condom distribution data.
Primary information may also be collected by
interviewing and holding discussions with key
informants, expert program staff and community
members. Adults who play pivotal roles in
children’s lives are an invaluable source for insights.
Information should be sought from children only if
absolutely necessary, and ethical guidelines must be
strictly followed.^12
Some successful tools for program staff to use for
obtaining information are explained. However,
collecting information and conducting analysis can
be complex, and it is recommended that experts be
used to help with these tasks.(^12) See section on Ethical guidelines on Pg 29.