PREDA SEMINARS & TRAININGS
CHILDREN & YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC EDUCATION
Peer Education has always been integrated as one effective approach in educating the young people. The "Youth to Youth" approach where the children and youth leaders, after having been trained and had undergone various exposures, become educators to the people of their age. In so doing, the children's participation becomes one more significant factor in the success of the Preventive Education Program aside from pursuing the provision of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child demanding among others, the Children's participation in all endeavors that affects their lives.
- Leadership Training, Personality and Character formation training.
A series of capability training workshops were conducted to prepare the participants to the Children and Youth Congress. The training was all about enhancing their skills in leadership, effective facilitation of discussion groups, organizational skills and coping mechanisms in relating with certain types of personalities and behaviors during the congress. Most of the participants were youth leaders from youth organizations of different NGOs in Zambales and Olongapo. Seventy-five (75) youth members from Zambales/Olongapo attended the training.
- Participatory Conduct of Meetings & Resolution Making Workshop
Another training that the Project conducted for the Children and Youth Leaders is the workshop on how to conduct meetings, consensus building and social awareness activities in order for the participants to identify common problems and issues in their respective communities. The activity was directed toward the preparation of RESOLUTIONS that was presented in a draft form during the Congress where it was later deliberated upon and passed.
The resolution-making workshop was conducted on the 4th of March. Ninety-two (92) participants were divided into their respective commissions. Each of them was given enough time to analyze and have discussions about what they perceive as strengths, opportunities, challenges and problems confronting the youth. A creative activity to for them to study the social realities on their respective community was conducted. The workshop was facilitated by the PEPS Staff and the AKBAY leaders who already had previous experiences. It was during the concluding day of the Children and Youth Congress that the youth leaders presented the specific Resolutions to the guests of honor and to the general public.
- THE FIRST ZAMBALES-OLONGAPO CHILDREN AND YOUTH CONGRESS
Year 2000 Theme:
"Empowering Communities, the Children
and Youth through Legislative Lobbying and Advocacy"
As part of organization's overall thrust in empowering children and youth and in its promotion of children's rights, the Preda children and youth programme regularly organizes summer educational and recreational camps for young people. This year's summer activity however is by far the most successful and most prestigious activity for Children and Youth leaders that was organized and hosted by Preda Foundation in Zambales Province and in the City of Olongapo. The Children and Youth Congress is in fact the culmination of the several summer camps previously held by the Zambales-Olongapo Children and Youth Organization now commonly known as AKBAY. It is safe to state that it was the first of its class that happened so far in Zambales-Olongapo area to the envy of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) or the government mandated Youth Council and the various children and youth organizations operating in the area.
To enhance and maximize the cooperation and partnership among other NGOs with children and youth beneficiaries, the Congress was designed to invite maximum participation by contributing their resources during the Congress. Aside from inviting the children and youth from partner NGOs in the area, they were also asked to present a part in the program of activities. This is to fulfill the mission of AKBAY to be the network of children and youth programs.
The culminating activity was also highlighted by the launching of the Peace Pole that is to be planted at the Preda Center later on. The Peace Pole is similar to the ones planted in many major cities and major locations around the world including at the United Nations headquarters. (It is promoted by the International Peace Prayer Society that originated in Japan immediately after World War II). Prayers of peace were offered to each country as their corresponding flag is raised and presented. A similar Pole was dedicated by AKBAY and the Rotary Club of Metropolitan Subic for the Subic Freeport Facility a few weeks before the Congress. It was another major activity of Akbay with the full participation of the Preda CFC Children.
The major legislative agenda that was presented to the public during the culminating activity is the comprehensive bill on Juvenile Justice System filed in the House of Representatives. The participants expounded on the issue of Juvenile Justice with help from various resource persons. The Bill was presented to the public by Representative Loreta Ann "Eta" Rosales. It served as the Provincial and City launching of the lobbying campaign of the Children and Youth for its passage in the House of Representatives. It was the first activity of its kind for the Children and Youth of Zambales and Olongapo fully covered by local TV and the media.
Before the Congress, the leaders together with other NGOs and Child Caring agencies including the Programme Director and Staff of the Preda Foundation attended the Congressional Committee Hearings on the Bill and together lobbied for its approval. The Bill is now pending in Congress.
The entire activity was a great surprise to all, realizing the force
of the "empowered" Children and Youth in its campaign to raise
the issue of children and women's rights in every forum they attend. It
was a great opportunity to convince the young people that they can move
the elder leaders of their community to support and promote human rights
in general.
ADVOCACY THEATER ARTS TRAINING WORKSHOPS
The sub-project has initiated various plays and productions and participated in National Theater Arts Festivals in Manila together with other theater groups also associated with PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association). The AKBAY Educational Theater group has performed with the best at the Rajah Sulayman Theater in Fort Santiago and made presentations in various forums and venues as advocacy tool in the campaign to promote children's rights.
Further development was the recent production of the play that was presented first in Germany and now being presented locally.
- THEATER ARTS AUDITION-WORKSHOP
Forty-seven children and youth aspirants joined the Audition-Workshop held on April 29 to 30, 2000 at the Preda Center with assistance and management of the Philippine Educational Theater Arts Association (PETA). The activity was organized to select the best young actors to be trained for the Preda Advocacy Theater Program, a partnership program between the project and the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA). Two (2) sets of participants were carefully selected with 6 members each to join the PETA-PREDA Production. Group A was designated for the International Advocacy Campaign and Group B for Local & National Advocacy Campaign.
THE PREDA CHILDREN & YOUTH ADVOCACY THEATER PRESENTATION IN GERMANY
The Preda-AKBAY Advocacy Theater Group in cooperation and partnership with the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) was invited by the Buero fuer Kultur-und-Medien Projekte (Culture and Media Bureau) based in Hamburg, Germany to perform a play at the World Expo in Hannover, Germany from September 8 to 12, 2000. The group was also invited to participate in the International Children's Cultural Caravan. Theater workshops were conducted with theater groups from South Africa, Romania, Bolivia, India, Uruguay and Uganda.
The group had a longer collaboration workshop with the Most United Knowledgeable Artists (MUKA) of South Africa for two (2) productive weeks in Hildesheim, Germany with the goal of improvising a play that was later presented at the Christus Pavilion at the World EXPO 2000 on September 20 to 21 during the celebration of the World Children's Day.
The Kinder Not Hilfe (KNH) and Dritte Welt Partner, both International Partners of the Preda Foundation helped to organize the presentation of the play and made part of their own campaign for the protection of women and children. There were performances in different schools, Cultural Centers and Churches in 22 cities/towns across Germany from the 25th of August until the 16th of October 2000.
The theme of the play is about how children and young people, suffering from abject poverty, are being caught in the web of Child Sex-Trafficking and Pornography. It also speaks of the Dreams of the Children and young people of having a life of joy, free from violence and abuse and where life and dignity are respected with a hope to realize these dreams for all the children of the world.
The Theater Group that made presentations in Germany was composed of six (6) young performers/advocates, one (1) Youth Development Staffer from Preda and one (1) Artistic Director from PETA. The youngest performer is one of the children at the Preda Children's Home. She played the major role as the child recruited by a pimp and trafficked to Europe.
The AKBAY (Aksyon ng Kabataan at mg Bata para sa Bayan) Youth Organization under the support of the Preda Foundation has been very vigilant and courageous in pursuing its thrusts towards Children and Youth Empowerment and active participation in nation-Building through its various programs. The Advocacy Theater is being used as an effective tool in advancing the advocacy on Children's and Women's Rights.
- BASIC INTEGRATED THEATER ARTS WORKSHOP (BITAW)
To further enhance interest among the young people in the performing arts,
the theater arts project started to sponsor Basic Integrated Theater Arts
Workshop with trainers from the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA).
The BITAW workshops is part of the on-going training of eager participants and
part of the preparation for the Zambales-Olongapo Theater Arts Festival to be
held sometime in October or December 2001. The participants' theatrical skills
were enhanced especially in the fields of visual arts, scriptwriting, sound
effects, production making and choreography. Trained and talented participants
are further encouraged to join the Trainor's Training which will launch
satellite groups in Zambales and Olongapo City.
TRAININGS AND SEMINARS ON PERSONALITY GROWTH, LEADERSHIP AND CAPABILITY BUILDING
- CAPABILITY TRAINING
The training was conducted to equip the participants with skills and capabilities required of each participant for the Children and Youth Summer Congress. Participants were trained in confidently preside meetings, facilitate activities and how they can convey their ideas and communicate well during discussions and debates. All the candidates joining the Summer Congress were required to complete the training before they are confirmed as participants.
- ADOLESCENT SEXUALITY AND GENDER SENSITIVITY TRAINING
Part of the project objectives is to help young adults to become aware and cope up with the physiological and psychological changes that are going on in their personal life. The beneficiaries of adolescent sexuality and gender sensitivity trainings become aware of the maturation process and how they can cope up with physical and emotional changes that may be misunderstood without proper guidance. Coping mechanisms and personality development is part of the training conducted to two batches of 25 to 30 participants. Key issues on gender equality and how society should treat women are discussed. Resource persons other than the Project Staff are invited to provide effectiveness and quality of the trainings.
Such training is part of the prerequisites of becoming a youth leader of AKBAY. All officers and key members have to undergo such training to become more responsible in themselves as persons with high moral standard and how they relate with their peers as leaders.