Instructional advice on working with street children

• Go to where the children hang around. Stay in places in where they congregate; observe the time when they go there and make your presence felt during those times.
  
  This strategy has two purposes;

• for you to become familiar with the people, the children, the place, and...

• to make your presence part of the visual field of the children. Do this for some time, and be sincere about what you are doing. Do not be in a rush to get them to your centre. Street children can tell your motives immediately.

• Make it a point to smile at every child you meet. Do not expect that they will smile back. But keep on; it will make their world a little brighter, and yours, too!
  

• Just as you are getting to know and love the children, they too will be experiencing the same. Street children do not trust strangers right away. If you put on an air of authority, they may feel threatened and be suspicious of your motives.
  

• Wear simple clothes, and avoid wearing make-up and fancy jewellery. Do not wear uniforms. The more ordinary your clothes, the more easily children will identify with you. Through your appearance, you can communicate that you are part of their way of thinking. Do not be afraid of, or take personally, any of their reactions.
  

• 'When talking to a street child, try to sit on a physically equal level with him/her. If possible, sit down and maintain an eye-level posture while conversing with a child. Look at him or her in the eyes, but do not expect them to do the same. It is normal that a child would avoid your gaze. As the child starts to feel at ease and develop trust in you, however, their gaze will become steady.
  

• Try to know the language of the children. They coin their own terms for places, people, events - especially danger signals. By knowing their codes, you will get to know them better... how they perceive things, how they survive. By speaking their language, you can see into their inner world more easily.
  

• Try to always remember the name of the child you help. Remember specifics that he/she has told you about his/her problems.
  

• Try to know the work the children do, and the games they play. Try to join in these two activities. If they are scavengers, join them in one of their sorties; if they push carts, accompany them, and discover what it is like to push carts. Street children are known to dance in the streets; dance. with them, too. If they are playing "hide-and-seek", volunteer as the "den".
  

• Avoid giving money to the children. 'When they ask you, try to know what they need it for. If it is really urgent, like someone is sick, try to go with the child and bring the sick person to a health facility. If a child is hungry, buy food instead. Don't tempt them unnecessarily with money. They do not know how to spend it properly, and will probably waste it, use it for a bad habit, or get it stolen.
  

• 'When a street child offers you food, take it and eat it, even if it does not seem clean. (Your immune system will protect you). Always offer them some of your food. Sharing is the first sign of a relationship on both sides.
  

• 'When a child touches your hand or leg or shoulder, do not wipe it. Wiping is a sign of insult. 'When in their quarters, do not cover your nose, even if the place smells bad. If you are afraid of dirt or disease... you are in the wrong occupation. Better give it up today. Try to reciprocate the touch of a child. He or she will feel more secure and loved. Street children have a greater need for cuddling, as they usually do not experience this ever. However, remember to wash your hands later... in private, many street kids suffer from scabies.
  

• Refrain from moralizing or religious preaching, especially during the initial stages of interacting with street children. Draw out from the children themselves the ideas of what is good and what is bad. Do not try to convert them to your personal religion. They are individuals, and should be encouraged to follow the faith of their choice or heritage.
  

• When a child starts to talk about problems, listen well. Ask open-ended questions - those not answerable by yes or no - so that he/she can give more details about his/her situation. Avoid probing questions. Make sure you stay on eye-level. Try to find out as much as you can about the child's history and give a lot of reassurance that what the child says to you is not going to create a dangerous situation. Tell them where they can find help locally.
  
  Group Therapy And Counselling

• Ask the children what their idea of a group is; and if they join one, what their expectations are. Usually, they will cite practical things like money, food, clothing - let them verbalize their needs. Sift through them later on. Make a mental note of deeper problems.
  

• If a sick child comes to you, accompany him or her to a health centre near his place or work. If possible, bring along a group of street children. In this activity, you are already introducing to the children the availability of health services.
  

• Organise the children into a group - particularly a discussion group - to serve as a vehicle for ventilation of their problems and the exploration of solutions. Children who have been in the streets for a while often come up with simple and practical ideas about solving their problems.
  

• A street educator has much to learn from the street children. Life in the streets is the best teacher. The materials from which an educator draws are right there in the streets - uncollected garbage, violence, indifference, as well as order, responsibility and concern. The children's environment is full of eloquent messages. Make sure you understand them all.
  

• Work with the children on a small project which will bear immediate results. As the children see something concrete from their collective effort, they will be encouraged to start other activities. You can help devise a communication system to prevent undue arrests.
  

• Always complete an activity with a collective reflection where each child is given the chance to draw an insight from what he/she had experienced. Try to make each one listen to one another. If a child makes a particularly enlightening statement, praise him/her; but make it a point to comment on each one's insight.
  

• Respond immediately to urgent needs like giving food to a hungry child, treating a wound, settling a fight, sending a child to a health centre etc. Do this together with the children so that they can realise the importance of collective action.
  

• In every activity, a natural leader normally emerges. Observe those with natural leadership qualities; develop their attitudes and skills through simple street activities. Neutralize the "toughies" who may surface as "gang" leaders, through role-playing and role analysis. Make the children understand that gangs are not necessary. Friendship and sharing are the name of the game.
  

• Integrate value education in your street activities especially in simple games. Join in with the games and make them fun by making mistakes and creating laughter. Don't be a sour-face. Be a child for a while.
  

• If possible, keep a record of your experiences every day. Take note of what the children say, their reflection on their own personal situation. You can use their insights in emphasizing certain lessons later on. Also, use the document during the sharing sessions with other street educators and child organisers. These tidbits of experience are sources of learning for everyone involved with street children.
  
  Contact With Family

• Always ask permission from the child if you want to get in touch with his or her parents, or visit the home. This is a sign of respect for the child. The aim is always to return the children to their home if is a tenable situation. Be careful. Do not be in a rush to return the child home prematurely. You may be responsible for something serious happening to him /her. Children have died as a result of beatings from their relatives after returning home!
  

• Revalidate the information that the child provides with that of the parents. Often, a child gives incorrect information on the family, not out of dishonesty, but because of reasons that can be traced with psychology. A child sometimes paints a horrible picture of his family to solicit your sympathy. There are those who claim that they are orphans, even when they are not. Many children "murder" their parents in their thoughts because of earlier bad experiences. Then again, many children will tell the truth about their home life and the parents will lie.
  

• Courteously introduce yourself to the parents. Do not display an air of authority, nor create an impression that you are blaming the parents for the plight of their children. They too are often victims of poverty, and are mostly simple souls.
  

• 'When the parents are doing something, or are out of the house doing their work, do not disturb them. Just talk to them and state your reason for being there, how you met their child, and that you want to talk to them again at a time convenient to them.
  

• After the first visit, always make a follow-up visit. Try to be more personal, carrying the conversation from the superficial towards the real or essential. Be guided by your own inner light, your own authenticity, and your good will for their child.
  

• During home visits, avoid the following:
  promising the parents any material or financial help.
  blaming the parents for the plight of their children and moralizing on their behaviour.
  giving unsolicited advice.
  making yourself an example of good behaviour.
  being carried away by the emotions of a parent; if he or she begins to cry, let him or her, but try to keep yourself calm, so that you can direct the conversation.
  

• After you have won the confidence and trust of the parents, gradually convince them to meet other parents in the locality Start a sharing group among them to discuss simple issues concerning the plight of the street children. Again, do not create the impression that you are blaming them. Your main concern at this point is raising the consciousness of the parents. Once they have become more aware, they will be more willing to respond.
  

• Families of most street children are highly mobile; they move from one area to another. This makes follow-up work difficult. One way of maintaining contact with the children is establishing a network of volunteers who will be on the look-out for new faces in their area, and who will be coordinating with a central body on the progress of children that you might return home.
  
  Mobilizing Community Resources

• Tap available resources in your community: local officials, teachers, other professionals, businessmen, religious groups and students. In your advocacy sessions, make use of visual aids like posters, sound slides, brochures, video. In every dialogue with a community, get the people's commitment to respond to street children within the community.
  

• Invite street children to community assemblies and let him talk about his experiences in the streets. You can organise street children into a theatre group which can dramatize the case of street children to various audiences.
  

• Coordinate with local radio stations and local newspapers, and ask them to give you air time and space to disseminate information on street children. You can ask children to give testimony on radio if they want to. Do NOT put pressure on them.
  

• The children should not be frequently be put "on display". Invite small groups in the community to go with you to the streets to have a direct experience of a street child's life. End their "exposure" with a group reflection..
  

• When you solicit funds from the public for activities that benefit street children (school uniforms and supplies, capital for income-generating projects, medical assistance), be sure that they receive regular news about the children, new projects and reports on expenditure. Audit your accounts and send the auditor's report to your donors. You will see the difference! People like to know where their hard-earned money goes.