Civic Education Department

Providing Youth House beneficiaries with Civic Education classes and training programmes covering the following topics:

• Teambuilding
  
• Leadership
  
• Conflict resolution
  
• Tolerance
  
• Peace building
  
• Children and human rights protection
  
• Debate
  
• Activism and volunteerism.

This programme serves children and youth ages 13-18 from the Youth House target group.

The main objective of this department is to introduce youth to basic civic education and social action, and to support them in their self-development to become active and responsible members of a democratic society in Tajikistan.

Civic Education classes are conducted by a long-term partner organization CCCID that provides Youth House with qualified trainers, solid class curriculum and developed textbooks along with advanced training for Youth House teachers. Civic Education trainers are in the process of producing a Manual for Trainers. The Manual will contain comprehensive theoretical and practical material on conducting Civic Education classes and seminars.

Psychosocial C ounselling Department

Experienced department counsellors provide professional psychosocial counselling services to Youth House children. Counsellors have a well-developed system to survey, interview, and identify children in need of counselling services. Those children are then invited to participate in group and individual therapy.

Youth House counsellors provide therapy on the following issues:

• Conflict/aggression
  
• Shyness/low self-esteem
  
• Depression
  
• Grief and l oss
  
• Phobias
  
• C ounselling on professional orientation

In 2002,Youth House counsellors served a total of 588 children in both Youth Houses:

• 477 students participated in the group counselling
  
• 111 students participated in the individual counselling

For all children served, counsellors keep confidential records and perform pre - and post-counselling evaluations with the children to measure changes in the children and thus the effects of counselling work.

Also in 2002, YH counsellors developed and produced a Practical Manual of their strategies for groups that includes practical material on working with traumatised children. All the material has been adopted to the local circumstances and applied in practice during a two-year period. The Manual is available for other NGOs who work with vulnerable children and youth.

Additionally, the Youth House NGO received a grant from UNICEF to develop and carry out an 8-week practical psychology training course for a total of 45 school psychologists, NGO counsellors and internat/special school counsellors  working with children and youth. The project goals and objectives were successfully completed. Targeted counsellors in the Dushanbe area received advanced practical skills training a Manual for Practical Psychologists has been published, and a Psychological Resource Cent re for public use has been created in the Dushanbe Youth House.

The Youth House Program Methodology is based on the following principals:

• Provision of variety of educational supplementary opportunities for local children and youth
  
• Introduction youth into the principals of social participation through access to civic education training
  
• Introduction of participatory interactive principals in teaching process
  
• Utilisation of local human recourses
  
• Professional development of local human resources through trainings
  
• Utilisation of variety of services provided by international organizations in the field of local society development
  
• Introduction psychological services to local population through free access to psychological services
  
• Development of psychological services through professional development of the YH psychologists

YOUTH HOUSE PROGRAM RESULTS 2002

For the year 2002 the Youth House NGO enrolled and educated 3,172 vulnerable children and youth in two Youth Houses in Dushanbe and Kurgon - Teppa.

Overall Youth House NGO Beneficiary Enrolment Statistics for 2002

Additionally, the Youth House NGO received its first grant from UNICEF to develop and carry 8-week practical psychology training course for school psychologists, NGO counsellors and internal/special school counsellors  working with children and youth. YH Psychologists were actively involved into the implementation of the project. The project goals and objectives were successfully met and as the results a Psychological Resource Cent re for public use has been created in the Youth House NGO and a Manual for Practical Psychologists has been published.

Total hours provided

YOUTH HOUSE ACTIVITIES

Educational Activities

Children for the Youth House classes were recruited from throughout Dushanbe and Kurgon–Teppa to register for classes. Registration took place every four months two weeks prior to the beginning of each cycle. There was no need in extra-publishing of the registration period as the Youth House programme is very popular in both sites and there has always been a response to registration that is greater than the beneficiary capacity of the Youth Houses. The Youth House management staff utilized developed registration system that yielded the most beneficiary information with the most efficient use of time. Children were assigned to classes based on their expressed interest and then placed in the appropriate section based on their skill level and experience. Classes were conducted in the morning and afternoon, allowing flexibility for students to attend before or after school.

Youth House students generally remain in the classes for four months (one cycle) however children who were enrolled in language classes attend for at least six months. All Youth House students have the option to re-enrol for the new cycle, either continuing in their current class and moving to a higher level or enrolling into the different class. These students get register ed through internal registration that is conducted by Youth House teachers two weeks prior to the end of the current cycle. The average number of students continuing from cycle to cycle was about 30 % in both Youth Houses.

Recreational and Extra – Curricular Activities

Along with educational activities the Youth House programme contains conduction of variety of extra-curricular events. Summer months cycle programme for 2002 included Summer Camp activities for all the beneficiaries in two Youth Houses. From June through August a rotating group of about 20 students went to the mountains one day each week. The camp programme included sport activities, swimming as well as team building activities. Total 48 trips were organized during summer cycle in the Dushanbe and Kurg on-Teppa Youth Houses and 1142 beneficiaries participated in the Summer Camp programme activities.

Throughout year 2002 the Youth House management staff with students – activists from the Youth Council and civic education classes conducted variety of short-term events, community actions and celebrations. Among them actions and events such as:

• Starting from June through August English Club activities took place in the Youth House programme. The Club classes were conducted by two teachers-volunteers from CADA English Language Center
  • Youth House Civic Education students organized and conducted a community action in the local Rest Home. The action took place in March 2003. Students cleaned the rest Home territory, planted bushes and organized a concert for patients.
  • Youth House Drama class students developed a New Year celebration programme. A group of Drama class artists took their 20 minutes performance to each class during three pre New Year days. The performance included New Year congratulation from Santa Claus, quiz games with audience, distribution of gifts.

  Professional Training

  The Youth House teaching staff and psychologists received a number of trainings on participatory interactive methodology. YH Management staff continued providing teachers and psychologies with opportunities for professional development :

  • English Language class teachers participated in the professional training for teachers in the Central Asian Development Agency.
  • Computer class teachers and several advanced level students received training on webpage design in IREX (International Research & Exchange Board) as a part of IATP project (Internet Access & Training Program).
    Civic Education class trainers participated in the Debate seminar organized by Soros Foundation in Tajikistan.
  • Youth House Counsellors participated in the training for Practical Child Psychologists. One of the psychologists from Dushanbe Youth House applied for a scholarship to Aga Khan Foundation and her application was successful. In year 2003 she will start education to acquire a Bachelor degree in Psychology .
  • Youth House Executive Director participated in three weeks Women Leadership Training conducted by specialists from Oregon University, the seminar took place in Kyrgyz Republic, Bishkek

  YOUTH HOUSE SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

  Projects development

  For the first year of independent operations the Youth House management staff focused on supporting the YH programmes through project proposals development. Total Youth House NGO developed 21 projects proposals and received approval for seven (7) project proposals. Our donors are:

  • Embassy of Japan
    
  • Soros Foundation
    
  • Swiss Cooperation Office
    
  • Мercy Corps International
    
  • UNICEF

  Total amount of grants received is $ 28 861  (grant from Japan Embassy is not included – this grant of $ 48 813.34 will be reflected in the Annual Report for 2003).

  In addition NGO received support from other international and local organizations:

  • Scolasia provided art supplies (easels) for p ainting class
    
  • Local Internet Company “BABILON – T" provided 20 hours of free Internet access per months.
    
  • Local Children Art School provided a space for d ance class on a long-term basis.
    
  • Local N GO “Osheni Baland" supported YH Computer class through partial payment of c omputer class teachers
    
  • Informational Youth Network collaborates with Youth Council members through publishing informational articles about YH activities

  Paid services

  The Youth House NGO was working on developing its sustainability through investigation of the possibilities for providing paid educational services in Dushanbe and Kurgon–Teppa areas. There are numbers of local agencies working in the aria of paid educational services and the environment is very competitive (see C hallenges Faced and Lessons Learned below). In 2002 the NGO succeeded in making profit from paid services to A fghan children. This was a result of cooperation with Tajikistan Red Crescent Society. A t otal $ 1,000 was generated for 2002 through provision of paid educational services ( c omputer training and English language class). As stipulated by the NGO Charter , this income was used to cover programme expenses as well as building maintaining expenses.

  Looking Ahead

  One year of self supported operation provided NGO with good experience. This year tested the NGO potential, strength and possibilities. The Youth House NGO became stronger in terms of developing project proposals, establishing relationships with donors, gained better recognition among local and international organizations. It also proved a need in developed and clear plan of improving the NGO sustainability over the following years. The Youth House NGO management staff developed Strategy Development Paper. In order to become self-sustaining, we have developed a strategy comprised of the following key elements:

  • Within five year period to decrease external financial support from required $ 35,000 to $ 15,000 with the final goal to continue work independently.
  • To work towards increasing the income from donor agencies from scheduled $ 12,000 per year to $ 25,000. In order to accomplish this, it will be necessary for the Youth House to work very closely with locally represented donors, but also to attract, if possible, donors outside of Tajikistan. Success over a sustained period of time will help the Youth House gain credibility with donors, with longer term success stories.
  • To increase income from local corporative companies/business companies. We believe that in the future our local companies will become stronger and more developed that will allow them to increase their support to local organizations like the Youth House NGO. Meanwhile we in the process of attracting corporative partners for providing small financial support such as partial support of the YH activities, summer camp activities. Companies retain a tradition from Soviet times of helping social institutions and we believe we will be able to utilize this as the local economy grows.
  • To increase income from NGO’s business projects (summer courses for foreigners, paid classes for the local population).

  In order to establish and develop strong independent income the NGO needs time and experience. The five-year period will give us both time and experience to develop an independent source of income, which will allow the NGO to continue working without support from external donor.

  CHALLENGES FACED & LESSONS LEARNED

  While operating as an independent organization , the NGO faced number of challenges. One of the challenges is weak legislation base for operating as a local non-for-profit organization. Current legislation is not responding to the changes taking place in the country. Soviet type legislation system has not been modified and creates lots of confusion even for government authorities. The Youth House NGO, like many other similar organizations is left to work in a very unfriendly legislation environment. This kind of situation does not support development of the organization but even pushes it back. The Youth House management staff is struggling with this obstacle on a daily basis hoping the situation will change in the nearest future.

  Another challenge is building maintaining. The Youth House is the only NGO in Tajikistan owning assets like building, cars and equipment. These assets require constant maintaining: 24 hours guidance, security system, electricity, maintaining of the equipment and furniture. About $ 350 per months is required only for basic maintaining of the organization assets. This kind of expenses require stable source of income that the NGO does not have since the beginning of the independent operation. Meanwhile the NGO management staff very often use their own resources to keep the YH assets in good condition.

  The Youth House leaders understand importance of utilising local resources like attracting business companies’ funds and government resources. There was a success in partnering state Children Art School in providing free space for the Youth House Dance group on a long-term basis. But we’ve also learned that local corporative/business companies are not so well developed to be a substantial source of income for the local NGOs. We believe we will be able to utilize this in the nearest future as the local economy grows.

  CONCLUSION

  For one year of independent operations , the Youth House NGO has been working within the mission statement and achieved its goal and objectives in term of continuing providing disadvantage children and youth with educational opportunities. Program activities have had undoubtedly long-term effects on the lives of hundred of vulnerable children, youth and their families in Dushanbe and Kurgon–Teppa. The Youth House provided and continues to provide places that are safe, friendly and encouraging for intellectual development of young people. The Youth House leaders and staff worked hard in order to keep the programmes running and succeeded in their efforts. The NGO has a clear vision of its future development that is reflected in the Strategy Development Paper.

  While identifying the NGO work and experience as a positive one we can not avoid stressing challenges and problems we are facing and the ones that will be arising. Some of them the NGO is struggling with on a daily basis (see Challenges Faced and Lessons Learned above). While all our efforts and time are spent on supporting the basic activities of the YH – running classes, maintaining class and office equipment, keeping the teaching staff, maintaining building security the NGO can not afford develop it’s programme and sustainability. The Director of the YH, her Deputy and the Kurgon–Teppa YH supervisor all work on volunteer basis. The salaries of local employees are relatively low (teachers, psychologists, guards, driver) and they are not paid regularly. As we are constantly limited in financial means we can’t afford to expand our administrative staff, which we will need to do in order to have more people working on developing stronger relationships with local companies, establishing business projects, searching for new donor agencies. The disappointing part of this is that our students and staff are brimming with ideas and enthusiasm, but are constantly frustrated by lack of implementation ability from the Youth House. In order to improve the situation we are in a strong need for outside support from interested people and organizations for the nearest few years. It will be extremely difficult to continue our work on a high quality level without receiving outside assistance for the nearest few years.

  We enjoy working in the Youth House and we care about quality of our work. We see great results of our activities; we see great need of our work for Tajik children and youth. The management and staff of the Youth House remain dedicated to improving the lives of poor children in Tajikistan and we will continue to put forth all efforts towards ensuring the success of our programme. We believe with the help from UMCOR and other interested organizations, our long–term partners, donors and local companies the NGO will be able to grow and become strong and independent .

  Top of Page