Nowadays, many of us hear about or encounter children on the streets… Children who have been abandoned, neglected, abused, or exploited. They need special protection, not to mention shelter and other basic needs. For this reason, the Nayon ng Kabataan was established.
In this article, we will talk about Nayon ng Kabataan, a facility established and operated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Keep on reading to learn more about the facility’s vision, mission, goals, and objectives, along with the programs and services that it provides to target clients.
What is Nayon ng Kabataan?
Nayon ng Kabataan is a 24-hour residential care facility that provides temporary shelter, psychosocial care, interventions, and protection to children ages 7 to 18 years old who have been abandoned, neglected, and orphaned.
The beginnings of Nayon ng Kabataan goes way back, to 1917, when Republic Act 2671 was passed and the first government orphanage was established at WelfareVille Compound in Mandaluyong. In 1968, the orphanage was relocated at MIA Road, CAA Compound, Pasay City and became known as Nayon ng Kabataan (NK).
Years later, in 2001, Nayon ng Kabataan relocated back to its former address at WelfareVille Compound, Mandaluyong City. The following year, in coordination with Lions Street Children Foundation, Inc. (LSCFI), a sponsored cottage called Cottage 3 – Bahay Magalang was inaugurated; it accommodated some street children and staff from Ahon Bata Center.
Vision, Mission, and Goals
Nayon ng Kabataan is envisioned to be “a center of excellence for children in need of special protection in respect of human dignity and potentials by becoming productive individuals and mainstreamed to society.”
Correspondingly, the mission of the facility is to provide comprehensive services that are protective, therapeutic, and rehabilitative for children in need of special protection, thus maximizing their full potentials for economic adequacy and self-sufficiency.
The main goals of Nayon ng Kabataan is to train, educate, and rehabilitate children in need of special protection, and for them to become self-reliant and productive individuals.
Target Clients
As mentioned earlier, Nayon ng Kabataan caters to children in need of special protection, ages 7 to 18 years old, both male and female. These include children who belong to these categories:
- Abandoned children;
- Neglected children;
- Orphaned children;
- Street children;
- Children in situations of armed conflict;
- Children in need of special home arrangements; and
- Children who are victim-survivors of abuse and other circumstances (e.g. physical abuse, sexual abuse, exploitation, child pornography, trafficking).
Objectives
Nayon ng Kabataan seeks to achieve the following objectives:
- Provide temporary shelter for the care, training, and rehabilitation of walk-ins, referred, and rescued children within the center’s target client categories;
- Inculcate good values and positive attitudes to children using different modalities and techniques for character building;
- Provide learning opportunities for children in need of special protection, towards their socio-economic stability, self-sufficiency, and social responsibility; and
- Strengthen engagement and partnerships with local counterparts, volunteers, benefactors, and other stakeholders who are supportive of the facility’s mission.
Programs and Services
Nayon ng Kabataan implements case management, along with different kinds of helping strategies or interventions.
1. Case Management
Social workers are in charge of case management of the facility’s residents. Together with a team of staff and specialists, they carry out approaches, strategies, and methods based on each resident’s specific concerns and treatment plan.
2. Helping Strategies or Interventions
This involves the implementation of various activities and services, as follows:
a. Social Services
Social workers at the facility conduct individual case work, group work, group therapy, family counseling, and family conferencing, with the aim of reuniting families. It also conducts programs geared towards community reintegration and mainstreaming, such as: alternative family care (i.e. foster care, adoption), job placement for independent living, placement for continuing education, counseling, and support services.
b. Medical Service
Health workers, licensed medical officers, and nurses conduct routine physical examinations, immunizations, de-worming, growth monitoring, vitamin supplementation, environmental health and sanitation, in-patient care, and out-patient consultations — all with the aim of preventing sickness and morbidity among the residents of the facility.
c. Psychological Service
This service includes psychological assessment and evaluation through the conduct of tests and therapeutic sessions. These are aimed towards the healing, recovery, and rehabilitation of residents, especially those with a history of abuse, neglect, and abandonment. Tests and sessions are done by licensed psychologists.
d. Dietary Service
This involves dietary planning, food preparation, food handling, serving, and distribution. It is headed by a nutritionist or dietician. All in all, his unit seeks to ensure the health and nutritional needs of residents in the facility.
e. Homelife Service
This service is related to the management of residents and cottages in the facility. It involves house parents, who are responsible for providing home training and other life skill activities to residents. The duties of a house parent include: child management, cottage management, attendance to case conferences, cottage daily routines and schedule of activities, supervision and schedule of duties.
f. Productivity Service
Notably, Nayon ng Kabataan is accredited by TESDA to conduct four training courses: Cosmetology, Sewing, Carpentry, and Electronics. It also holds partnerships with the DSWD-NCR, Lions Street Children Foundation, Inc., Reyes International Hair Cutters, and Mandaluyong City Manpower Development — for the purposes of advanced training and job placement opportunities for residents.
g. Education Service
For each child, education is part of his/her rehabilitation plan while staying in the facility. This includes the provision of formal, non-formal, and special education, depending on the child’s needs.
h. Socio-cultural and Recreational Service
This involves indoor and outdoor activities based on each resident’s age, skills, health condition, and interests. Some examples are cultural dances, rondalla, sports, and various games.
Video: Nayon ng Kabataan Children Perform “Singkil” Dance
This video, shared by Philippine Lions Street Children Foundation, Inc. on Facebook, features Nayon ng Kabataan children performing the “singkil,” a Philippine cultural dance:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Meanwhile, here are some frequently asked questions about Nayon ng Kabataan:
1. What is Nayon ng Kabataan?
Nayon ng Kabataan is a 24-hour residential care facility that provides temporary shelter, psychosocial care, interventions, and protection to children who have been abandoned, neglected, and orphaned.
2. What are its vision and mission?
The facility is envisioned to be a center of excellence for children in need of special protection. Its mission is to provide comprehensive services that are protective, therapeutic, and rehabilitative for these children, so that they may maximize their full potential and achieve economic adequacy and self-sufficiency.
3. Who are its target clients?
The target clients of Nayon ng Kabataan are children in need of special protection, ages 7 to 18 years old, male or female, and belong to any of these categories: abandoned children, neglected children, orphaned children, street children, children in situations of armed conflict, children in need of special home arrangements, and children who are victim-survivors of abuse.
4. What are its programs and services?
The facility provides case management, as well as different kinds of helping strategies/interventions, namely: social services, medical service, psychological service, dietary service, homelife service, productivity service, education service, and socio-cultural and recreational service.
5. How can I learn more about it?
You can learn more about the facility by getting in touch with its contact details, provided below.
Contact Information: Nayon ng Kabataan
Address: Nayon ng Kabataan, WelfareVille Compound, Mandaluyong, 1550 Kalakhang Maynila
Telephone: 0905 636 2897
Email: ncr_nk@yahoo.com
Website: https://ncr.dswd.gov.ph/centers-and-institution/nayon-ng-kabataan-nk-2/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Nayon-Ng-Kabataan-100011619398173/
Google Map:
Final Thoughts
At Nayon ng Kabataan, children who are orphaned, abandoned, or neglected can expect to receive the care, support, education, and training they need. Whether they will be reunited with their families or prepared for independent living, this facility is certainly changing many young people’s lives for the better!
Aside from Nayon ng Kabataan, another facility you should know about is the DSWD’s Reception and Study Center for Children (RSCC). Do check out this article to learn more about it!