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Fil-Mentoring There is a growing awareness and concern for the
plight of children around the world today. The ratification of the 1990
United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child exerted
pressure on governments and societies to secure and protect the rights of
children around the world. In the Philippines alone, statistics on human rights
violation on children have been significantly recorded to reach beyond a normal
understanding. The Department of Social Welfare and Development, a Philippine
government agency, reported 18,542 incidents on child abuse from
1991–September 1998. Even
th
Although several institutions and organizations have
already began to make initial contributions to provide these children with
decent homes, educational opportunities, and proper formation and guidance, the
dilemma still exists. In 1994, "Fil-Mentoring, Inc." was
formally organized as a non-profit & voluntary organization involved in
propagating Mentoring schemes and develops supplemental learning particularly
for the Filipino street children. Composed of
mostly young professionals, "Fil-Mentoring,
Inc." was created with a vision of
providing these children with adequate skills in enhancing
th "Fil-Mentoring, Inc." intends to
strengthen and expand its membership base to encourage
other government and non-governmental organizations
to adopt and develop Mentoring as a solution to
the problem of street children. "Fil-Mentoring, Inc." serves as a link
between education and the community. It initiates and promotes a
wide rage of
activities to children in all areas of education and skills development.
Ultimately, all "Fil-Mentoring, Inc." projects are geared towards the
same common aim: transforming and molding these
children to become a successful,
confident, self-reliant, and independent adult. "Fil-Mentoring, Inc." seeks to supplement the efforts of government in reawakening the cultural awareness, environmental
consciousness, and provision of non-formal education and basic/literacy education
for various target groups irrespective of their age, creed, gender, race, tribe,
geographical location, and political or religious orientation. "Fil-Mentoring, Inc." further aims to work
closely with individuals and organizations here and abroad to enhance
training and improve the content and delivery
of cultural, environmental, functional,
health, literacy, and nonformal educational needs. WHAT
IS MENTORING? In recent years, Mentoring programs
emerged in many countries as an effective response
to the plight of the youth. Mentoring schemes
have expanded rapidly with increasing number of students, young
professionals,
as well as, adult volunteers unselfishly giving their
time and effort to help these young people in institutions, schools, community agencies, and
in their own respective localities. What, then, is Mentoring? v
Mentoring involves volunteers who assist in
institutions, community agencies, churches, and schools on a sustained and
systematic basis. These mentors act as a resource to the coordinator, director,
housemothers, and teachers who usually work individually or with small groups in
helping these street children with their activities and relating them to the
"outside world." v
Mentors are more than role models. They initiate
activities that persuade and motivate these children to value education and view
it as an instrument to alleviate their present economic and social situation.
They inculcate in them the message -- "be as you can be" rather than
just "be as I am." v
Mentoring, likewise, involves a higher level of
personal commitment than mere conventional tutoring. Mentoring programs can take
place in schools, community agencies, business establishments, churches,
colleges and universities. Volunteer-mentors and mentees develop
a close and
profound relationship as they work together hand in hand in social, cultural,
recreational, community service projects, or any other program or activity. FUTURE
GOALS
Presently, "Fil-Mentoring, Inc. concentrates on
alternative classroom activities with a composition of 50 active
member-volunteers. In the coming years, we hope to reach out to as
many street children as possible and initiate
projects for training, scholarships, technical
assistance, research and information services. Furthermore, we are at the stage of expanding our Mentoring program to other organizations that are, likewise, involved with street children. We intend to assist in child/youth development and organization and help establish a national forum for research and effective practice on Mentoring and create a national, if not global, awareness to this problem.
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A large number of these Filipino children are caught
in a vicious cycle of abuse, exploitation, cruelty, conflict, neglect,
abandonment, delinquency, and parental negligence. Thus, the urgent need to
restore and protect these basic children's rights cannot be ignored. 
