It follows a no dole-out policy and aims at supporting poor families’ capacities to solve problems on their own in order to progress towards increased autonomy, stability and reduced poverty. This program focuses vulnerable families living in urban low rented or slum area to improve their living condition through psychosocial counseling and referral to other existing services as per their needs. It applies Family Development Methodology to work with such families to support on health, education, legal, psychosocial and economic conditions. In each selected area there is a social center which is established to provide counseling and referral services. Group discussion, individual and family counseling are conducted regularly in these centers.
How do we work?
Home Visits: Vulnerable families identifies through door-to-door visits, social center activities, or referrals from other families or partners. Such families are encouraged to share their problems & needs that help them towards possible solutions to improve their overall situation based on the need identification on health, education, psychosocial, legal & economic part. They are referred to external services if necessary. Social worker follow-up each family every week for six months and it depends on the needs and condition of families.
Social Centers: In the social center, families participate in group activities such as group discussions, and awareness sessions on topics related to their health, their rights, development of their children, etc. Families are encouraged to visit social center as they can share about very personal issues that are difficult to express in front of other members, relatives or neighbors at home. Women in particular may feel more ease to talk about domestic violence in the social center than at home.
Networking & Referrals: FDP coordinates with government, non-government and private sectors service providers to refer the families & children for specific services they need in the areas such as; health, education, legal, social welfare & psychosocial issues. Service providers are identified based on the needs of the vulnerable families. Once identified, the project objectives are introduced and referral mechanism is established.
Awareness & Advocacy: Group discussions are organized with the families in FDP areas to increase their level of awareness on health, education, family relationship and rights based issues. At national level, VOC together with other child rights organization has been advocating with government to strengthen the child protection framework and pressuring for its proper implementation and continuity. In project area, we raise awareness among different stakeholders, parents and children themselves on community based child protection mechanism and the role of different stakeholders in realizing the protection of child rights. Furthermore, we closely work with families, communities and local authorities to strengthen their capacity in order to address child protection issues within their territory.
