ASHI FAMILY SUPPORT SRVICES (FSS) PROJECT, DELHI

COMPONENTS OF THE FSS PROJECT OF ASHI, DELHI

1. Community outreach programmes

• Non-formal education centres

• Support classes (Remedial Classes)

• Three full day Non-formal Education Centres functioning for non-school going and school going children

• One half-day centre for support classes for school going children

• Resource Room (Library) cum support centre

2. School Intervention programmes

• Workshops and Awareness sessions

• Individual and group counselling

3. Life Skill Programme

• Computer Application courses-Basic & Advance

• DTP course

• Cutting and Tailoring-Basis

• Dress Designing

• Beauty Culture and Health Care

• Mehndi Application

• Mobile Phone Repair Training Course

• Career Edge IT Professional ( in collaboration with NIIT)

• Retail and Inventory Management (in collaboration with NIIT)

• Digital Marketing (in collaboration with NIIT)

• Spoken English (In collaboration with The Times of India)

• Online coaching classes in Mathematics and Science

4. Counselling and referral services

5. Health camps and Medical assistance

6. Income generation programs

7. Networking and collaboration

8. Training and capacity building for students and volunteers

9. Financial Assistance for Education of Girls

10. Financial Assistance for Marriage of Girls

Juvenile Guidance centre-

Juvenile guidance centre is run with a focus on young boys and girls. The center is funded by the Directorate of Social Defense and aims at providing all-round guidance to young children from underprivileged homes so that they do not fall into antisocial activities. Here all efforts are made to involve them in meaningful activities. The center also runs a library where children are encouraged to sit and study.

Children are frequently taken out for picnics and camps where they get opportunities for developing social skills.

Creche Centres-

In these centres children are studying from 1st to 4th standard. They come mainly from nearby slums and are provided mid day meals in the afternoon on all working days.

Nursery and Primary Schools-

ASHI is running crèche centres in different states of India. These crèches have been a boon to working and ailing mothers as their burden is shared by the crèche staff. Each crèche takes care of 25 chidlren. They are given nutritious food, toys to play and are also given some elementary teaching.

Balwadi-

Balwadi is also run in slum areas. Children below 5 years are given primary education. Nutritious food is provided to children.The Balwadi is equipped with toys and other play materials.

Drug Abuse & HIV/AIDS Prevention Centres-

As drug abuse is a ménace spreading its tentacles in every stratum of society, it is becoming a major social health problem. ASHI took up the challenge in 1986 and has been working in this area.

The Drug counseling centres lay more emphasis on mobilising public opinion and creating awareness about Drug Abuse and providing free counseling and initial treatment to the addicts by medical experts/counselors.

Drug De-addiction and Rehabilitation Centres also were started under the scheme of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India. These centres are dedicated to the treatment and rehabilitation of persons addicted to alcohol and drugs. These centres are equipped with outdoor and indoor facilities with qualified medical officer, psychiatric consultants, yoga therapists, counselors, social workers, nurses and other staff.

In this endeavour full co-operation from all corners including the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare, Directorate of Social Welfare, schools and community is received continuously.

All these centres focus on HIV/AIDS prevention, specially for injecting drug abusers (IDU). They are also integrating ‘needle exchange programme’ for those injecting drug abusers.

Peer Led Intervention Programme (PLI)-

Several of ASHI centres are running PLI programme at Guwahati (Assam) Meerut Dist. Branch (U.P.) Gangtok (Sikkim). With funds from DFID (Department of International Development- UK) and support from SPYM, ASHI centres introduced this approach for reaching out to drug abusers and alcoholics. The emphasis in this programme is on behaviour change.

Drop-in centre-

ASHI started a Drop-in centre called ‘SETU’ which is meant for the injected drug users, recovering users, alcoholics as well as recovering alcoholics. This Drop-in centre is equipped with all available information regarding de-addiction centres, Voluntary Counseling and Confidential Testing centres (VCCTC), half way homes, day care centres and STD clinics and its services for the addicts in time of crisis, risk-taking behaviour, where they come and gather knowledge about alternative entertainment, first aid and referral, AA/NA, Yoga, art of living, advocacy, Harm reduction or minimization, Needle sharing or exchange syringes, Preventive measures, People Living with-HIV/AIDS and Process of socialization etc.

The Drop-in centre has given more emphasis on making people aware about the abuse of drug, sensitization, PLW- HIV/AIDS to motivate the current users (addicts) towards detoxification and rehabilitation. The recovering users under the guidance and supervision of the organisation have managed SETU. Some recovering users, selected by ‘Navjivan’ have been volunteering themselves as peer educators for the current drug users, PLW/HIV and they always inform the competent authority about the various activities they have undertaken for the well-being of the community.

Multipurpose Women’s Welfare centre-

These centres are working for the distressed and victimized women to help them to get their rights to make them aware about women’s Laws, guide them about the government schemes for women, organize camps regarding child development Beti Bachaao. Aids awareness and train them for making useful articles such as sewing, embroidery and handicrafts. They also train them regarding fruit and vegetable preservation with the help of agricultural departments.

Women’s HELPLINE-

With the ever increasing crimes against women these helplines financially supported by Ministry of Women and Child Development are proving to be a boon for women in dire need for a helping hand and a sympathetic listener. The helplines have toll free numbers. Counsellors of the helplines meet the women at a mutually agreed place where they can talk freely. This facilitates their ability to reflect over their problems and workout a constructive solution. The helplines provide round the clock services.

GOAL:

To enrich and improve the quality of life ensuring a healthy family and a healthy society.

Objectives:

• Sustain family integrity.

• Develop sensitivity to each other’s needs in the family.

• To enrich and improve the quality of life ensuring a healthy family and a healthy society.

Interventions / Support Services:

1. Through the Stress Management & Family Enrichment Centre:

• Life Skills Training in the schools and communities.

• Therapeutic Services: Counseling, supportive psychotherapy, crisis intervention, family therapy.

• Advocacy - family issues (Issue based).

• Support services- Referral, Networking and Collaboration with Govt agencies, other NGOs & organisations with CSR departments.

2. Training of Professionals, Volunteers & other target Groups (adolescents, parents, families, teachers, community organizers, others).

3. Conducting vocational training to impart employable skills like mobile repairing, beauty culture and health care, cutting & tailoring, spoken English, etc.

4. Community outreach programmes

• Non formal education for the underprivileged

• Remedial and adult education classes

• Health check up

• Awareness sessions on health ,nutrition, education, gender issues and premarital preparedness

5. Income generation programmes (Earn While You Learn)

6. Evaluation, Research & Documentation.

7. Consultancy to other agencies.

8. Providing hands on experience through internship to students of MSW and M.A. (Psychology).

9. Recreational activities (indoor games, excursion trips) for children and adolescents attending non formal education Centers and vocational courses

Methodology:

1. Need assessment is done through interactive sessions with Government officials, NGOs, voluntary organizations, community leaders, professional and non-professional groups.

2. Training plan will be drawn up according to the target group and their needs.

3. Collaboration with national, regional and local agencies for advocacy, issue formulation and planning for intervention.

Interventions include both direct and indirect work with families, educational institutions and health delivery system. Needs of families are identified through the existing educational, health, legal and welfare system and collaboration is sought to address the issues.

GOAL:

To empower women to manage their day to day life more effectively so that they can contribute positively to family life.

Objectives:

1. To develop functional literacy among women.

2. To develop basic arithmetical skills so as to help them manage their accounts more effectively.

3. To provide basic knowledge about health care and nutrition.

4. To develop vocational skills so that they can generate some income for themselves.

5. To promote gender equality and increased self-confidence.

Interventional strategies:

1. To Provide

• Formal holistic teaching on issues relating to family unity and happiness.

• Discussions on gender discrimination, early marriages, and contraception.

• Providing information about the health and education services available.

• Organize lectures or film shows on socio economic issues.

• Support services such as health referral and health guidance.

• Training in various skills like cutting & tailoring.

• Awareness generation lectures on women’s empowerment, nutrition, sanitation etc.

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2. Networking with agencies which can help in providing services at the grass root (help for handicapped), and Government Hospitals, ensure that proper anganwari and reproductive health facilities are provided.

3. Utilise Government and non-government resources from Department of Adult Education, NCT Delhi.

The programme is in its 6th year and is gradually expanding. Health assessment and health guidance are integrated in the programme.

Emphasis:

• Holding workshops, seminars, debates, declamation and other such school-based programmes.

• Representation on various legislative committees set up by the Central and State Governments.

• Conduct of seminars, conferences, research.

• Publication of books, journals and pamphlets.

• Generating awareness about the issues taken up by ASHI.

• Sustain family integrity

• Develop sensitivity to each other’s needs in the family.

• To enrich and improve the quality of life ensuring a healthy family and a healthy society