Jumpstart! Jalajala

ARCSEA, in partnership with The Jumpstart Foundation Australia  and with support from Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, successfully implemented the project “Enhancing Knowledge and Skills on Child Rights Protection to Empower Families and Communities Through Capacity-Building and Organizing Child Rights Protection Brigades in Tanay and Jalajala, Rizal.”

In 2022, ARCSEA, through the help of its Board Vice President, initiated a meeting with five (5) women community leaders of Jalajala, Rizal, composed of mothers and youth representatives. This served as an initial orientation on the project.

A Training Needs Assessment for Community Leaders was then conducted to assess the level of knowledge of participants in the concept of child abuse. It also aimed to produce a local child situationer by providing a space for the participants to share their experiences in the community. Finally, it aimed to provide an overview of child rights, child development, and the national children’s situation. 

The first batch of participants (who later referred to themselves as the Core Group), participated in a participatory module-making and facilitating workshop that enabled them to create their own modules that will be shared in the barangay level training and discussions. They also learned the basic principles of facilitation and practical tips to ensure that the discussions are active and that the topics are well understood. 

In the succeeding months, the Core Group conducted educational discussions sessions in different barangays, continued to refine the training modules for use locally, and began training local facilitators. The Core Group and additional facilitators formally organized themselves into a Child Rights Protection Brigade (CRPB) whose main tasks is to advocate for children’s rights in general and in particular, to educate the community on children’s rights and child abuse protection. They also decided to expand the efforts to the remaining barangays in Jalajala.

In 2023, Child Rights Protection Brigades were established in all of the 11  barangays of Jalajala and expanded to include 5 barangays in  Tanay, Rizal. Serving as the frontline responders to instances of child abuse, these brigades also conducted educational discussions within their communities with the following topics:

• Child Development
• Child Rights
• Child Situationer
• Positive Discipline
• Violence Against Women and Children
• Child Abuse and Cybersafety

These efforts aim to empower community members, equipping them to contribute to the prevention and response to different forms of child abuse.

Recognizing the importance of accessibility, CRPB toolkits and handbooks were developed for instances where traditional tools like laptops and LCD projectors were impractical. These resources covered essential topics and included visual aids, legal references, and contact information for relevant agencies involved in child protection. These materials were developed based on the modules produced by the Core Group.

The project specifically targeted women leaders, parents, teachers, and youth, providing them with the necessary tools to protect child rights. Collaborating with elementary public schools through the school principals, CRPBs organized educational discussions for both parents and faculty teachers. Local barangays were also tapped for educational discussions for the barangay workers and their respective communities. 

To extend support to children and their families in underserved areas, medical missions were also organized in barangays in Jalajala and Tanay on June 17 and August 19, respectively. These missions brought together volunteer medical interns, doctors, and barangay health workers to address health concerns within the communities.

Furthermore, in celebration of the World Mental Health Week, the project facilitated a discussion on Children and Mental Health.  Dr. Reggie Pamugas, a psychiatrist, was guest speaker on Mental Health and Filipino Child to about a hundred sixth grade students last October 12, 2023 in Bagumbong Elementary School in Jalajala, Rizal. 

Looking ahead, ARCSEA envisions a focused approach for the coming year. The emphasis will shift towards training youth as peer educators and counselors within high schools, both public and private. Mental health, a critical factor influencing vulnerability to child abuse, will be a central theme. Concurrently, parent education sessions, conducted in collaboration with schools, will continue. 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank different the individuals and organizations who contributed to the success of this project:

• Jalajala Core Group 
• Volunteer medical students, interns and doctors from the Asian Medical Students Association of the University of the East – Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center for their valuable contribution to the Medical Mission held on June 17
• Doctors and health workers of Philippine Children’s Medical Center – Health Emergency Management Unit and the barangay health workers from Barangay Pagkalinawan for their contribution to the Medical Mission held on August 19

If you or your organization would like to support this initiative, please do not hesitate to reach out to us through our email contact.us@arcsea.org.