Demonstrate your in-depth knowledge (using academic literature as evidence) of the issues/needs of children and families in your real-world problem
Focus on real-world problem (IN INDIA). Respond to the needs of the children in the real-world problem by preparing and writing a Project Proposal Report using the suggested structure provided (as seen in the guidance document).
■ Taking into consideration what you now know about the needs of the children in your real-world problem, plan a project that would respond to their needs.
real life problem India: Children living on the streets
Children who live and work on the streets are a marginalised hidden population in many urban cities, however the number of street children in India is particularly high, and some estimate the number of street children in Bangalore alone to be around 80,000. For these children, the street is their only home; a place where they eat, sleep, and earn money by collecting waste, rag picking, vending, and shoe shining. Some are begging, stealing, and some are also involved in substance misuse. These street children experience direct exposure to violence; girls are at particular risk of sexual violence. The majority of children are boys, as girls do not survive on the streets for long; girls that do survive are often engaged in prostitution or trafficked into a brothel or a household for domestic work. These children have little access to safe clean drinking water, they have no access to education and the health care available is limited.
Example of project in India:
■ Rescuing children from railway platforms
“At each of the Society for Assistance to Children in Difficult Situations (SATHI) project locations, a team of 4 to 5 outreach workers patrol the railway stations every day for 8 to 10 hours looking for and identifying missing/lost children, children unaccompanied by adults, children who appear to move in an unfamiliar area or suspected to be trafficked, etc. These children are contacted in a friendly manner and motivated to come to the safety of a shelter. The shelters are normally located close to the station.”
■ Home Orientation camps for children
“Children who have been out of home for a long duration have certain behavioural issues such as habitually running away from home, aggressive or rough attitude, history of substance abuse, etc. need a more intensive intervention. For such children, SATHI conducts a 1-month residential Home Orientation Camp.”
Source: http://sathi-india.org/work/
■ Things to consider:
■ Be realistic – have a project that is sensible and can be practically achieved.
Be local – locate project in a community, rather than nationally/regionally.
Be specific – focus your project on meeting specific needs, rather than trying to cover all the needs of the children in your chosen real-world problem.
You can use any of the following:
■
■ Use the first person plural (we/us/our).
■ Use the third person singular (it/its, the hospital/the university/the school district).
■ Use the first person singular (I/me/my).
Remember this is an academic piece of work, and therefore academic literature is needed. Avoid personal opinion and avoid making claims that are not supported or proven by evidence.
■ Propose a relevant project using the project proposal report format.
Through doing so:
■ Demonstrate your in-depth knowledge (using academic literature as evidence) of the issues/needs of children and families in your real-world problem.
■ Demonstrate an awareness, and actualising, of strengths, rights and capabilities of children, their families and communities (starting from a strengths based approach)
■ Consider the role of early years provision/professionals in bringing about freedom, peace, social justice, equity and social inclusion.
■ Show a commitment to the ethical and political dimensions of early childhood education, care and development in a global context.
■ Consider how early years provision and early years professionals can/do advocate and facilitate the participation, self-determination and agency of children, families and communities who face oppression, marginalisation, exclusion, injustice and inequality.
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