1. Project on ISR
Smita Sable
ADM NO: HPGD/AP14/1225
SOCIAL CAUSE: CHILDRENS YOUNG AT RISK
NGO: Don Bosco National Forum for the Young at Risk
PRIN. L. N. WELINGKAR INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT
DEVELOPMENT & RESEARCH.
YEAR OF SUBMISSION:2015
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2. DECLARATION
I, Smita Sable, Student of Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development &
Research, with admission no.HPGD/AP14/1225, Hereby declare that I have completed this
project on ISR – Don Bosco National Forum for the Young at Risk
NGO: Don Bosco National Forum for the Young at Risk in the academic year 2015.the
information submitted is true and original to the best of my knowledge
Smita sable
Signature of the Student
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3. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I hereby take this opportunity to express my heart full gratitude to my organization Centrum Wealth
Management Ltd. who actively contributes to CSR from where I have got the inputs and help for my
project on ISR.
I would also like to thank Miss. Reena Bhosale , Hub coordination providing insights of the activities and
organization of Don Bosco National Forum for the Young at Risk
I would also like to express my indebtness to my family members, my friends and also my colleagues for
their constant support ensuring the completion of my project.
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4. Table of Contents
TOPIC Page No
 Executive Summary 5
 Introduction to Social Responsibility 6
a) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) 7
b) Individual Social Responsibility (ISR) 8
 NGO – Don Bosco National Forum for the Young at Risk 9
a) Don Bosco 11
b) Histroy of YaR Forum 14
c) Vision and mission 15
 Nature and work / YaR Forum Approach 16
A)Approach
B)Task
 YAR Categories 17
 Executive Director 17
 Governing and green body 18
 Project /Programs From YaR Forums 19
 Caring community project 21
 Home link /Childmiss 22
 Services Provided by YaR 22
 YAR Interest Group 32
 YAR Centers in India 34
 YAR and Child line 35
 Govt. Schemes for YAR 36
 CHILD MISS 37
 Rapid Assessment survey 41
 Children and Substance Abuse 42
 Few NGO’s working towards Development For children’s 48
A) Shelter Don Bosco 49
B) DON BOSCO BALPRAFULTA 51
 Directors 54
 History 54
 Research -DON BOSCO BALPRAFULTA 65
 Rapid Assessment Survey Of Street Involved Children In Mumbai 65
 Bosco Snehalaya 70
 Conclusion 72
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5. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The project attempts to give an idea about the various Individual Social responsibilities (ISR) and
awareness about the requirement of how we as individuals can perform our social responsibility.
The social cause on which I have worked on in this project on CHILDRENS YaR (Young at Risk).A
brief insight is given on NGO: CHILDMISS, working on children with on the street, trafficked, abused,
abandoned, orphans, child laborers, school drop-outs, young prisoners or children in conflict with law,
young substance abusers, children in war torn areas, refugee children, children affected by dreaded
diseases, and the youngsters in other situations of risk.
The aim of CHILDMISS is to help children with, way of life and actions, to empower the young at risk
and to create a just and humane society by joining hands with socially responsible citizens and groups. so
that they could have a normal living and be included in the society. The same is the subject of the project.
Finally an attempt is made to capture the doing of CHILDMISS in a video, highlighting their work.
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6. Social Responsibility
Social responsibility is an ethical theory that an entity, be it an
organization or individual, has an obligation to act to benefit society
at large. Social responsibility is a duty every individual has to
perform so as to maintain a balance between the economy and the
ecosystems. A trade-off may exist between economic development,
in the material sense, and the welfare of the society and
environment.
Social responsibility means sustaining the equilibrium between the
two. It pertains not only to business organizations but also to
everyone whose any action impacts the environment. This
responsibility can be passive, by avoiding engaging in socially
harmful acts, or active, by performing activities that directly
advance social goals.
Social responsibility is sub divided into broadly two:
A) Corporate Social Responsibility CSR
B) Individual Social Responsibility
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7. Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR has been defined by Lord Holme and Richard Watts in The World
Business Council for Sustainable Development‘s publication Making Good Business Sense‘ as the
continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while
improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as the local community and
society at large". CSR is one of the newest management strategies where companies try to create a
positive impact on society while doing business. There is no clear-cut definition of what CSR comprises.
Every company has different CSR objectives though the main motive is the same. All companies have a
two point agenda- to improve qualitatively (the management of people and processes) and quantitatively
(the impact on society). The second is as important as the first and stake holders of every company are
increasingly taking an interest in the outer circle-the activities of the company and how these are
impacting the environment and society..
Social responsibility is the duty of business to do no harm to society. In other words, in their daily
operations, businesses should be concerned about the welfare of society and mindful of how its actions
could affect society as a whole. These days consumers have become more conscious of whom they are
doing business with and which products they should buy. Many companies who are looking for long-term
profitability are looking for ways to become more socially responsible.
Likewise, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) states: ―In the wake of increasing
globalization, Organizations have become increasingly conscious not only of what they buy, but also how
the goods and services they buy have been produced. Environmentally harmful production, child labor,
dangerous working environments and other inhumane conditions are examples of issues being brought
into the open. All companies and organizations aiming at long-term profitability and credibility are
starting to realize that they must act in accordance with norms of right and wrong.
3E’s where Corporate intend to be
Social Responsible are
Economic Responsibility – Education of
employees and young technicians is promoted
by organizing on-going training and
qualification courses. The Companies have an
apprenticeship programmer where students
can learn in order to gain professional
experience. Means of economic responsibility
ensure one of the most important aspects of
the Company‘s activity strategy – the highest qualification for its employees.
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8. Ethical Responsibility – Taking care of employees, their families, communities and society. Corporate
prepare annual events together; they also supports those in the communities. They provide leisure
opportunities for their employees and as well as opportunities for self-expression: They support employee
initiatives to form clubs, and to establish professional unions. The corporate are involved in projects for
socially vulnerable community members (for example, children from orphanage). Implementation of
ethical responsibility helps the Corporate to get closer to its personnel and surrounding communities.
Ecological Responsibility – The Corporate takes part in initiatives on environmental management and also
promotes initiatives, related to the rational use of energy resources, sorting and recycling waste, etc.
Labour and health safety requirements are in force in the workplace.
INDIVIDUAL SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
The individual social responsibility includes the
engagement of each person towards the community where
he lives, which can be expressed as an interest towards
what‘s happening in the community, as well as in the
active participation in the solving of some of the local
problems. Being "socially responsible" is about all
individuals behaving ethically and sensitively towards
social, economic, and environmental issues. It is about
being accountable for our actions and being conscious of
the impact your actions have on others, our communities,
and the environment. The individual social responsibility
also could be expressed in making donations for significant for the society causes – social, cultural or
ecological.
STUDENT SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: A subdivision of ISR.
Student social responsibility is the responsibility of every
student for his/her actions. It is morally binding on everyone to
act in such a way that the people immediately around them are
not adversely affected. It is a commitment everyone has
towards the society – contributing towards social, cultural and
ecological causes. SSR is based on an individual‘s ethics.
Instead of giving importance only to those areas where one has
material interests the individual supports issues for
philanthropic reasons. It forms the base for CSR or Corporate
Social Responsibility because if everyone in a business
organization does his/her bit the bigger things automatically fall
into place. The trends
however show that big charitable organizations recorded high
growth due to the SR efforts of individuals and not corporate or
the government. ISR may be slightly impractical, especially in
the modern competitive world, where everyone works for self-
interest, but it will succeed if we take decisions based on what
will benefit a large number of people and respect everyone‘s
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9. fundamental rights. As individuals we can make our small contributions to society by donating money to
trustworthy
NGO‘s , saving our resources by reducing our consumption, e.g. by switching off lights or computers
when not in use.
Some of the individual‘s Socially Responsibilities are
mentioned below:
Keeping in view the limitation of the project, we
cannot focus on each and every of the factors
mentioned above. We will narrow our view on one of
the topics. i.e working towards child development,
focused mainly on child with disability
YaR Forum India
Don Bosco National Forum for the Young at Risk
Don Bosco National Forum for the Young at Risk(YaR)
Palam Gaon, New Delhi – 110045
Ph:+91 – 11 – 25081014
E-mail: info@yarforum.org
Established by Salesian Provincial Conference of South Asia for reflection, sharing and coordination
among those involved in the Salesian ministry for the Young at Risk in South Asia, to network with
likeminded persons and organizations on behalf of YaR, to influence policies related to the Young at Risk
at the state, national and international levels.
Salesians of Don Bosco & CHILDLINE Service in India is India’s first 24 – hour, toll free, emergency
phone outreach service for children in need of care and protection linking them to long – term services for
their care and rehabilitation. Any child and concerned adult can call 1098 and access the CHILDLING
service any time of the day or night.
The service was initiated by Tata Institute of Social Science, Mumbai in 1996 in partnership NGOs that
were doing welfare services and MTNL. 1998, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (GoI)
took that up as a Project of the Ministry) Presently Ministry of Women and Children Development). 1999,
CHILDLINE India Foundation was registered as a Society and in 2000 as a Trust, with a Governing Body
chaired by the Secretary of concerned Ministry. The other members of the Governing Board are that of
Corporate Personnel. No services providing NGO representatives are in the Governing Body.
The service expanded in partnership with NGOs across the country. There were annual meeting (General
Body?) of the Directors of various Partner Organizations to strategize, plan and execute various child care
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10. and protection related services across the country. At state level, there were linkages with State
Government departments concerned with children welfare. At district level, there were non-hierarchical
partnership of Academic Institutions and service providing Voluntary Organizations. There were also a
district level Advisory Board constituted with the Administrative Head of the District (Collector) as
chairperson and various child welfare / development related departmental heads and CHILDLINE partner
organization’s heads as members. They periodically met and evaluated the CHILDLINE services and
provided necessary supports.
Generally, an Academic Institute is selected as Nodal Agency to network and facilitate training, advocacy
and awareness creation in the district. A service providing NGO is selected as Collab or call centre to
receive the CHILDLINE 1098 telephone call and extend the emergency service to the child in need and
link the child for long term services. A Support Organization/ sub centers are also selected to extend the
services and awareness in outer areas.
CHILDLINE India Foundation, with its Head Quarter at Mumbai and Regional Offices at Delhi, Calcutta
and Chennai monitor and financially support the local partners for the CHILDLINE services.
In 2009, CHILDLINE became an important component of Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) of
the Ministry of Women and Children Development (GoI). CHILDLINE India Foundation was recognized
as the Mother NGO/ Nodal Agency that would initiate, monitor and report all the Child Protection
Services in the country connected with CHILDLINE.
Consequently, the CHILDLINE India Foundation presents itself as the single authority to determine the
CHILDLINE service’s vision, mission, scope, components, procedures, protocols status of partners, etc. It
has brought out an M o U that every partner ought to accept and sign, if they want to be part of the
CHILDLINE network and many have already complied with.
Salesians in India have made decodes long services in the areas of child welfare, protection and
rehabilitation in the country helping out lakhs of children at Risk. In the past twelve years as partner of
CHILDLINE network, Don Bosco Institution’s contributions are significant in the expansion, growth and
acceptance of CHILDLINE Service across the country.
In the implementation process of the M o U brought out by CIF, there are many difficulties and
dissatisfactions expressed by many partner organizations, especially those organizations who are the direct
service providers. There are many articles and clauses that affect the individuality, autonomy and
functioning procedures of the organizers. Though some of the clauses are acceptable in principle, the
enforcement procedures from CIF or its representatives have adversely affected the network relationship.
No individual organization has Economic, Human, or Legal capacity to raise the issue concerning the M o
U and the related matters. Some organizations heads are indifferent since they are not directly involved in
the services.
In this context it is important that Salesians of Don Bosco as one of the major child related service
provider in the country and CHILDLINE partner organization to take initiative in assessing the conditions
in the M o U and the subsequent protocols enforced upon the implementing agency by the Nodal Agency
(CIF) and to take remedial measures (meeting CIF Governing Board, Ministry and NGO networks) to
work out healthy partnership conditions and to sustain the partnership concept in providing services to the
children.
Don Bosco Our Inspiration
April 1, 1934. Thousands of young men sang joyfully as they
accompanied the vehicle carrying the mortal remains of a poor country
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11. priest who had died in 1888.The Italian text of the song referred to his remains being carried in triumph
from the hill where he had been buried, comparing it to the twenty-kilometer walk the same priest had
taken to Turin from his village with this poor, illiterate mother, with nothing but a big dream in his heart –
and lots of love. He was penniless, his family name did not count for much, he had no influential relatives
or friends.
But he had the deep trust in God that his mother had taught him, and deep compassion for the homeless
boys who roamed the streets in search of work, for whom no one seemed to care.
Today, this man’s name is magic. Millions of young people in one hundred and thirty-two countries
around the world have found and learnt to live responsible lives because of this man – Don Bosco.
Who was he? What did world? What did he do? Why dies his name spell magic in so many cities, towns
and villages around the world? How did the name “Don Bosco” become a source of hope for countless
young people? What was his secret? How did he achieve the apparently impossible? Don Bosco loved the
young. He loved them with a sincerity, intensity and tenderness that broke down walls.
When, as a young priest, he came to know the pathetic conditions of the young men in Turin’s crowded
prisons, he approached the authorities with a proposal that bordered on lunacy. He asked for permission to
take them for a picnic to the countryside, where they could enjoy freedom, fresh air, fun and games for a
day. The minister whom he approached wondered whether this young priest was crazy. “None of them
will come back,” he said, “They will all run away.” “I can guarantee that they will all be back,” replied
Don Bosco calmly. Relenting a little, the minister asked about the number of policemen needed to
accompany the group. Don Bosco’s reply shook him; he did not want any policemen, with or without
uniform. Having managed somehow to get the minister to let a group of young prisoners go with him for a
day’s outing, Don Bosco took the boys to the country, where they could be free, laugh and sing and play.
At the end of the day, every one of them returned to the prison, as Don Bosco had guaranteed the
authorities.
Prisoners or not, Don Bosco loved the young, and he believed that they would respond to love. In fact, he
was convinced that love yields far better results than punishments.
Contrasting two methods of education, one based on rules and punishments (the “repressive system”) and
the other based on warm relationships and kindness(the “preventive system”), Don Bosco chose the
second, and showed by his extraordinary success that loving kindness reaps much richer rewards than
punishments. When asked about the pillars on which this system was based, he mentioned three: reason,
religion and loving-kindness.
Reason: Ask what is reasonable. Show the young that what you ask for is for their good. The educator
does not just impose things.
Religion: Human beings carry the stamp of the divine in their hearts. No education is complete unless it
trains conscience. Good morals belong to the heart of training. A right relationship to God is the basis for
a happy life.
Loving kindness: All of us long for love. This is particularly true of young people. They know who loves
them and who doesn’t. When loved genuinely and generously, the young respond with all their heart.
Love has the power to transform a person that threats and punishments do
not. Don Bosco learnt this, not from books or theories, but from his
experience.
When Joseph Buzzetti, one of his early collaborators, decided to quit in a
huff, found a job in the city, and came to wish Don Bosco good-bye, the saint
did not lecture him on his fickleness nor scold him for quitting. This is what
he told him: “Joseph, I am glad you have found a job. But, although you have
a job, at the beginning there will be hardships.” Opening his desk where
some money was kept, he told Buzzetti, “You know this desk better than I
do. Take from it whatever you need, and, whenever you need something,
don’t hesitate to come and get it.” Then, looking at his young friend with
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12. evident tenderness, Don Bosco added, “Joseph, we have been friends. I hope you will not forget me.”
Joseph Buzzetti burst into tears; he never left.
Rough, uncouth young men and boys who swore and gambled, smelt bad and worked 12 to16 hours a day
for a pittance, found in this unusual sort of priest someone who understood them, and really cared. They
were drawn to him like a magnet. One such boy, Paul Albera, who later became the head of the worldwide
Salesian order, said this about his experience with Don Bosco: “We were drawn into a current of love. We
felt loved as we had never been loved before.”
This miracle continues. Recently, when a priest went to use the Internet at one of Bangalore’s cyber-cafes,
the young man in charge told him how he had run away from home and was roaming the streets when he
was picked by the Don Bosco fathers and brothers. “I had fought with my father, and did not want to go
back home. I may have ended up washing plates in a restaurant the rest of my life, and getting beaten up. I
am what I am today because of the Salesians. They loved me, trained me, got me to speak to my father
again. I was never made to feel different or unwanted for being a Hindu. They taught me to love my
family again.
Don Bosco’s path of love inspired many men and women to choose the same kind of life. He himself
founded two Catholic religious orders, one for men, called the Salesians, and another for women, called
the Daughters
Of Mary, Help of Christians (or, Salesians Sisters). The name ”Salesian” comes from a saint he admired,
Saint Francis de Sales, who used to say, “We catch more flies with a spoonful of honey than with a barrel
of vinegar.” In other words, loving kindness wins over people better than harshness.
Today, these two groups, and26 other groups founded by Salesians, work in over 130countries. Their
method is what Don Bosco lived and taught – the preventive system of education, based on reason,
religion and loving kindness. Don Bosco wanted his institutions to be genuine homes for the young, not
cold, businesslike operations run by rules. Hence the insistence on family spirit as the leading trait of a
Salesian house and warm personal relationships as the fuel that makes everything run.
Don Bosco knew how to combine a tender heart with great practical sense. Boys need love, boys need
God, yes. But they also need food, jobs, recreation, and wise guidance for the future. So, he wanted his
Salesians to provide an integral education that helps a young person to earn a learning, become a
responsible citizen and a caring spouse and parent, with concern for others and readiness to help.
He himself had to learn all this the hard way. His father, a poor farmer, died when Johnny was just two.
His illiterate mother had to raise three boys all by herself. Poverty drove the little boy to go and work as a
servant on a farm. He knew the meaning of hunger, helplessness and the indifference of clergy and other
“big people.” Far from becoming bitter, he decided he would grow up into someone who would treat poor
kids differently. He learnt many trades, slept under staircases on a sack, and went to school with much
smaller boys. Felt called to the priesthood, and decided to spend his life for homeless youth. His mother’s
words to him on the day he was ordained a priest was a surprising bit of advice. After telling him that the
priesthood was a path of suffering, she added,” If ever you have the misfortune to become rich, I will
never cross your threshold.” Although much money passed through his hands, Don Bosco remained poor,
and he stayed close to the poor.
Even when famous and sought-after by crowds and adored by royalty and common folk, Don Bosco
remained a humble man who never forgot his origins, and who attributed all his success to God. He saw
himself simply as a tiny, imperfect instrument in the hands of the good God. Ina dream at the age of nine,
God revealed to him how to change apparently wild and incorrigible youngsters: “Not with blows, but
with kindness.” That was to be his method for winning over the young, and teaching them what was good
for them.
When he was in Paris, and huge crowds thronged to have a glimpse of this miracle-worker from Turin,
bringing sick people to him to be blessed- many were miraculously healed-Don Bosco turned to someone
standing next to him and asked him whether he knew a particular country road going from Turin to his
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13. native village. When told yes, he replied,” By the side of that dirty road is a meadow; that is where I used
to graze cows as a boy.”
God raised this poor country boy and made him the father of millions of youth around the world. His
secret is no secret: An unruffled trust in God that made him dream big, face what seemed to be
insurmountable obstacles, and keep his soul at peace; genuine love for poor youth; confidence in the
young. When criticized, for instance, he would quote this little bit of folk wisdom,” Do good, be cheerful,
and let the sparrows chirp.”
At his deathbed, as he lay dictating his last will and testament, when he uttered the words, “my dear boys,”
Don Bosco was overcome by such tenderness his voice failed. He felt choked with emotion. This is the
man whose heart embraced the world, and whose self-gift brought hope and new life to more young
people than probably any other person in recent centuries.
God blessed his work-better said, God’s own work, done through this humble, good man beyond the
wildest dreams of his contemporaries. Over 30,000thousand Salesian Fathers, Brothers and Sisters work in
132countries today, by preference among the poorest and the most forgotten. Other groups started by
Salesians, too, count thousands of members.
The Don Bosco family in India is large and very much alive, stretching from gigantic urban centers like
Mumbai or Kolkata to the remotest villages. Its more than one thousand service centers include the largest
network of technical schools in the country (after the government), the largest network of shelters for
street children, 226 “youth at risk” centre catering to 292,000 boys and girls, sought after schools and
colleges, popular youth centers. It aims at loving the young as Don Bosco loved them, providing a happy
home for each child where he or she can grow up into a responsible, productive adult. The Salesian system
of education, its results tested by time on every continent, is an integral programmed of formation, training
the body, head and heart. It is marked by trust, not suspicion; by prevention, not humiliating punishments;
by optimism about the young, not disparaging comments. With Don Bosco, it believes in the young, and
sees not only their needs and pains, but also their extraordinary potential. This system of education, much
like parenting, is not easy, but the countless success stories in country after country have proved its
effectiveness.
Together with the young, the Salesians, Don Bosco’s spiritual sons and daughters, want to build a better
world-of mutual love, prosperity and peace. One hundred and fifty years of experience in almost as many
countries of the world shows that this dream has become a heart warming reality for so many.
Don Bosco would often say, “It is enough for me that you are young, for me to love you.” His life was a
living out of this love.
We want to keep this love alive.
We want the miracles of his dream to continue
We want to dream with the young, and make their best dreams come true.
May the God-given power to love, which all of us carry in our hearts, find expression in reaching out to
whoever needs us the most.
This is what Don Bosco did.
This is what Don Bosco institutions in India and around the world are all about.
Histroy of YaR Forum
A formidable network of services, as astounding for its variety and reach as for its impact! Look at the
figures: 354 Street Presences, 100 Shelter Homes, 117 Children’s Homes, 233 Street Education Centers,
63 Vocational Training Centers, 29 Advocacy Units, 35 Missing Child Search Units, 26 24-Hour
Childline Centers, and a host of other projects across 72 cities and towns – undeniably the most vigorous
expression of Salesian India’s concern for the ‘Young at Risk’, the most neglected and vulnerable section
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14. of the country’s youth.
The expression ‘Young at Risk’ (YaR) embraces children and young people whose safety, growth and
development are put at risk through indifference and neglect on the part of parents as well as society.
Generally, the term refers to runaway children, school dropouts, rag-pickers, street children, child
workers, young drug addicts, orphans; those abandoned, abused or exploited; refugee-children, victims of
war, violence and calamities.
Inspired by Don Bosco, the Saint of the Streets, in
the past thirty years or so the Salesians in India
have clearly established themselves as the pioneers
and path-breakers in bringing new hope for
children in difficult situations. Interestingly,their
‘move to the streets’ in the 1970s was triggered off
by the helplessness of a City Corporation.
In 1974, the Mayor of Cochin was confronted with
a problem. He had on his hand 110 young
delinquents – an unruly pack, indeed, of rough and
tough pickpockets, shoplifters, rag-pickers,
runaways and what not! The police had rounded
them up from the city’s railway stations, bus stands, market places and streets. The Hon’ble Mayor was
convinced that keeping them confined in a ‘settlement’ under police surveillance was not the best solution,
but he couldn’t see any alternative till, of course, he heard of Don Bosco. He approached Fr. Varghese
Menacherry, the Director of Don Bosco Youth Centre at Vaduthala. “Would the Don Bosco people be
able to do something for these delinquent children? They are troublesome kids, but we need to do
something for them,” he pleaded. Fr. Varghese nodded in agreement and added, “Definitely. They need to
be taken care of; they need to be guided and taught some skills to help them earn a living.”
The Corporation authorities promised to provide the place to keep them and also to meet all the expenses
of looking after them, if only Don Bosco would accept them. Fr. Varghese contacted Fr. Thomas
Panakezham, the Provincial of Madras, who gave the project full support and encouragement. And so, on
31 May 1974, the Salesians received the first batch of 110 youngsters from the Municipal Corporation of
Cochin in an old godown of the Corporation in Palluruthy, which they christened Sneha Bhavan (House of
Love).
Thus began a new chapter in the history of Salesian Youth Ministry in India – a conscious movement
towards ‘street children’, those roofless and rootless young people one finds everywhere, especially in the
cities, eking out an existence by picking up things from around railway stations, bus stands and market
places. Soon Sneha Bhavan’s ripple effect began to be felt across Salesian India, especially among the
younger generation. More and more Salesians began to show a new interest in working for these young
people.
In 1977-79, Fr. Joe Fernandez did the first-ever scientific study on ‘street children’ in India, as part of his
Master’s in Social Work at the Madras School of Social Work in Chennai. As his study was nearing
completion, Door Darshan, the national TV channel, (then in its black-and-white infancy years) telecast
an interview with Fr. Joe, highlighting some of the important findings of his study. Several photographs,
taken by Fr K. J. Louis, showing the life of children on the streets were also shown on the TV during the
interview. Soon UNICEF got interested in these photographs and bought them up from Fr. Louis for their
campaigns during the 1979 International Year of the Child.
Without doubt, Fr. Joe’s study of the ‘paper-pickers’ of Madras did create a new awareness of the
phenomenon of street children. In fact, beginning from 1980, the Salesian students of theology at
KristuJyotiCollege, Bangalore, started venturing out into the streets of the city, contacting the rag-pickers,
under the banner of ‘Project Outreach’. In course of time, through the young priests who passed out of
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15. Kristu Jyoti, this initiative found echoes in all the provinces of India. However, it took the provinces a few
more years to launch specific works in favour of ‘street children’.
A National Forum
In the 1990s, Salesians working with ‘street children’ in the various provinces of India, felt the need for
greater networking, and by the end of the 90s a National Forum for Street Children was formed. The name
was soon changed to Don Bosco National Forum for the Young at Risk, to include not only street
children, but also the many other categories of children whose lives are at risk due to various reasons.
Salesian intervention on behalf of the Young at Risk begins with the ‘first contact’ on the streets, railway
stations, bus stands, markets, etc. Regular contacts and the consequent relationship help the youngsters to
shed their fears and anxieties. They are then invited to come to the drop-in centers, day-care centers or
night shelter homes where they have facilities to rest, relax, speak with the staff, and write letters to their
families, if they wish. This gives them a sense of belonging to some place and a feeling of security that
one does not normally find on the streets.
The Don Bosco Project for the Young at Risk comprises the whole gamut services that young persons on
the street need to enable them to get back to normal life with a sense of self-reliance and dignity. It
includes counseling, medical care, spiritual and recreational facilities, networking with other agencies for
defending child rights, non-formal education, job-oriented vocational/technical training, job placement,
family contact, family reunion and follow-up.
Vision and Mission
Vision
Inspired by Don Bosco and challenged by the marginalisation of peoples -especially of the young, we will
strive by our attitudes, way of life and actions, to empower the young at risk and to create a just and
humane society by joining hands with socially responsible citizens and groups.
Mission
• We shall incarnate ourselves. as individuals and groups, in locations and communities
where marginalization is more prevalent.
• We shall accompany the Young at Risk in their struggle to grow to fullness in freedom and
humaneness.
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16. • We shall provide positive environments that will prevent exploitation and will empower the Young
at Risk to be agents of personal and social transformation.
• We shall create newer spaces to grow, live and work together; especially giving priority to
participatory, human and child rights perspectives.
• With the Young at Risk in the forefront, we shall network with other socially responsible
individuals and groups in building communities and movements.
• We shall build each of our Salesian settings into dynamic educative pastoral communities and
vibrant Salesian communities.
Nature of work/YaR Forum approach
Our Approach
• Our approach is that of accompaniment, taking the
first step, meeting the young at whatever state of
freedom she/he is in, and walking with her/him in
her/his struggle to grow to the fullness of life and
humaneness.
• Ours is a preventive presence that provides a
positive environment by negating the causes and
structures of evil, exploitation and marginalization
and by growth generating experiences and transformative action.
• Our preventive system is a process of growth for the young as well as the adult, both interacting
with each other, growing and helping to grow, and is based on the inner powers of reason, love and
spiritual depth.
• The process of growth for the Young at Risk covers all the dimensions of the human person and
calls for a ministry that is total and well planned. This process is achieved through education so as to heal
and empower every young person at risk, and enable this person to enter into society and be fully
integrated into the communities with the necessary knowledge, values and skills.
• We create a family environment and a community setting where communion and sharing
predominate.
• We work towards the transformation of society, its values. attitudes, and philosophy of life so as to
achieve a civilization of love and culture of solidarity.
Our Task
• The task of the South Asia Forum for the Young at Risk (YaR) is that of assisting YaR Centres
• To ensure priority for the Young at Risk, especially for the most needy ones in their neighborhood.
• To evolve a way of life, attitudes and action plans based on this priority
• and to build communion and empowered communities therein and in every neighborhood. YaR, as
a platform of like-minded organizations and individuals, will assist them to carry forward this same task
into each of their areas of operation and into their environments.
YaR Categories
Young at Risk (YaR) Categories
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17. Young at Risk (YaR) is an umbrella term that embraces several categories of children and other young
persons who are found to be in various situations of risk. The statutes of the YaR Forum name the
following categories of young persons as Young at Risk. It is to such as those categories that the network
members of YaR Forum are invited to reach out all across India.
The Young at Risk categories are:Street children, child labourers, abandoned orphans, young prisoners or
children in conflict with the law, young substance-abusers, children in war-torn and conflict areas, refugee
children or children of displaced ethnic minorities, children in the sex-trade and children affected by
HIV/AIDS. A province may also indicate other similar settings for young people at risk as falling under
this category.
Executive Director
YaR on an ADVOCACY MODE
Fr. Mathew Thomas SDB,
Executive Director, Don Bosco National Forum for the Young at Risk
The Annual National YaR Seminar/workshop on the theme,
“Training in Advocacy on behalf of the Young at Risk”, was
held in Mumbai on 1st and 2nd March 2013. Three specific
areas of the seminar /workshop were: Understanding Advocacy,
Sharing of Advocacy experiences and Training in Advocacy.
The event was well attended by over 100 persons from DB YaR
Centers across the country.
Our National YaR Network is at a point of realization about the importance of advocacy and the pressing
need to scale up its efforts in this regard. Don Bosco YaR Centers are well known for providing various
relevant services to the deprived young with much commitment. But that is not all. The YaR centers do
not want to be mere service providers anymore. Many YaR centers in different parts of the country are
tasting success in serving the marginalized young through advocacy measures too. Salesians and other
YaR personnel are advocating for the rights of the young, advocating to formulate policies and to change
policies, advocating to prevent and to deal with exploitation, advocating for schemes that would be helpful
for the young and they are joining Government structures for better governance for the benefit of Young at
Risk.
Within the context of a democratic state, advocacy functions on the premise, that it is the state’s
responsibility to serve its members by ensuring their basic rights, whether economic, social, cultural, civil
and/or political. So, many civil society groups who have begun to engage in working for the improvement
of the deprived, have realized that engaging the democratic state and its allied systems is an essential
element in any effort to bring about sustainable and wide- ranging improvement. This realization is also
seeping into the collective consciousness of the YaR Network.
In the way forward session of the Advocacy Seminar/ Workshop, the representatives of Salesian Provinces
in India came forward and clearly stated their intention to begin working for the Young at Risk on an
advocacy mode. Here is what the Indian Salesian Provinces said about their plans for advocating on behalf
of the Young at Risk in their locations in the coming one year:
• Dimapur Province – To advocate for the education of out of school children through RTE
• Guwahati Province – To advocate for the better functioning of schools so that deprived children
are educated well and that they do not drop- out.
• Silchar Province – To advocate for the better functioning of schools so that deprived children are
educated well and that they do not drop- out.
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18. • Chennai Province – To advocate for the rights of Migrant youth/Children
• Kolkata Province – To advocate for birth Certificate for street children
• Konkan Province – To advocate for the protection of beach children
• Hyderabad Province – To advocate for the free transportation of homeless children for home
restoration
• Tiruchy Province – To advocate for the rights of young women and girls by fighting against the
unjust Sumangali Scheme.
• Mumbai Province – Advocating for the rights of child labour and their rehabilitation back to
source areas
• Bangalore Province – To advocate against Child Marriage
• New Delhi Province – To advocate for the rights of children through awareness creation in the
society.
They are urgent issues to advocate for. The deprived young in the area of the Provinces and in our country
as a whole are going to benefit from the implementation of the above decisions. It is the path for
sustainable and wide- ranging change. Let us wish them all every success for the courageous steps that
they are taking to advocate on behalf of the Young at Risk. After a year, at the next National YaR
convention we will have stories of great advocacy efforts from the Provinces. May NETWORKING be a
key strategy that will be applied in all the above advocacy efforts?
Governing and General Body
The General Body of DBF-YaR.
The General Body of DBF-YaR consists of the
following members:
a. The provincial in charge of the Young at Risk sector
who acts as the liaison between the SPCSA and DBF-
YaR.
b. The South Asian Delegate for Youth animation.
c. The DBF-YaR Executive Secretary;
d. The Two joint secretaries
e. Members of the Provincial Commissions for the Young at Risk.
Governing Body of DBF-YaR
The Governing Body of DBF-YaR comprised the following:
a. The South Asian Delegate of DBYA, who is the Chairperson
b. The Executive Secretary
c. The two Joint Secretaries
d. The Provincial Coordinators of YaR
e. The Provincial of New Delhi, who acts as liaison between the SPCSA Council and the DBF-YaR.
FUNCTIONS
Functions of the DBF-YaR General Body
• The DBF-YaR General Body ordinarily meets once a year.
• To be a forum for reflection, study and exchange of ideas in matters pertaining to the Salesian
ministry for the young at Risk at provincial, national and regional level.
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19. • To propose plans and strategies for creating a more effective ministry for the Young at Risk in all
Salesian settings at regional, national, provincial and local level.
• To draw up its annual plan and to propose it to the SPCSA for approval.
• To propose every three years, three names to the SPCSA Council from among whom the SPCSA
may appoint one as the Executive Secretary and three more names from among whom the two joint
secretaries may be appointed.
• Normal decisions are arrived at by a simple majority. The qu9orum is one-third of the official
General Body members. As a rule, voting is done by show of hands. A secret ballot could be had at the
request of any member, who passes a motion, which is seconded by another member.
Functions of the DBF-YaR Governing Body
• The Governing Body ordinarily meets once a year.
• It deals with all those matters entrusted to it by the General Body and ensures the implementation
of activities taken up by the annual general body.
• It functions as the animating nucleus for Salesians in South Asia in matters related to the Young at
Risk.
• It is the decision making body of DBF-YaR and finalizes projects and details the annual action
plan to be presented to the SPCSA.
• Ordinarily decisions are arrived at by a simple majority. The quorum will be one-third of the
official governing body members comprising the Chairperson and the Executive Secretary. As a rule,
voting is done by show of hands. A secret ballot could be had at the request of any
members, who passes a motion, which is seconded by another member
Projects/Programs from YaR Forum
Standardization of the YaR Centers/Mission in India
A process of serious reflection within the YaR Forum led to the conclusion that standardization can be
classified under two categories. The first category includes sound practices to be achieved by the local
YaR Centers and by the Provincial YaR commissions. Find below the standards to be achieved by the
local YaR Centers and by the Provincial YaR commissions.
Standards to be achieved by the local YaR Centers
1. Annual plan. Every local YaR centre will work to a plan that is prepared at the beginning of every New
Year. (June-May)
2. Every YaR centre to be a legally registered body or part of a legal body (Society, Trust etc)
3. The children’s homes run by the YaR centre needs to be registered or must have a proper legal status
(Orphanage Board, Fit institution etc).
4. A documentation system – updated records about the organization, its activities, its beneficiaries etc.
Someone in the organization could be given that responsibility to maintain the documentation as a
continuous process. Home link software could be used for the purpose of documenting the children who
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20. are served by the organization. Use this software also for analyzing the work of the organization, for
advocacy purposes and for planning the activities of the organization. The relevant data from the Home
link assisted documentation system of the YaR Centers could be uploaded into the National Server for
missing child search, child tracking and for advocacy purposes. Once the centers have their documents
and the documentation in place, providing necessary data and information from the centre to the
Provincial YaR commission Office and also to the National office for the purpose of advocacy, visibility
and policy formulation becomes easy.
5. Individual care plan for every child who comes under the services of the centre. This would mean that
each YaR centre must have its specific intake and social reintegration Policies in place.
6. Annual reports (June to May). The annual report is to be got ready by the end of June every year. A
format for it can be made available.
7. Every personnel of the YaR centre including the Salesians must have good knowledge of the YaR child
Policy and must sign their declaration of commitment to the YaR child Policy.
8. Network: Maintain good relationship with the Local Govt: Administration Bodies such as village,
panchayat , Municipality , corporation , District Administration offices, Juvenile Justice structures such as
CWC, JJB etc and participate in their meetings. Become aware of the schemes of the Govt : that could
support the YaR centers and apply for those resources. Maintain good relationship with the Police
department, Media, other NGOs that work for children etc. in the neighborhood. Build up a strategy for
local fund raising and self sustainability of the organization. Form a group of eminent persons from the
neighborhood who would defend and stand by your centre- a YaR Centre Advisory Body.
9. Child policy Systems. Establish specific systems at the local YaR centre that are necessary for the
implementation of the YaR Child Policy.
10. Campaigns and Researches. Be willing to be part of campaigns and researches initiated by the
Province YaR Commission and the National YaR Office.
Standards to be achieved by the Provincial YaR Commissions
1. The Province YaR Commission annual plan. It must contain the specific plan of the province and the
common directions given from the National Office which are common for all the provinces. It is important
that the plan is ready in the month of June.
2. YaR meetings and YaR Commission meetings, to plan, review and evaluate. Fix the dates of those
meetings for the whole year and have them entered in the Annual YaR Commission annual plan. YaR
meeting; in the YaR meetings, Directors of all the YaR centers/ventures in the province take part. YaR
Commission meeting: in this meeting only the YaR commission members take part. Both these meetings
could be had on the same day.
3. Animation of the YaR mission in the province. At least one province level seminar/workshop a year on
a theme connected with the marginalized children and young persons.
4. Collaborate with the National Office for campaigns, projects, researches, documentation, news
magazine, YaR Day etc.
5.Support YaR Centers in the Province. Provide information to the YaR centers in the province regarding
new and relevant schemes, policies and legal systems connected with YaR.
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21. 6. Support the formation communities in the province for the capacity building of those in formation in
YaR Ministry. It could preferably be a continuous capacity building programmes or a particular activity
during the year (weekly ministry, exposure programmes, celebration of the YaR day, seminar, workshop,
YaR Subjects included in the syllabus, holiday ministry, Formation personnel are invited to participate in
YaR meetings and programmes in the Province).
7. Continuous information sharing about YaR Ministry possibilities with the Provincial and his council.
The National Secretary of YaR Forum went to each of the Provinces and met the Provincial, Youth
Pastoral Delegate of the Province, YaR Commission Coordinator of the Province and the Province YaR
commission members and discussed the above standardization proposal and they have accepted to
implement it and go through this process of standardization.
This is a great step in the right direction in our YaR Ministry. We are so happy about it. Standardization of
all the YaR Centers and commissions will lead to strengthening of the National YaR Network. This will
definitely help in achieving the objectives of Don Bosco National Forum for the Young at Risk.
Something beautiful about this category of standardization is that the YaR centers and the Province YaR
commissions and the Provinces have agreed to achieve those standards in their YaR centers and the
commissions on their own.
Caring Community Project
India is home to the largest child
population in the world. The Children in
the nation comprise more than 40% of the
total population of India. India’s children
are India’s future as strength of the nation
lies in a healthy, protected, educated and
well-developed child population that will
grow up to be productive citizens of the
country. It is estimated that around 170
million or 40 per cent of India’s children
are vulnerable to or experience difficult
circumstances. According to National Crime Records Bureau, there were 26694 incidences of crime
against children in the year 2010. These official data and the experiences of YaR forum in working with
children are the inspiring factors that led to the implementation of the Caring Community Project with an
aim to build a community which cares for its children especially those who are in deplorable and
vulnerable situation. The experiences of YaR forum is that we need to move more into networking with
the community and empowering it rather than working in isolation.
It is our YaR Forum experience that the interventions have been more effective and transformative
wherever YaR carried them out in close collaboration with the community. Our learning is that we need to
move more into this mode – networking with the community and empowering it – rather than working in
isolation. In this way society owns its responsibility for reaching out to and caring for its at-risk young
people. This is the concept behind Caring Communities.
This project is being carried out in ten YaR Center in the country – one YaR center from wach province
for a period of two years (January 2011 – December 2012) . The centers are, Bosco Mangaal Imphal,
Snehalaya Guwahati, Don Bosco Ashalayam Howrah, Don Bosco Ashayalam Delhi, Shelter Don Bosco
Wadala Mumbai, Margaret Bosco Bal Sadhan Goa, BOSCO Bangalore, Don Bosco Anbu Illam
Coimbatore, Don Bosco Anbu Illam Kavarappettai and Navajeevan Vijayawada. The caring communities
are working to make the community/society to care for the children and the young at risk and the caring
communities centers are trying to achieve this goal through collaboration and working with civil society
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22. groups, children’s clubs, youth volunteering groups, collaboration with government and allied systems,
networking with NGOs, promoting alternative forms of care for the young at risk etc,. The project is being
successfully carried out in all the ten centers by implanting the spirit of caring community in the YaR
centers and in their initiatives.
Homelink/Child MISS
The reality of safety and protection of children in India is alarming. Children gone missing, trafficked,
abducted, runaway, thrown away, etc., are not new to our society, yet the past decade has unearthed many
horrible aspects of these realities. Cases of missing children represent a conglomeration of different social
problems, including abductions/kidnappings, trafficking, and exploitation for various purposes by family
members, by non-family members or strangers. There are cases of children who run away on their own or
forced to run away due to compelling circumstances in their families and extended surrounding, children
who face unfriendly and hostile environment or who are abandoned and children who are lost or injured in
accidents, etc. Such marginalized children are encountered and rendered services by Government and
Non-government Organizations. Homelink / Missing Child Search Network is meant for such
organizations.
Homelink Network members use an uniform documentation software to record the comprehensive details
of children, staff, volunteers, reach out programmes, etc. and to prepare list, standard, statistics, analysis,
customizable reports, etc. to establish the database for Management Information System of the
organization. The Homelink website (www.missingchildsearch.net) captures missing children complaints
(of police and public as well) and matches with Homelink National database to track and trace the missing
children and to restore them to their families. Homelink Network System has optimal potential to analyze
the data and comprehend the dimension of the problem. Thus the organization can establish systematic
strategy and scientific approach of working with children/young at risk.
For more details – www.missingchildsearch.net
Services provided by YaR
1. Street Presence
YaR functionaries from the YaR centers are present at the street corners, bus stations, railway stations,
markets and other places in the cities and towns with the intention of befriending children and the young
on the streets and rehabilitating them.
2. Rescue Booth in the Bus Stand
It is a booth established by the YaR centre in the bus stand with the permission and co-operation of
appropriate authorities with the intention of reaching out to the unaccompanied children and trafficked
children who arrive there or pass by. It is an opportunity to rescue such children and rehabilitate them to
safety.
3. Rescue Booth in the Railway Station
It is a booth established by the YaR centre in the railway platforms with the permission and co-operation
of appropriate authorities as an extension of the YaR centre with the intention of reaching out to the
unaccompanied children and trafficked children who arrive there or pass by. It is an opportunity to rescue
such children and rehabilitate them to safety.
4. Drop in Centers
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23. The children and the young on the street are reached out and befriended and are invited to the drop in
centers run by the YaR agency. It is a friendly place with a lot of freedom. The young can come in and
move out at anytime during the day. Recreation, TV, toilets, space to take rest, friendly staff and
counseling facilities are available for the young at a drop in centre.
5. Shelter Home:
Shelter Home is a centre for children established in a city or town. Children who are rescued from the
streets are brought to this centre for care and protection. Such children are those who have decided not to
continue living on the streets anymore. It provides short stay with many facilities for day and night and it
is here that they are helped to decide with counseling support regarding their future: to return home, to be
part of other alternative cares, to study, to get trained etc.
6. Night Shelter
It is possible that many of the children and the young especially in bigger city streets may decide to
continue to live on the streets. Forcing them to leave the streets may produce negative results. So they are
invited to spend the nights in the night shelter run by the YaR Centers and be safe. The night shelter is
attractive with many facilities and a friendly atmosphere. It is another opportunity for the YaR centre to
motivate the young on the streets towards rehabilitation.
7. Mobile Medical Care Units:
The medical care units of the YaR Centers would regularly visit street corners of the city to provide
primary medical care to the children and the young on the streets. It is also another tool for entering into
the hearts of children on the streets to motivate them towards a more meaningful and safe way of living
away from the streets or other situations of risk.
8. Mobile Schools:
A vehicle with facilities for conducting education programmers and teachers move to different locations
where the children who do not go to school and educate them.
9. Street and Slum Literacy/education programmes
The teachers from the YaR Centers go to locations on the streets or to other prearranged spots or to the
slums to teach children. Children who live on the streets, child laborers and children who do not go to
school from their slum dwellings attend such educational programmes.
10. Saving Schemes for Children
The YaR Centers offer saving schemes to the young who live and work on the streets or in other situations
where they generate income. It is an excellent way to orient them towards a meaningful future and to
rehabilitate them.
11. Children’s Home- Boys:
Boys rescued from the dangerous situations or referred by Juvenile Justice Board or Child Welfare
Committees or by the guardians or those boys who have decided to leave the streets are offered care and
protection in the children homes.
12. Children’s Home- Girls:
Girls rescued from the dangerous situations, referred by Juvenile Justice Board or by CWC or by the
guardians and those girls who have decided to leave the streets are offered care and protection in the
children homes.
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24. 13. Referral Services:
If the marginalized children contacted by the YaR centers do not have proper facilities to meet their
special needs then they are referred to competent institutions for care and protection and they are followed
up by the YaR Centers.
14. Medical Clinic with residential facility:
Children from the streets and other situations of risk who need special medical care are admitted into the
medical clinic of the YaR centre with residential facility. They are looked after by proper nursing care at
the clinic until they are healthy.
15. Library
The YaR Centre runs children’s library from where the young and the children who are under the care of
the YaR centre can read books.
16. Leap Frog courses for School integration:
It is an education programmes for children who have dropped out of education and who have not gone to
school. The education is carried out in such a way that it would facilitate the children to join school
education, to join age appropriate classes in the school.
17. Community Colleges:
In the community colleges the young are given education and training to get them an employment. The
need of the society/community is taken into consideration to decide on what courses to be conducted in
the community college. This would facilitate their immediate employment after the training.
18. Formal School Education:
Children rescued and sheltered in the children’s homes of YaR Centers are provided formal school
academic education by admitting them into the schools.
19. Formal Higher Education:
The young who reside in children’s home and complete school education and who show academic
competence are further supported for university education as according to their aptitude and capacity.
20. Non Formal Academic Education:
Distance education, correspondence course etc. at school level and university level education are followed
for educating the young at the YaR centers.
21. Formal Technical Education
Youngsters who complete school education form the YaR children’s homes/centers and who have aptitude
for formal technical education are supported to do formal courses like ITI, ITC, Diploma etc. in formal
institutions.
22. Non Formal Technical Education
Youngsters who have not completed school education or who have no capacity for further academic
education are given non-formal technical training either in YaR centre itself or in other institutions.
23. National Child Labour Schools:
The YaR centers educate children rescued from child labour through the NCLP (National Child Labour
programmes) of the Government. The children who undergo this education programmes are later admitted
into main stream school education.
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25. 24. National/State Open Schools:
YaR centers run education programmes offered by the National/State Open Schools to secure education
for the marginalized and at risk youth that they serve . The system, the open school offers seems to be
quite suitable for many of the youngsters of the YaR centers who would like to do studies at a different
pace and it offers both academic and technical studies.
25. After Care Homes:
Youngsters who have crossed the age of 18, who may be into technical training, higher studies or into first
year of employment are taken care of in the After Care Homes run by the YaR Centers. Most of the
youngsters in after care homes are those who may not have a home of their own.
26. Homes for HIV/AIDS Affected and infected children:
The children and the young who are affected and infected by HIV/AIDS are given proper residential care
and treatment in the homes run by YaR Centers.
27. Tent Schools:
Tent schools are a way of providing education to child laborers. Education programmes are conducted in
the vicinity of child labour situations like mining, factories etc. Often they are run in tents. It is a way of
rescuing child labour and admitting them into mainstream education.
28. Evening school, tuition and study centers:
Children who do not go to schools, who drop out of schools, who are poor etc. are given educational
support at the evening schools, tuitions and study centers run by the YaR centers and by other Don Bosco
centers.
29. School Adoption
Children who drop out of education are the target of a lot of exploitation, abuses and trafficking. A lot of
children drop out of education and are exploited. So YaR centers in their neighborhood adopt and support
ordinary schools to prevent children from dropping out of education.
30. Brass Band Troupe and Other Performance troupes:
YaR Centers set up brass band troupes and other performance troupes to train the children/the young in
music, dance and other cultural activities.
31. Inter NGO Meet:
The marginalized young who are looked after by different NGOs are brought together for common
programmes- festivals, completions etc. it is great opportunity for interactions for children and YaR
functionaries who come from different NGOs.
32. Scouts and Guides
Scouts and guides are movements that are promoted among the children in YaR centers for character
formation and right orientation to life.
33. Private Academic education for the poor who have low grades:
Children and the young with very poor grades do not get admission to continue with education in regular
formal schools. Such youth often fall prey to anti social situations and exploitation. So academic education
programmes are run especially for those with very low grades coming from very poor and marginalized
backgrounds.
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26. 34. Outreach Progarmmes to Government Juvenile Homes:
YaR centers reach out to Juvenile Homes run by Government with various services and collaborate
towards the integral growth of the children there.
35. Services to Young Prisoners:
Young prisoners is an important target group of YaR centers. They reach out to prisons where they house
very young prisoners (18 years- 24 years) with life orientation, educational and technical skill training
programmes.
36. Education Sponsorship
Children and the young who are home placed by the YaR centers are supported with financial sponsorship
to support their education if they are from very poor financial background.
37. Centre for Physically challenged children:
Some of the children rescued from situations of risk are physically challenged and they are given care in
centers meant for physically challenged children.
38. Children’s Village:
If there are a number of children who are homeless and can’t get back to their own families they are
looked after in children’s village. A children’s village will have several children homes, which are small
homes to ensure personal care.
39. DB YaR Network:
There are over 70 Don Bosco centers that work for various categories of young at risk in India. They are
brought together under the banner DB YaR Network for learning from each other, for learning together
and for working together.
40. Income Generation Programmes:
A YaR Center could have the production of simple handicrafts and souvenirs or other useful products. The
children could be part of such activities as training in useful skills or as part time activities. Those children
who are part of such activates also will receive some income which they can make use of usefully.
41. Foster Care:
It is an alternate form of child care. Children, who have no homes of their own to go to, are given for
foster care to families who are willing and capable of taking care of children. It involves a legal process
and continuous follow up.
42. Small Home care:
B institutions or big children’s homes can be impersonal. So there are YaR centers that run many
children homes which are small in size. Each home may have 12 to 20 members with a house mother.
43. SSA Study centers:
Serva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) is a Government project to educate children who are marginalized and out of
school. YaR centers run units of SSA to educate the homeless children they rescue and reach out to.
44.DB Tech- MORD Project:
An effective way of rehabilitating the at risk youth that YaR Centers reach out to is skill training
programmes with short duration and immediate placement by DB Tech- MORD Project.
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27. 45. Life Skill Training:
The young who are rescued from marginalized and at risk situations are give life skill training as part of
preparing and rehabilitating them to main stream society.
46. Career Mela
It is a gathering of marginalized young persons whom the YaR centers reach out to. In this mela the young
are given opportunities to become aware of different options for future and employment.
47. De-addiction Centers:
Many children and young persons reached out to by the YaR centers are substance abusers. They are
motivated to go through the de-addiction progarmmes that are run by the YaR Centers.
48. Counseling Centers:
The children and the young served by the YaR centers are dealt with a counseling attitude. As many of
them have issues within that affect them negatively they are provided professional counseling help
through the counseling centers run by the YaR centers.
49. Weekly/Monthly Mela:
Children and the young who are contacted on the streets and at other places are brought together on a
weekly or monthly basis for fun, entertainment, food and orientation. This is an excellent opportunity for
influencing them positively to take meaningful decisions regarding their lives and future.
50. Orientation Camps:
Camp methodology is an effective method for rehabilitating children and the young from the dangerous
situations that they live in. Children from the streets, from the railway platforms etc. are brought into
orientation camps (4 day camps, one week, a month etc.). These camps often become turning points in the
lives of many children.
51.Holiday Camps:
Holiday Camps are often conducted for children/the young who live in the children’s homes of YaR
centers during the vacation time. Relaxation, learning, entertainment, picking up useful skills, orientation
towards positive living etc. are part of such camps
52. Picnics:
Picnics are conducted for the young who are in the different programmes of the YaR center. Picnics are
often used by the YaR functionaries as a strategy to take the children and the young from the streets for a
short period of time for motivating them to leave the street life that they are addicted to and to help them
to make new choices for their life.
53. Home Restoration:
Restoring the children to their homes is the first priority of YaR Centers when they reach out to
unaccompanied children. Ones own home is the best place for children. When this is not possible other
alternative forms of care are considered
54. Home Follow Up:
To prevent the home restored children leaving their homes due to various reasons and to support them
there YaR Centers have home follow up programmes organized for home restored children.
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28. 55. Institutional Follow up:
Children and the young who are placed in other institutions for special care and support other than centers
of YaR are followed up by the YaR Centers.
56. Job Placement:
The young served at the YaR Centre and who are above 18 years are placed in appropriate jobs and
followed up by the job placement wing of the YaR centers.
57. Room Placement:
The young who are already job placed and earning are helped to hire a room/house and live on their own.
It is an excellent opportunity for those young persons to acquire the skills necessary for living on their
own in the future.
58. House Building Schemes:
The young who are totally homeless, who have no family not to go to, who after their training are
working, earning and saving are offered supportive schemes to build their houses. Contribution from the
beneficiary is an important aspect of this scheme.
59. Marriage Support Schemes
Totally homeless youngsters who grow up as beneficiaries of the YaR centre with no family of their own
are supported to get married and establish families of their own.
60. Self-employment schemes:
The youngsters who are trained with skills are supported with self-employment schemes by the YaR
centers to make a living.
61. Youth for Youth Clubs:
YaR centers bring together youngsters from the neighborhood and from favorable situations
(economically sound, good families, good educational institutions) to develop a concern for the less
privileged children in the society. Such efforts are called Youth for Youth clubs. Youth for Youth clubs
organize programmes where the privileged and the less privileged meet and share friendship and love. It is
a way of building up a society with a favorable attitude towards the less privileged to and an opportunity
for the marginalized young to build up their confidence.
62. YaR Exposure:
To transform the General society with a favorable attitude towards the less privileged young persons. The
YaR centers receive interested citizens, members from organizations, students from educational
institutions etc. to visit the YaR centers, to spend time with children and become aware of the work that is
being carried out. They are invited to join hands with the efforts of the YaR centre for the young at risk
through different ways.
63. Volunteering:
YaR Centers promote and accept persons to volunteer and participate in the services that are offered for
the young at risk in the centers. Building a volunteer movement from among the young who are brought
up by the YaR centre and also from the locality is an important objective of YaR centers.
64. Peer Leadership
Child rights clubs, children’s parliament etc. are expressions of Peer Leadership. The adolescent children
who are served and looked after in the YaR centers are given opportunities for Peer Leadership
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29. programmers. The members are trained in child rights, legal awareness, and citizenship and are given
opportunities to involve themselves in appropriate activities of the YaR Centre.
65. Training in Social Work:
Students from MSW colleges and other institutions are provided training and placement facilities in the
YaR centers. It is n opportunity to support the formation of social work professionals who have genuine
concern for the care and protection of children.
66. Homelink – Documentation Software:
The YaR Forum has developed documentation software called Home link. It can be used to document
every aspect of any organization working for marginalized young people.
67. Missing Child Search:
Missing Child Search is a facility that has grown out of HomeLink documentation software which can be
used for tracking, tracing and restoring missing children online in the country.
68. Missing Child Beaurau:
Missing Child Beaurau is a district model for creating data about unaccompanied and marginalized
children and for tracking, tracing and restoring missing children online.
69. Child Safety Net:
Child Safety Net is a society empowerment programmed on behalf of children especially the marginalized
children. Awareness creation on child rights, care and protection of children are important aspect of child
safety net. Together with awareness creation and several activities and programmers are carried out for the
care and protection of children.
70. Child Reception Home:
YaR centers act as child reception homes of the state. As part of restoration of children they are received
for care and protection before they are restored to their homes or to more appropriate locations.
71. Child Rescue Ambulance service:
YaR Centers have vehicles specially dedicated for rescuing children who are sick, injured and those who
are in other abusive situations.
72. Childline:
YaR Centers run child line project of the central Government,(a telephone helpline programmed for the
children in distress) as collaborative agencies or nodal agencies. It is an effective tool for serving young at
risk.
73. Child Welfare Committee:
CWC is a Juvenile Justice Act body for the care and protection of children in difficult situations. YaR
functionaries serve on this body for the sake of young at risk. YaR centers network with these bodies for
the care and protection marginalized children.
74. Juvenile Justice Board:
Juvenile Justice Board is another body created by the Juvenile Justice Act. It deals with children in
conflict with law. YaR functionaries serve as members on this board to serve the young at risk and the
YaR centers also net work with this body to serve the young at risk.
75. Special Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU):
Special Juvenile Police Unit is another body constituted by the Juvenile Justice Act. YaR
functionaries become members on this unit to serve the young in difficult situations.
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30. 76. State Selection Committee for JJB & CWC:
State Selection Committee for JJB & CWC selects the members of CWC & JJB in a state. YaR
functionaries act as members on this committee and it is an opportunity for effective implementation of
Juvenile Justice System in the state.
77. Juvenile Justice National Desk:
Juvenile Justice National Desk is a national network of hundreds of NGOs that promote the proper
implementation of Juvenile Justice System across the country.
78. NGO Forum:
YaR centers bring together the organizations that work for child care and protection in their neighborhood
on behalf of the marginalized children. Working together is better than working in isolation.
79.YaR centre Advisory Committee:
YaR Centre advisory committee consists of eminent personalities from the locality to examine and
evaluate the activities and plan of the YaR centre. They will also contribute with their suggestions for the
better running of the organization.
80. Co-operators Unit:
Co-operators unit consists of persons who are attracted by Don Bosco’s system and spirituality of working
for youth and they would share in the mission of the YaR centers for the YaR.
81. Past Pupils Unit:
It is an association of persons who were beneficiaries of the YaR centre once upon a time. Now they live
on their own away from the centre.
82. Self Help Groups:
YaR centers initiate SHGs in the slum areas that are situated in the neighborhood of the YaR centre. It is a
way of strengthening the economically backward areas of the society to take care of their children. They
will also participate in the mission of the YaR centre.
83. Caring Community Units:
YaR centres would like to serve the young at risk with the support of the society in which it is located. So
persons in the society are motivated and organized into groups to network with the YaR centre services to
serve the marginalized children in the society. Some of the Caring Community groups are auto rickshaw
driver’s group, head load worker’s group, street vendor’s group etc.
84. Homelink Network:
There are over 80 partners in Home link Network. One important activity of this network is tracking,
tracing and restoring children. The partners work according to the requirements mentioned in the project.
It has a node, hub, national office set up. Many YaR centers are part of this network.
85. Province YaR Mela:
Don Bosco run YaR centers in India are divided into provinces. Province YaR mela is when a province
brings together the children/young from the YaR centers in its jurisdiction for a get together. The mela
consist of interaction, fun, entertainment, cultural activities and leering programmers.
86. National YaR Day:
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31. The YaR Centers in India celebrate on Nov. 20th
as YaR Day. On this day each YaR Centre will organize
programmers in their centre and locality on themes connected with YaR mission with guidance from the
National office of YaR.
87. Advocacy Programmer:
YaR centers take up activities to advocate for the care and protection of marginalized children- RTI, PIL,
Signature campaigns, email campaigns, filing cases on behalf of children in the legal courts etc.
88. Child Rights Campaigns:
YaR centers run child rights campaigns in their cities, towns or localities- street theatre, posters, handbills,
email, sms etc. to create awareness about child rights in the society and to protect the rights of children.
89. Child Rights Centre
Library and other documents on child rights and connected themes, resource persons on child rights and
other themes on children, legal aid training programmers, workshops, seminars etc. on child rights and
other related themes are the some of the features one would find in the child rights centre.
90. Training Salesians for YaR ministry:
A curriculum for training Salesians for effective YaR ministry is designed and the formation commission
implements the training at various stages of formation.
91. Capacity Building and Training of Government Personnel, allied systems and YaR
Functionaries:
YaR Centers take up programmes to train Govt.: personnel, allied systems and their own functionaries on
the themes regarding marginalized children, laws, policies child rights etc.
92. Counseling training for the Functionaries:
It is important that those who work for marginalized and at risk children must work with a sensitive
counseling attitude. The counseling training run by the YaR centers equip the YaR functionaries with
proper skills.
93. Research Programmes:
Issues and themes connected with marginalized children/young are conducted. The results are used for
amendments of the law, formulation of new policies and schemes, awareness creation etc.
94. Documentation Unit:
The YaR centres have their work and information about beneficiaries and organization are documented at
their documentation unit.
95. News Magazines:
YaR centers publish monthly or quarterly or half yearly magazines about their activities and are sent to
many as information sharing and for awareness creation.
96. Website Publishing:
E magazines are prepared by YaR Centers about their programmes and activities and are emailed to many.
97. Annual Report:
The Annual Reports published by the YaR centers contain all the information about their organization,
beneficiaries and their activities during the previous year.
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32. 98. Audo Visual Production:
To promote the cause of YaR, audio visual programmes are produced by the YaR centers and are
disseminated.
99. Publication:
Books and manuals published by the YaR centers have turned out to be excellent resource on serving the
young at risk effectively.
100. Seminars and workshops:
To promote the cause of marginalized children and young people national or local seminars and
workshops are conducted. It is a way of promoting a child rights attitude in people who have
responsibility for children in society. National seminars and workshops are opportunities for the whole
YaR Forum platform to come together and learn together.
101. YaR Child Policy:
YaR Forum partners work for the care and protection of the young with a definite child policy that is
based on child rights.
YaR Interest Groups
YaR Interest Groups represent the essential
dimensions of YaR Ministry. A need was strongly
felt that we at YaR Forum need to grow more in
awareness and depth with regard to the many
dimensions of working with the Young at Risk. That
would help towards achieving the objectives of YaR Forum.
With this purpose in mind different aspects of YaR Mission were listed and persons who have experience
and interest in those aspects opted to study and contribute as groups. Several themes were made into
groups with each theme and group having leaders. The mail expectations from the theme groups were:
1. Introduce and lead discussions on the YaR Interest themes in the YaR Forum Google Groups so that
more and more awareness is created about it in the YaR Fraternity.
2. Prepare well prepared PowerPoint presentations on the themes/dimensions and share them with the YaR
Forum members.
3. Prepare manuals on the themes that would give good useful about the different dimensions. The
information could include all that a YaR center and its personnel need to know about it, the international
standards, National standards, Legal Systems, Policies, the situations regarding that dimension in the
country, the national and international situation on the matter, Practices and models in the YaR centers
and other organizations regarding this dimension, the attitude of YaR regarding that as according to its
statutes, child policy etc).
Fr. Steve Rodriguez, Director of Snehalaya, Baroda is the General Coordinator of the YaR Interest groups.
Kindly find below the themes of the Interest Groups and the names of the Group Coordinators.
• Group A
Mr. Lourdu Prasad, Group Coordinator.
Nava Jeevan, Vijayawada.
• The sub groups are:
• Juvenile Justice
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33. • Observation and special homes
• ICPS
• Child Rights
• Group B:
Fr. Steve Rodrigues , Group Coordinator,
Snehalaya , Baroda
• The sub groups are:
• Psycho Social care for YaR
• Children / Youth and substance Abuse
• Research on YaR related issues
• Groups C:
Fr. Ricopar, Group Coordinator
• The sub groups are:
• Drop out prevention
• Children’s club/ Parliament
• Caring Communities
• Alternative Care
• Groups D:
Fr. Vincent Xavier, Group coordinator
• The Sub Groups are:
• Services to young Prisoners
• Young Refugees
• Migrant Youth/ children in unorganized sectors
YaR Centers in India
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34. YaR and Child line
Salesians of Don Bosco & CHILDLINE Service in India is India’s first 24 – hour, toll free, emergency
phone outreach service for children in need of care and protection linking them to long – term services for
their care and rehabilitation. Any child and concerned adult can call 1098 and access the CHILDLING
service any time of the day or night.
The service was initiated by Tata Institute of Social
Science, Mumbai in 1996 in partnership NGOs that
were doing welfare services and MTNL. 1998, the
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (GoI)
took that up as a Project of the Ministry) Presently
Ministry of Women and Children Development). 1999,
CHILDLINE India Foundation was registered as a
Society and in 2000 as a Trust, with a Governing Body
chaired by the Secretary of concerned Ministry. The
other members of the Governing Board are that of Corporate Personnel. No services providing NGO
representatives are in the Governing Body.
The service expanded in partnership with NGOs across the country. There were annual meeting (General
Body?) of the Directors of various Partner Organizations to strategize, plan and execute various child care
and protection related services across the country. At state level, there were linkages with State
Government departments concerned with children welfare. At district level, there were non-hierarchical
partnership of Academic Institutions and service providing Voluntary Organizations. There were also a
district level Advisory Board constituted with the Administrative Head of the District (Collector) as
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35. chairperson and various child welfare / development related departmental heads and CHILDLINE partner
organization’s heads as members. They periodically met and evaluated the CHILDLINE services and
provided necessary supports.
Generally, an Academic Institute is selected as Nodal Agency to network and facilitate training, advocacy
and awareness creation in the district. A service providing NGO is selected as Collab or call centre to
receive the CHILDLINE 1098 telephone call and extend the emergency service to the child in need and
link the child for long term services. A Support Organization/ sub centres are also selected to extend the
services and awareness in outer areas.
CHILDLINE India Foundation, with its Head Quarter at Mumbai and Regional Offices at Delhi, Calcutta
and Chennai monitor and financially support the local partners for the CHILDLINE services.
In 2009,CHILDLINE became an important component of Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) of
the Ministry of Women and Children Development (GoI). CHILDLINE India Foundation was recognized
as the Mother NGO/ Nodal Agency that would initiate, monitor and report all the Child Protection
Services in the country connected with CHILDLINE.
Consequently, the CHILDLINE India Foundation presents itself as the single authority to determine the
CHILDLINE service’s vision, mission, scope, components, procedures, protocols status of partners, etc. It
has brought out an M o U that every partner ought to accept and sign, if they want to be part of the
CHILDLINE network and many have already complied with.
Salesians in India have made decodes long services in the areas of child welfare, protection and
rehabilitation in the country helping out lakhs of children at Risk. In the past twelve years as partner of
CHILDLINE network, Don Bosco Institution’s contributions are significant in the expansion, growth and
acceptance of CHILDLINE Service across the country.
In the implementation process of the M o U brought out by CIF, there are many difficulties and
dissatisfactions expressed by many partner organizations, especially those organizations who are the direct
service providers. There are many articles and clauses that affect the individuality, autonomy and
functioning procedures of the organizers. Though some of the clauses are acceptable in principle, the
enforcement procedures from CIF or its representatives have adversely affected the network relationship.
No individual organization has Economic, Human, or Legal capacity to raise the issue concerning the M o
U and the related matters. Some organizations heads are indifferent since they are not directly involved in
the services.
In this context it is important that Salesians of Don Bosco as one of the major child related service
provider in the country and CHILDLINE partner organization to take initiative in assessing the conditions
in the M o U and the subsequent protocols enforced upon the implementing agency by the Nodal Agency
(CIF) and to take remedial measures (meeting CIF Governing Board, Ministry and NGO networks) to
work out healthy partnership conditions and to sustain the partnership concept in providing services to the
children.
Govt Schemes for YaR
Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) Sabla
Short Stay Home For Women and Girls (SSH)
Rashtriya Bal Kosh (National Childrens’ Fund)
The Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS)
Gender Budgeting Scheme
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36. National Awards For Child Welfare
National Child Awards For Exceptional Achievements
Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award For Service To Children
Balika Samriddhi Yojana (BSY)
Nutrition Programme for Adolescent Girls (NPAG)
Early Childhood Education for 3-6 Age Group Children Under the Programme of Universaliation of
Elementary
Education.
Scheme for welfare of Working Children in need of Care and ProtectionKishori Shakti
Yojana (KSY)
Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme For the Children of Working Mothers
Childline Services
UJJAWALA : A Comprehensive Scheme for Prevention of trafficking and Resue, Rehabilitation and Re-
integration of Victims of Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation
Integrated child development services (ICDS)
Midday Meal Scheme
Scheme of Integrated Education for Disabled Children in Kerala
Scheme of Special Incentives to Talented Students/Award to Schools/Ayyankali Talent Search
All India School Education Survey
Apni Beti Apna Dhan
Aravanaippu Scheme for girl child in Puducherry
Asvachh Dandha Chhatravritti Yojna
Award of adhoc merit grant (special incentive) to SC students in Puducherry
Award of Pre-matric scholarship to SC students in Puducherry
CBSE Pathyakram Yojna
Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in School
Kanya Saksharata Protsahan Yojna
Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana, KVPY
National Child Labour Projects Scheme
National Family Benefit Scheme
National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS)
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)
Scheme for construction and running of Girls’ Hostel for students of secondary and higher secondary
schools
Scheme for Infrastructure Development in Minority Institutes (IDMI)
Scheme of Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS)
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37. Child MISS (Management Information System and Services) is an online comprehensive Child
Tracking System for effective data management, monitoring and reporting, done through the effort of a
group of experts from pertinent fields and end-users. The domain expertise of YaR Forum comes from
experience of over a century right from grassroots level to the international, study and reflection on the
factors affecting vulnerable children in India and their growth and development. Child MISS is an
Information Management System and a Network which contributes to speed, process, structure,
knowledge and services for the care, protection and development of children. It is a web based software
tool, to assist both government and non-governmental organizations to document all their services and
follow up in a single window system to enhance their mission for children at risk more effectively and
efficiently. The software solution takes care of the data accuracy through Biometric Integration.
The ultimate focus of Child MISS is to create a 'Child Safety Net', to say that Child MISS is not a mere
technological intervention or data collection software. It is a vital information of children in difficult
circumstances, which will assist the networking organizations to strengthen the role of advocacy through
legal provisions and law enforcements, review and reform child policy development, offer psychological
counseling to children and parents, and raise the community consciousness and collaboration to create safe
environment for children. Thus Homelink through Network Partners will promote Safety and Protection to
Children.
Purpose of Child MISS
Its purpose is to strengthen the Juvenile Justice System by making the child visible and promoting action
in the interest of the child. It is the endeavor of the Child MISS to make the outcome of all actions in
relation to the child visible, ensuring that stakeholders play their role and execute their responsibility at all
times and that knowledge about children within the JJ System is available at every level from the micro to
macro level.
Child Care System & its Stakeholders
This programme in keen to bring a comprehensive solution to the Child Care involving various
stakeholders:-
• Monitoring bodies: Government ministries, Government bodies, etc.
• Child Care institutions: Children's home, Observations homes, etc.
• Legal Institutions: Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), Special
Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU).
• Non-Governmental Organizations, Child Care Stakeholders, etc.
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38. • Civil Society Participation: Caring Community, Peer Leaders, Social Activities, Volunteers.
YaR Forum has reached the next launching pad of the program, setting in place a new genre of social
work. Child MISS will make a very significant contribution or impact in the areas of Child Tracking
System (CTS), especially those in need of Care and Protection, preventing trafficking of children and in
the restoration of those missing, setting in place an adequate monitoring system for delivery of services,
and most significantly, setting in place a COMMUNCATION BASED TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM, which
is networked throughout the nation.
Homelink Network System (HLK)
YaR Forum India Forum India
Home Link/Missing Children Search Network
PalamGaon (Near JaatChaupal)
New Delhi 110045 INDIA
Phone:+911125081014
Mail: YaR Forum Indiaforum@homelink.in
Purpose: To help find the missing children, the Network Partners use the other
website: www.missingchildserach.net. Created in association with UNICEF, the site has become a real
boon for parents and organizations interested in locating/restoring missing children.
Homelink Network System (HLK) is on the World Wide Web and proprietary software to capture the
information of children at risk across India to assist and restore them to the safety of a Home. The YaR
Forum has two web-related services for the young at
risk: www.homelink.in and www.missingchildsearch.netand they are executed through 277 Homelink
Network Partners. These Network Partners are NGOs, Govt. Homes hosting children, Police, CWC, etc.
spread out in 15 States & UTs of India.
Homelink is a web based service maintained by Don Bosco YaR Forum to facilitate their work for the
young at risk, enabling them to maintain and share up to date information on child related issues, across
the country. The system generates instant reports based on child profile, missing children, staff centre,
sub-centre, and various analyses of reports at local and national level. It is a software tool for
documentation .
The moment a centre gets details of a missing child, it is placed on the website. The site immediately
generates a search in local and national database, which has the registered Missing Children Complaints.
Homelink Network Partners at various locations in the country are alerted and they swing into action for
locating or restoring the child. Families and agencies get in touch with Homelink Centres either in person
or online and sometimes missing children are located within hours.
ABOUT :
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39. Missingchildsearch.net is a platform for like-minded organizations and individuals who will strive to
uphold our vision and mission and uphold the values enshrined therein. It will act as an open spaced and a
forum. As an open space YaR Forum India will provide space for the coming together of the young people
who are at risk themselves and those working with them and others who are interested in the issues that
concern the Young at Risk.
childmiss.org / childmiss.in / childmiss.net and missingchildsearch.net is a platform for “YAR FORUM
INDIA" - “the Young at Risk" - for all young people, children, adolescents and youth who are forced into
risk situations, who have taken on the challenges of the risks they face in life – such as
The Orphan The run away child
The out of school child The differently abled
The young refugee The young in conflict with law
The young addicted to drugs or alcohol Child victims of exploitation and abuse
Young victims of war, conflict, natural calamities, disasters, HIV/AIDS, sexual exploitation and
trafficking.
Childmiss.org and missingchildsearch.net is a platform for all people who work with the young at risk. It
is initiated by DBSAF-YAR FORUM INDIA[Don Bosco South Asia Forum for the Young at Risk] The
initiator is registered in India, as DBNF – YAR FORUM INDIA [Don Bosco National Forum for the
Young at Risk] with the office at YAR FORUM INDIA The Young At Risk
YaR Forum India Forum India
Caring Community Network
Caring Community Network is a network of YaR Centres with
the aim to transform themselves into Society-supported /
Community-based movements on behalf of the young at risk.
Increasing number of incidences of crime against children and the
experiences of YaR forum in working with children are the
inspiring factors that led to the implementation of the Caring
Community Project to build a community which cares for its
children especially those who are in deplorable and vulnerable
situation. The experiences of YaR forum is that we need to move
more into networking with the community and empowering it
rather than working in isolation. It is our YaR Forum experience
that the interventions have been more effective and transformative wherever YaR carried them out in close
collaboration with the community. Our learning is that we need to move more into this mode –
networking with the community and empowering it – rather than working in isolation. In this way
society owns its responsibility for reaching out to and caring for its at-risk young people. This is the
concept behind Caring Communities.
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