Observation Home
In a path breaking program, Ashraya, in collaboration with two other NGOs and the Government, runs the Government Observation Home located at Koramangala in Bangalore. The Observation Home is a facility for boys in conflict with the law.
A need was felt to make the lives of juvenile delinquents and other less fortunate children and teenagers more meaningful. Ashraya runs an opportunity school in the Boys Observation Home in Koramangala, where these boys are
kept productively occupied mentally and physically. We have provided a teacher through our own resources and run a non-formal school at the Centre, as there is no provision under the Act to run a school. We also have a resource person who does motivational activities with the boys, like drama, dance, music and games.
We have also seen to it that conditions with regard to the living spaces, food and clothing and hygiene of the boys has improved greatly.
Without doubt it is one of the best run and most open Government Institutions in the country. In fact the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, have been so taken with this initiative, that the project has been included in the proposed “Integrated Child Protection Scheme” to the Planning Commission for the next plan.
Home committee report on observation home (June-2002), Published in June 2002
Hon’rable Minister for Women and Child Welfare - Smt. Motamma
Mr. Ramalinga Reddy, - MLA
Mr. Jayaram Raj Urs - Director, DWCD
Distinguished guests and children.
In an extremely innovative move, the DWCD, Government of Karnataka, decided to change the management structure of the Observation Home for Girls and boys and the Certified School for Girls, in Bangalore. The experiment was aimed at making the system more open and responsive to children, in keeping with the spirit and guidelines laid down in the new J.J. Act 2000. These institutions have traditionally remained closed–door and have come under a barrage of criticism over the years . In August 2001, the Home Committees were formed. The Home Committee of the Observation Home for Boys, comprises of the Assistant Director, DWCD, two NGO’s Ashraya and BOSCO,
The Government Medical Officer, The Superintendent and Probation Officer, Observation Home.
It has been an interesting period of change and with a little give and take , from both sides, our level of co-operation has been very good. We have met at least once in a month to discuss issues pertaining to the children and to the running of the Observation Home itself. The Secretary, DWCD, Mrs. Sobha Nambisan, and the Director, have responded very quickly whenever there has been a crisis and we required their intervention, for which we are very grateful. We have also had the utmost co-operation from the Chairman of the JWB.
BOSCO, an organisation working with street children, conducted a much needed programme, on hygiene , for the boys which was well received. Ashraya bought 30 bunk beds and mattresses for the use of the children, out of a generous donation received from Mr. and Mrs. Vikram, for which we are most grateful. We have also donated a colour T.V. from donations received from Mr. Abishekh Jalan, from France. An old computer has also been donated by Mrs. Kanchan, to help in the
office work. The PWD has done a good job of renovating and retiling the building. We hope that with the improvement in their living conditions the boys can stay here in an atmosphere of dignity and reasonable comfort. Two months ago Vishwas, an NGO providing free professional counselling services has started work in the Observation Home. Mr. Sukumar Menon and his team of volunteers, are doing an excellent job, both with group and individual counselling. Many of these children come from extremely disturbed backgrounds and the counselling can help them to come to terms with their problems. We hope to extend the counselling to the families of the children as well.
Elfun , the volunteer group of General Electric, have started to work in the Observation Home conducting games and other activities for the children. Ashraya has run a non-formal school in the Observation Home, for the past five years. Though this is a transit home, many of the children remain here for a long time, especially the IPC cases and it is essential to keep the children well occupied and motivated in the interim. We have also attached a professional Social Worker to the Home recently. The aim of the Home Committee is to do a case study on each child, inclusive of the Counselling Report , Home Visit Report, and other data, to enable us to make the best plan to rehabilitate each child, in a time bound manner.
Echo, another NGO, has started Yoga classes for the children in the mornings. Their volunteers help in conducting home visits and follow- up visits for children returned to their families. We hope to soon induct Echo into our Home Committee.
This is just a beginning and we still have a lot of ground to cover. We urge the Hon’rable Minister to kindly sanction a vehicle for the use of the Observation Home, which is essential for the Superintendent and Probation Officer to carry out their duties of doing home visits, restoration of children, and taking children to hospital in emergencies. I know that the
department is seriously looking into the issue of segregation of delinquent and abandoned children, which is mandated under the law. The smaller children have to be protected from the violence meted out by the older boys. Some rationalization of the system is on the cards and needs to be implemented quickly. institutions, police personnel and for the NGO’S. The law can only become a reality if it is properly used. More trained personnel are needed to run these homes, particularly wardens who can be more sensitive to the needs of the children. We would like to involve the children and give them a say in the deliberations concerning their own welfare. We also hope that the Juvenile Courts will process cases of children involved in petty crime, quickly, so that some proper rehabilitation plan can be put in place to help the child get back onto a proper path. We also need to look at problems such as HIV Aids, Sexually transmitted diseases, Hepatitis B, and other such health care issues.
In all our endeavours we need the help and the guidance of the Hon’rable Minister , The Secretary, and Director, DWCD, The Chairman, JWB, and the Juvenile Court Magistrate. If these Home Committees, in Bangalore, can visibly improve the conditions of these institutions and the life of these children, the experiment can be carried forward all over the State and in fact, all over the country.
HOME COMMITTEE REPORT GOVERNMENT OBSERVATION HOME, BANGALORE - JUNE, 2002
Fun and learn (Feb-99)
IA party is a party, but a ' Fun and Learn ' party is an even better party. For some of the boys at the Government Observation it was probably the first one of their lives, and the last for some time to come. So this party organised by the L & B Publishers was very special.
The Observation Home for Boys, is a holding centre for juvenile delinquents and lost and run away children, until their cases are dealt with by the juvenile board. At any given time there are usually about 80 boys of different ages and temperaments living in close proximity. Ashraya runs an Opportunity School here which
provides the only informal education and activity for the children.
On party day the air was bristling with anticipation as the boys got ready to welcome their hosts. What a surprise it was to be greeted by a group of dancers, in beautiful dresses made up as girls to dance the female parts ! They looked 'pretty' and were amazingly graceful in their movements. It was a treat to watch them.
At one point, the excitement proved too much for one young lady who fainted and had to
relinquish his costume to the understudy rather ..unwillingly ! But the show did go on. L & B Publishers, represented by Anu Talati and her team had put together a very enjoyable programme of science experiments, "magic tricks" and group activity to make it a very happy experience for the boys. The children joined in enthusiastically and demonstrated a trick or two of their own.
By one o' clock everyone was quite ready to tuck into the lunch their hosts had so thoughtfully provided. We do hope that we shall be able to do this again some time soon.
SURYA VAZ
