Preventing home abandonment

Y Care International has supported Bogotá YMCA’s project for the prevention of home abandonment of vulnerable youth and children since 1994.

Over four decades of armed conflict has caused massive displacement and high levels of poverty, disrupting family life in Colombia’s most vulnerable communities. Over 3 million Colombians have been forced to flee their homes, many settling in urban slums. Young people are disproportionately affected, and many end up on the streets. Gang activity and violent crime are rife and street children are vulnerable to drug abuse, prostitution and abduction. They are stigmatised by a society that views them as ‘disposable’, reflected in the ‘social cleansing’ campaigns which are carried out on the streets of Bogotá.

How we are helping
The project provides access to basic social services for children and young people on the streets of four of the poorest neighbourhoods of Bogotá. They are given support to enable them to return to their families.

In collaboration with local youth organisations, the YMCA also carries out activities to prevent home abandonment, including media campaigns. It works in specialist care centres with families of children and youth at risk of leaving home, by addressing the issues that push young people onto the streets, such as poverty and violence. The centres provide young people with counseling, school support, health education and employment training.

Y Care International has received funding from Comic Relief to extend this project over the next four years. This will include the establishment of two new care centres for street and working children. The project will include outreach work with young people living on the streets, including the establishment of a mobile school. This will give educational support to street children who have no access to formal education.

What we have achieved

In 2007/08 the following was achieved:

• 420 children and young people living on the streets participated in recreational activities offered by YMCA Bogotá
• Over 3,500 people have been reached through outreach activities, raising awareness of the importance of preventing home abandonment
• Over 380 children and young people at risk of home abandonment took part in capacity building activities to prevent them leaving
• Over 100 children and young people received educational assistance, including supporting their return to formal education and prevent them dropping out
• 95% of families involved in activities at YMCA Bogotá’s care centres were successful in increasing the number of protective factors to prevent their child leaving home
• The YMCA has seen increased government recognition of the issue of home abandonment as a direct result of its advocacy work