by Daniella Y. Villanueva, 2024 Intern for Communication and Advocacy
Bringing about a change has always been challenging, requiring individuals who are willing to inspire and encourage others.
In pursuance of bringing great knowledge and skills to the various communities, a number of dedicated participants from the different municipalities of Bicol attended the recently conducted 3-day workshop and leadership training that primarily aimed to capacitate duty-bearers on how to effectively use and roll out the Child-led Participatory Monitoring Toolkits (CLPMT) and Child-led Advocacy Toolkit last July 16-18, 2024 at Hotel Venezia.
We follow the experiences of Jillian, Samson, Ariel, and Virgie. With similar goals and aspirations, they were positive in bringing a change in their communities.
As the workshop started, they immersed themselves in an impactful activity that illuminated their passion for leadership.
Day One of Child-led Advocacy Training
The 16th of July marks the first day of training, and these new sets of trainers, composed of both young people and adults, are expected to teach their respective communities.
The said event had discussions, workshops, games, and activities which the trainers participated with the guidance of Educo staff.
Jillian Imperial, a child representative from Manito Albay, shared her experience from day one of the training.
“[The first day of the training] has been pretty transformative in a way that I’ve learned new things, and I’ve learned how to communicate and socialize with other people, and it became an avenue for me to share my knowledge and the knowledge that I gained even before,” she said.
Samson Perdigon, a Senior High School Teacher and an SSLG Adviser, also shared his insights on the first day of training.
“Day one was fun because hearing from different sectors, it seems they have different perspectives. As an Educator, through this, I am also being educated.”
After the first day of the workshop, the participants were able to fully grasp the meaning of advocacy, why it’s important to advocate, and the process of making it; they also started to determine the problems in their places.
As they went into the conduct of the event, the newfound knowledge they acquired came with a great responsibility when they returned to their villages.
Trainers as Duty Bearers
With the objective of learning the concepts of Child-led Advocacy, the trainers are more than just individuals who will provide training; they are also the duty bearers who are responsible for sharing the wisdom and skills they attained during the said training with their town.
The attendees shared their reflections on how this training has influenced their personal growth and professional development as community workers.
“I gained a lot of new knowledge, the speaker said that I have to empty my cup in order for it to be filled with new information that really would help me not only in the school but in the community as well, especially to help the children,” shares Virgie C. Malagueño, a Senior High School Teacher at Donsol Comprehensive High School.
Malagueño added that she is a duty bearer who’s responsible for giving all the information and the knowledge she gained for her to be able to become an asset in society. She also highlighted that, “this training is so relevant, it’s timely, and all the information is essential for them to give or do their responsibilities effectively to the children.”
Ariel Cha, one of the local government officials, also expressed the positive impact of the training he received from Educo, emphasizing that it has helped shape his obligations and personality throughout his years of volunteering. He gave credit to Educo for guiding him on how to properly treat children, which has been beneficial in fulfilling his responsibilities as a duty bearer.
He also added that the training has made it easier for him to implement projects for youth, nurture and educate them, and teach them about governance from a young age.
These statements highlight the significant impacts of the event to them, regenerating shifts on their perspectives in leading and advocating for their communities.
Sparking new vision and change
As the three-day training came to an end, the participants made their demonstration teaching followed by the feedback from the staff of Educo Philippines. The participants shared their new ideas and transformative visions that they can bear for them to share it to their community.
“So far, the visions that have changed me is that now I am fully aware that the adults or the organization want to know about the children, consult the children, really listen to what the children say, and actually make an effort to create something that can really serve the good of the children,” adds Imperial.
On the other hand, Perdigon also reflected that, “what I see is that this is not just a one-person team journey, this must be a collaboration between my officers, DSLG officers, the school community, and other private sectors or individuals.
He also realizes that “the projects in school should not only revolve around us; we have to immerse ourselves in the community to establish more connections that we can reach.”
In addition, Cha reflected that after the event, he realized that a new vision for his community needs to be developed, especially in terms of advocacy. They should create an implementation that focuses on children and adapt the processes and strategies they have been trained in to improve the outcomes of activities and programs intended for everyone, especially children.
Moreover, Malagueño underscored the potential of the children to benefit greatly from their experiences as they grow and develop as global citizens.
“It is a significant help for a young person to be shaped not just physically and emotionally, but in all aspects, especially when they are motivated to explore their talents and do things independently. This way, they can serve as positive influences on other children, inspiring them to do what is right and appropriate,” she continues.
The training focuses on creating powerful advocacies for positive change in communities nationwide, in line with Educo Philippines’ mission and vision. The organization is committed to ensuring safe spaces for children and adolescents through its ongoing efforts.
