CBPAR Paper

 Community-Based Participatory Action Research

Title: FunBATA: A Pathway to Child Development 
Sector: Children of Villa Lourdes, Brgy. Pahanocoy, Bacolod City

INTRODUCTION

Children in Villa Lourdes, Brgy. Pahanocoy, Bacolod City has little to no after-school extracurricular activities. This is due to several factors including poverty, the absence of safe and accessible spaces for children to play and learn, and the lack of materials such as; books, arts & crafts, hygiene kits, and more.

These kids have so much potential, but they need help to unlock their creativity. They deserve safe places to explore and art supplies to create. This group is coming together to make a change. By giving these kids the tools they need, we can help them dream, learn, and grow, no matter where they come from. Together, we will create a better future for the children of Villa Lourdes.

Moreover, many children in Villa Lourdes spend their free time unsupervised, influenced by individuals who do unfavorable acts, which can lead to risky behaviors such as substance abuse, delinquency, and gang involvement.

In addition, most children in Villa Lourdes come from low-income families and do not have access to basic resources such as clean water, nutritious food, and the importance of education as per our interview with the mothers with kids from ages 5 to 11 of Villa Lourdes last September 19, 2023.

This situation has a significant impact on child development and well-being. Children who do not have access to quality education and extracurricular activities are more likely to experience poverty, crime, and other social problems in adulthood.

Therefore, we put forth the initiative, FunBATA: A Pathway to Child Development, serving as a guiding framework. This project aims to nurture children into well-rounded individuals equipped with essential life skills and a positive attitude.

Objectives:

1. Improving children’s holistic growth and well-being through teaching basic life skills such as creativity, proper hygiene, financial literacy, and religious values.

2. To provide after-school extracurricular activities for children in Villa Lourdes, Brgy. Pahanocoy, Bacolod City.

3. To gain newfound knowledge and insights from helping a marginalized community

SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

Step 1: Understand the broad context 

Our empowered participation will be from the children of Brgy. Pahanocoy ages 5 to 11 years old.

Meanwhile, functional participation will come from parents, elementary school teachers, and religious

leaders. Moreover, LGU officials and medical professionals will take part in participation by consultation, and

the Lasallian community as our passive participants.

Step 2: Identify local challenges

A major challenge that we have identified in our community is that students lack access

to productive extracurricular activities that can help them develop essential life skills

such as teamwork, leadership, and personal development.

Step 3: Assess your capacity

Our group is confident that we can provide essential skill-building activities

such as recycling, financial literacy, basic good manners, and right conduct,

hygiene practices, religious values, and such.

Step 4: Choose a broad goal

Improving children’s holistic growth and well-being through teaching

basic life skills such as creativity, proper hygiene, financial literacy, and religious values.

Step 5: Reassess the local context

• Do children receive adequate life-building skills to prepare them for the future?

• Do they have enough knowledge of the different kinds of life-building skills? 

• Does the educational institution have a structured life skills curriculum in place to teach children

• essential skills such as communication, problem-solving, decision-making, and financial literacy?

• To what extent are parents involved in teaching life skills at home, and are there resources or programs to support parents in this role?

COMMUNITY MAPPING

Legend:

Twenty (20) confirmed houses are with residing children, and some have multiple children in one (1) house.

Overall, there are a total of thirty-seven (37) children, ages ranging from five to eleven (5-11) years old, residing in Villa Lourdes, Brgy. Pahanocoy. 

METHODS

Communication Strategy:

The intervention communication strategy for this project will focus on the following:

1. Raising awareness of the importance of after-school extracurricular activities for child development and well-being.

2. Mobilizing community members to support the development and implementation of after-school extracurricular activities.

3. Providing training and support to teachers and volunteers who will be leading the after-school extracurricular activities.

The project will use a variety of communication channels to reach its target audience, including:

1. Face-to-face meetings with community leaders and members

2. Posters and flyers

3. Social media page

4. School-based workshops and training sessions

Tri-Media

Press Plan 

A social media page will be put up showing what FunBata is all about -  Raising awareness of the importance of after-school extracurricular activities for child development and well-being. This will be done through written posts, videos, and photos.

Digital strategy

In relation to our social media as our online presence, we will run online campaigns mobilizing community members and stakeholders to support the development and implementation of after-school extracurricular activities.

Print

Handouts, posters, and flyers will be utilised in the duration of the activities. Leaving our learners something they can work on in their free time even after the activities are done. 

 

For Colloquium 

In the end, the team will present the success of the final output by:

1. Visuals: A video presentation documenting what the kids have learned all throughout the class and visits.

2. Feedback and Reflection: Discuss any feedback from the children, parents, or other stakeholders. Reflect on what worked well.

3. Presentation: A showcase of what the kids have learned and skills they have gained throughout the project.

Evaluation Tool:

The project will be evaluated using the following indicators:

1. Number of children participating in after-school extracurricular activities

2. Knowledge and skills gained by children as a result of their participation in after-school extracurricular activities

3. Attitudes and behaviors of children towards themselves and their community as a result of their participation in after-school extracurricular activities
   
   

The project will also be evaluated using a qualitative approach, which will involve collecting feedback from children, parents, teachers, and other community members.

The project will be aligned with the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

 

SDG 1: No Poverty

The project will help to reduce poverty by providing children with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in school and in the workplace. It will also help to reduce poverty by providing children with a safe and supervised environment to spend their free time.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being

This project will help to promote mental and emotional well-being among children by providing them with a safe and supportive environment to learn and grow. This will help them to develop resilience and coping skills, and to reduce their risk of developing mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.

SDG 4: Quality Education

The project will help to improve the quality of education for children in Villa Lourdes by providing them with access to after-school extracurricular activities. These activities will help children develop their knowledge and skills in a variety of areas, including literacy, numeracy, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The project will help to build sustainable communities by providing children with a safe and accessible place to play and learn. It will also help to build sustainable communities by promoting social cohesion and cooperation among community members.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The project will help to promote peace, justice, and strong institutions by reducing juvenile delinquency and gang involvement. It will also help to promote peace, justice, and strong institutions by promoting social inclusion and empowerment of marginalized groups.

The project will utilize pre-test and post-test forms to determine and evaluate the impact of the conducted activities. Table 1 shows the sample of the pre-test/post-test form that we will be distributing.

Table 1.

FunBATA: A Pathway to Child Development  Child Attitude and Behavior Pre-Test Questionnaire Parent's Name: Child's Name: Child's Age: Child's Gender: Child's Grade/Year in School: Instructions: Please answer the following questions based on your observations of your child. Your responses will help us assess your child's attitudes and behaviors. Please rate the following statements based on your child's attitudes. Use the scale below: Child's Attitudes Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree 1. My child enjoys learning new things.           2. My child shows an interest in reading books.           3. My child is curious and asks questions about the world.           4. My child expresses a positive attitude toward school.           5. My child believes that effort leads to success.           6. My child values honesty and integrity.           7. My child demonstrates empathy towards others.           8. My child is open to trying new activities or hobbies.           9. My child respects people from different backgrounds.           10.My child quickly adjusts and adapt to new situation.           Please indicate how frequently your child engages in the following behaviors. Use the scale below: Child's Behaviors Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always 1.Completes homework assignments on time.           2. Participates actively in extracurricular activities (e.g., sports, clubs).           3. Manages time effectively (e.g., balances school, activities, and free time).           4. Listens attentively to instructions and follows them.           5. Resolves conflicts or disagreements peacefully.           6.  Demonstrates good manners (e.g., saying "please" and "thank you").           7. Takes responsibility for their actions and mistakes.           8. Shows respect for adults (e.g., teachers, parents, caregivers).           9. Engages in acts of kindness or helpfulness towards others.           10. Follows safety rules and guidelines.           Section 4: Additional Comments Please provide any additional comments or insights about your child's attitudes and behaviors that you believe are important for us to know: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Thank you for completing this pre-test/post test questionnaire. Your input is valuable for our assessment.

The project is expected to have a positive impact on the lives of children in Villa Lourdes, Brgy. Pahanocoy, Bacolod City. By providing children with access to after-school extracurricular activities, the project will help them to develop their knowledge, skills, and life skills. This will in turn help them to reach their full potential and to become productive members of society.

Messages

Audience	What they need to know	Key communications messages
Children of Brgy. Pahanocoy	After-school fun and learning helps us grow into the people we’re meant to be.	Let’s learn and grow together after school!
Parents of the children of Brgy. Pahanocoy	Children need a space to grow to reach their full potential and live a happy and fulfilling life.	Help your child discover their path to a brighter future!
Teachers of the children and Brgy. Officials of Brgy. Pahanocoy	Children need to be educated, empowered, and enriched to be a functioning member of the society.	Let’s work together to build a better future for kids!
Lasallian Community	We have a lot to offer to this community, so let us use our resources to improve their lives together.	Let's bring our strengths to the table and make a positive impact on our community's lives!

Timeline

The timeline shows the dates encompassing the project's preparatory phase, the scheduled commencement of the project, and the duration over which the project will be executed.

SEPTEMBER 2023

					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12 Orientation with Balayan	13	14	15	16
17	18	19 Community visit at Brgy. Pahanocoy	20 Group meeting; choosing a social ill to address and a sector to focus on	21	22	23
24	25	26 Group meeting; identifying problems and concerns regarding our chosen sector (children in Brgy. Pahanocoy) and defining the roles and responsibilities of each team member.	27	28	29	30

OCTOBER 2023

1	2 Group meeting; plan out activities	3	4	5	6 Community visit.	7
8	9 Look for volunteers	10 Look for volunteers	11 Look for volunteers	12 Look for volunteers	13 Look for volunteers	14
15	16	17 Preparation for 1st Week	18	19	20	21 (1st Visit) Activity proper
22 (2ndVisit) Activity proper & Reflection	23	24 Preparation for 2nd Week	25	26	27	28 (3rd Visit) Activity proper
29 (4th Visit) Activity proper & Reflection	30	31 Preparation for 3rd Week

NOVEMBER 2023

			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18 (5th Visit) Activity proper & Reflection
19 (6th Visit) Activity proper	20	21 Preparation for 4th Week	22	23	24	25 (7th Visit) Activity proper & Reflection
26 (8th Visit) Activity proper & Reflection	27	28 Preparation for 5th Week and Colloquium	29	30

DECEMBER 2023

					1 (10th Visit) Activity proper & Reflection	2 (11th Visit) Last Day and Preparation for Colloquium
3	4	5

Activities

The outlined project activities are as follows:

1. Designate a child to lead the opening prayer and another for the closing prayer, encouraging them to include a personal prayer to emphasize the significance of individual prayer and its impact on attitude.

2. Engage the children with a Bible story tailored for children, imparting moral life lessons applicable to their daily lives.

3. Translate the lessons from the Bible story into an interactive arts and crafts segment. Following each story, organizers will provide materials for the children to express their creativity through arts and crafts.

4. Educate the children on the importance of saving money and fundamental life lessons associated with saving. The project will integrate creativity by allowing the children to craft their piggy banks and articulate their reasons for saving on a piece of paper, securing it around the saved money to reinforce their commitment.

5. Provide basic first aid training for the children to equip them with the knowledge to assist in accident situations and emergencies.

The project will utilize a program flow. There will be different topics each meeting coinciding with the activities that the team prepared.

FRIDAYS 1:30 - 1:33 PM Prayer 1:33 - 2:00 PM Interactive Bible Storytelling  2:00 - 3:00 PM Arts and Crafts 3:00 - 3:10 PM Proper handwashing before snacks 3:10 - 3:30 PM Reflection 3:30PM                       Wrap up

SATURDAYS 9:30 - 9:35 AM Prayer 9:35 - 10:00 AM Creative Financial Literacy Crafts  10:00 - 11:00 AM First Aid Lessons 11:00 - 11:10 AM Proper handwashing before lunch/Lunch 11:10 - 11:30 AM       Reflection 11:30AM                    Wrap up

Budget

Table 2 refers to the sources from which we intend to acquire financial support for the activities outlined in our timeline.

Table 2.

	ESTIMATED BUDGET
Sponsorships	2,000
Personal Contribution	1,000
Total	3,000

Meanwhile, Table 3 illustrates the various facets of our expenditures and presents the proposed budget allocation for each. 

Table 3.

EXPENSES	PROPOSED BUDGET
Foods	1,000
Materials	500
Transportation	200
Contingency	300
Total	2,000

Our list of materials include:

1. Hygiene Kit (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, alcohol, and tissue)

2. Arts and Crafts (scissors, glue/paste, construction paper, etc.)

RESULTS AND EVIDENCES

Success Indicators:

1. Increased participation of children in after-school extracurricular activities

2. Improved knowledge and skills of children gained through participation in after-school extracurricular activities

3. Positive changes in the attitudes and behaviors of children towards themselves and their community as a result of their participation in after-school extracurricular activities

4. Satisfaction of community members with the project

The project will be considered successful if it is able to achieve the following success indicators:

1. At least 75% of children in Villa Lourdes, Brgy. Pahanocoy, Bacolod City will be participating in after-school extracurricular activities by the end of the project period.

2. At least 90% of children participating in after-school extracurricular activities will show improvement in their knowledge and skills.

3. At least 80% of children participating in after-school extracurricular activities will show positive changes in their attitudes and behaviors towards themselves and their community.

4. At least 90% of community members will be satisfied with the project.

The project team will collect data to measure the success indicators on a regular basis. The data will be collected from children, parents, teachers, and other community members through surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions.

The project team will use the data to track the progress of the project and to make necessary adjustments to the project implementation plan. The project team will also use the data to prepare a final evaluation report at the end of the project period.

THE TEAM

Steve Louise V. Rotelo Team Leader Steve, a 23-year old Communication student by day, a drag artist by night. He is  multi-disciplined in the field of arts, and loves all things French.	Phoebe Daidoji Q. Jabonete Scribe Phoebe balances her academic life with her organization responsibilities as the Managing Editor of The Spectrum. As a cinephile, she loves to deeply discuss about recent and upcoming films to anyone.
Yobelle E. Martir Member Yobelle is a 23-year Communication  student who loves art and music but has zero talent in those fields. She enjoys crafting stories and making moments memorable.	Leah Isabelle D. Serran Member Leah is an AB Communication student with a passion for visual storytelling by doing photography. Currently, she showcases her creativity and communication skills while working at the Bacolod City Office (PIO), and being a freelancer where she contributes to engaging and informative consent for the community.