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Ключовi слова: «вуличт» dimu, со^альна проблема, виховання, педагогiчна робота, педагог, який працюе з «вуличними» дтьми.
А. АНТАС-ЯЩУК
ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНЫЕ И СОЦИАЛЬНЫЕ АСПЕКТЫ ПРОБЛЕМЫ «УЛИЧНЫХ» ДЕТЕЙ В ПОЛЬШЕ
Рассматриваются педагогические и воспитательные аспекты проблемы «уличных» детей в Польше. Указаны мероприятия, которые осуществляет сегодня педагог в воспитании указанных детей. Обоснована актуальность социальной деятельности, направленной на помощь «уличным» детям, особенно работы с семьей, личностью ребенка, общественностью. Установлено, что целью деятельности педагога, который работает с «уличными» детьми, является создание и развитие оптимальной для разной среды модели предупреждающих социально-воспитательных мероприятий во время непосредственного контакта с такими детьми.
Ключевые слова: «уличные» дети, социальная проблема, воспитание, педагогическая работа, работающий с «уличными» детьми педагог.
A. ANTAS-JASZCZUK
EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF THE PROBLEM OF «REET
CHILDREN» IN POLAND
The article deals with pedagogical and social aspects of the problem of «street children» in Poland. It focuses on contemporary examples of the forms of assistance in the system ofprevention but in particular regard to the action taken by the teacher street. The aim of the counselor is to develop an optimal, adapted to different environment model of preventive and educational work in an open society by close and direct contact with the children. Through educational, culture-creating and corrective actions the educator is striving to reinforce positive attitudes and development of children's life aspirations. The article also presents the importance of social work in activities taken up for the benefit of street children, especially in the field of work with the family, an individual, a group or the community.
Keywords: street children, problem, Poland, pedagogical work, street educator
The problem of street children occurs both in Poland but also in other countries regardless of their level of development. It appears in poor as well as rich and developing countries. The International Catholic Office for Children has adopted the following definition of the term «street children» stating that "every girl or boy, for whom the street (in the every sense of the word, including not occupied dwellings, refuse places, etc.) has become his or her habitual residence and/or source of livelihood and that are not adequately protected, supervised or directed by a responsible adult. The Council of Europe has assigned the term that: (...) «the street children are youngsters under 18 years of age, who occupy street environment for a shorter or longer period of time. They tend to move from one place to and another gathered in peer groups and have other contacts. They are usually registered both at their parents' or at any care centers. It is characteristic that the parents, schools representatives, welfare institutions and social services, which bear responsibility for these children keep very little contact or even do not have it at all (...)» [5, p. 11-12].
Assuming the age criterion in typology of "street children" four groups can be distiguished: 1) children aged 3 to 6 years, begging, seeking contact with adults, committing petty theft, cheating;2) children between the age of 7 and 10 showing different types of aggressive behaviour (verbal and physical aggression), and disrespecting school and playing truancy, sniffing glue, emotionally disturbed young people looking for someone significant on their way to shape their future - but at this stage you cannot even talk about becoming depraved; 3) children between the ages of 11 to 15 - a characteristic feature of this age group is the tendency to create subcultures and criminal groups( they result in traffic offenses, fights, robberies, thefts, burglaries, extortion, drug and alcohol abuse), it is the youth characterized by maladjustment, threat of social demoralization or already partly demoralized; 4) young people from 16 to 18 years of age, gathered in organized crime circles, they abuse of alcohol and drugs tend to be aggressive, take part in fights, robberies, it is clearly demoralized youth [9, p. 15-16].
On the other hand, taking another criteria as a division by looking for the cause they found themselves in the street, ways and length of time spent generally leads to distinguish: 1) Romanian gypsy children - one category found in the narrow definition of children "living and settled in the street"; 2) children escaping from home - most of these are short term escapes, for example after another argument with his or her parents; 3) children from dysfunctional families - not implementing compulsory education, they spend most of their time in the street; 4) refugees from child-care centers and institutions aimed at, but unattended (some of the children are under the care of the official care centers escapes, mostly for homes); 5) children working in the streets - they sometimes earn money in order to help their parents or keep younger siblings. Among the most common ways of getting money they start begging, burglaries, helping adults with burglary, washing car windows, clearing trolleys in supermarkets; 6) Children who spend most of their time in the street - for whom the street becomes a place of work, home and school; they live in the streets and backyards because family homes are not a safe place for them; 7) Children with a key around their necks - they care of themselves after school classes until parents get back home from work [5, p. 17-18].
Slightly different division of "street children" has been suggested by Street Children Consortum enumerating: 1) street working children - those who work in the street, but still maintain contact with families and mostly live with them, 2) street living children - they live and work in the street, but not maintain contacts with parents [8, p. 23].
Contemporary examples of forms of guidance for street children in Poland
Among the International NGOs working with street children in Europe they mostly comprise such as Childhope, the Red Cross and the Catholic Office for Children [8, p. 23]. In Poland, the idea of educating carried out among the street children is run by various organizations working on community-based childcare centers of activity. These are supported by The Crisis Hostel led by a teachers' couple who live together with the pupils and providing full-time care. The hostel has been designed for children who are in family crisis. The aim of the Association of Group Education and Social Animation Warsaw Praga North is to work with street children from pathological environment, organizing their leisure time, improving their health and self-image. The objectives of the Association are carried out by conducting educational activities involving direct contact with children and their families in an environment to create favourable conditions for rehabilitation and social reintegration, development and implementation of children's projects that foster the creation of pro-social attitudes and civil rights, carrying out activities in the field of substance abuse prevention and cooperation with government state institutions [5, p.66-67].
The Catholic Educational Centre for Children and Youth «Guardian Angels' Home» is a place of concern for young people from poor broken families, vulnerable for pathologies and crime. The aim of the Centre is to help young people addicted to alcohol and drugs and the risk of addiction from pathological families by establishing contact with them and motivating them to take up treatment in specialized detox, rehabilitation and education centers, assisting physical, mental and social development by indicating the possibility of solving problems and learning responsibility for decisions, aid in spiritual development, based on Christian moral values, aid in learning to act properly in society, as well as building self-esteem and dignity among the foster children[5, p.67]. In Poland, the street children's rights are monitored by the National Education Committee of Resocialization [1, p. 227].
Preventive and educational work in the street as an alternative to boredom and passivity. The teacher or the worker goes out to the young people who have been marked by the society, showing various options which are hidden inside as their potential [7, p. 65]. Well developed and implemented social prevention programme should reduce the number of individuals of social maladjustment, derailments and social pathology. Such attempts should anticipate states of moral, health, cultural, social hazards, in order to protect the individuals and groups of the population from adverse deviations and accepted norms. Protecting mental health among children and young people is a fundamental task of the prevention. When it refers to children and young people such protective factors as a sense of meaning in life, faith in own abilities, self-esteem, dignity and respect for yourself and other people should not be underestimated [4, p. 80].
Classification of the preventive effects enumerates three levels of prevention which can be referred to primary, secondary and tertiary. Primary prevention has to follow two objectives: promoting a healthy lifestyle and the delay of the initiation age (alcohol), as well as the risk of
lowering the unwanted behaviors. Secondary prevention is aimed at groups at risk (these may include, for example, street children). The aim of educating is to reduce the depth and duration of the disfunction, allowing to withdraw from risky behaviors (such as street educators' work - to initiate a contact with the street child, socio-therapy and other activities offered by the clubs, working with the family, etc.). Tertiary prevention is aimed at preventing individuals who have already been affected by pathology. Its aim is to prevent from growing of the disease process and social degradation and allowing a return to a normal life in society [14, p. 105-106].
Street children in the system of prophylaxis.
The role of the street teacher is to make influence in order to reduce various risks, particularly through creative passion for life and help in achieving global development. Street educator as a preventor through his activity, new ideas and solutions motivates children towards creative leisure time. Even since the early age children should be familiarized with the principles of a healthy lifestyle. Developing interests, offering interesting forms of play and creative use of leisure time in the early grades reveals as the most effective form of prevention. Children learn through the play to talk about their problems, build positive self-image and self-esteem. Such activities allow to gain confidence and belief in children but also deal with difficult situations. A child is like a street wanderer exposed to various risks, supposed to life difficulties and fears while gaining experience, but still all the time he is just a kid. Street children are resistant to the impact of prevention, environmental and socio-therapeutic methods. Thus, institutionalized forms of assistance do not often meet the terms of its function. Young people need help, but on the other hand they often reject it and become nobody's children, individuals without a future. Street educator working as a prevention councellor and career oriented to work with street children in their environment can change the fate of an abused child [12, p. 89-90].
Educator working in the street, after an initial recognition of the local community needs, but especially children who spend most of their time out of control of adult carers, by setting up a warm and friendly relationship can become an opportunity for the youngsters. The aim of the teacher is to develop an optimal scheme of preventive and educational work, relevant to different conditions of an open environment - e.g. sports, street, yard or the station. Household surrounding career by close and direct contacts with children through his educational, culture-and corrective actions may seek to foster positive attitudes, the development of life aspirations as well as show possibilities of implementing the integration and interaction with the environment [13, p. 146-147].
Guiding in the street as a part of preventive measures taken may include activities aimed at establishing direct contact with children, a friendly relationship with youngsters most of whom spend their free time in the street and sharing information on the consequences of different behaviors, such as abuse of psychoactive drugs, risky sexual behavior, etc. The teaching is also to encourage and motivate children to take up active and constructive leisure activities, proposing activities which lead to creative life such as sports, cultural, arts, educational and care activities, etc. Further steps may involve actions to provide meals, organizing active, leisure time in particular during holiday breaks and assistance in dealing with difficult life situations at home and school, psychological - teaching assistance (socio-therapy, drama, and drawing). An important aspect of that kind of teaching work is also establishing contacts between the school and its teachers, providing brochures informing about the work of street educators and alternative sources for leisure, work with the child's family, mentoring, volunteer recruitment, informing the media about the activities of prevention and attracting sponsors [3, p. 16].
Street educator within his duties while organizing the local community can also take such measures as: recognition and diagnosis of the environment, impact on opinion and attitude of the local community, institutions and respected individuals involvement, drawing attention to the existing community risk, professional training of those who directly face the problem of street children, the police, school councellors, social workers as well as support, encouragement and inspiring the coordination of prevention measures [2, p. 255-258].
Pedagogical work with street children brings tangible results especially conducted by the tutors of social animation. It can be understood as a method of recovery, as an incentive to explore themselves, their abilities, or as taking animation actions despite their numerous obstacles in the local environment. Animators by their proposals and actions aimed at individuals and groups can counteract passivity, isolation, and cause personality changes. A huge emphasis is paid to animation referred to
children as it increases their activity, creative and safe leisure time, prevents boredom, shapes creativity among both young and adults (eg: parents) [13, p. 156-158].
A significant influence within the activities for street children is paid to social work. One of its form is a rescue which in its preventive work means aid for street children in organizing lunch campaigns at a club, collecting clothing for charity, etc. A street educator can work with the whole family, an individual, group or community, using in turn various forms of social work or the use of various elements of rescue, care, assistance and compensation depending on the needs and diagnosed situation. It needs to be pointed out that: the child occurs as the highest value, all are equal to access social services. A social worker is obliged to maintain professional secrecy and the educator's views can not affect the assessment of his charge. Social actions do not violate personal rights. Street child is a special social assistance recipient. Neglected, hungry and alone rarely dares to ask for help. When making contact with the child in the street, an invitation to have some tea or food is a very important argument. These are just basic needs which denotes that a child cannot be offered group or sports activities while hungry and cold. A street teacher with his experience and competence should recognize what kind of help his charge awaits. In this regard important is the ability to listen, empathy, and a proper understanding of the situation [2, p. 156-158].
Problems on which the work of the individual case (a street child) are focused, comprise: supporting, strengthening his family bonds, school problems - compensation gaps, helping to turn back to school, etc. In order to lead the individual case properly, the following rules need to be obeyed: accept individual as he is, with all his problems, difficulties, be understanding and have respect for his/her individual decisions. Moreover, accepting the person we look at him objectively, do not criticize his or her behavior and attitudes, but try to see what can happen if the case therapy is conducted successfully. What is also important is the faith in man and his ability to favorable development and improvement. Thus it means to give a chance to anyone who wants to change his behavior. An individual needs to be encouraged in order to participate in the process of change. We can not make decisions for others, but we should strive to ensure that the unit wants to change his life for the better. There is a demand to create the atmosphere of trust, openness and kindness - that is why the first contact is so crucial. Individual case method is based on a dialogue and requires the commitment of the two parties. The procedure was divided into three stages: diagnosis, developing plans, conducting the case.
Diagnosis is the starting point in the activity planning process. It is based on finding the causes of the alarming situation, judgment of the individual's strengths as well as the knowledge of the environment he lives in. Only then, we may begin the revalidation procedure that will regain the desired state. Diagnosis has purely practical meaning - clarification of the problems and expectations of an individual must lead to a search in order to get the answer on: what measures should be taken to solve this problem? Developing a plan to conduct is a practical consequence of the diagnosis. It determines what, when and how the street educator has to do both for the ward and his family in order to protect the process of rehabilitation. The assistance plan should be based on clear objectives, which need to answer the following: who is the main recipient of the interactions (the subject himself or his closer or further surroundings)?, what changes can we expect (are these supposed to be changes in the consciousness of an individual, a change in his behavior or emotional relationship or the changes in the social environment)?, in what period and to what extent we may expect the positive effects of our intervention? [10, p. 74].
Pedagogical interactions conducted in an open environment must be flexible. If the expected results do not happen it requires further adjustments to be made. The action plan should be determined at the time, feasible, real, operative, accurate and appropriate to the individual needs of the person and the family. The accomplishment is the longest stage. It needs to be careful in order to aim the goals. It refers not only to the time limit, but also the individual's involvement. The method of individual cases is precious and worthwhile. It allows to cover all issues of the child and their circumstances to perceive their relationship. Such personal contact with a friendly adult is often the case the children who spend their time in the street lack of [11, p. 112].
Work with the group takes place during preventive and educational interactions conducted both in the environment and the group. The specificity of street children is that prior to the meeting with the street educator they are in a group. The group method is a special kind of meeting based on emotions
experienced by the participants. In such unique atmosphere the child feels safe, establishes direct contact with others, but also learns to understand each other and can modify his behavior. While in a group, children are more likely to solve their problems effectively.
In case of a group created artificially its proper functioning depends on the size, location of the meeting place, time available, nature of the membership, which may be voluntary or enforced, the genesis of structures (power, liking, antipathy), patterns of communication, nature of group norms (formal and informal), the origin and type of the group. The group may have a positive or negative impact on the individual. It may help as personal support in difficult situations. It also allows to escape from the feeling of loneliness and isolation. It releases altruistic attitudes, teaches sensitivity to other people's reactions, through the processes of mutual imitation it enables development of social skills. Thanks to a carefully selected group classes (exercises, games, plays), which provide new experiences for the child, they are followed by adjustment of disturbed behaviors. Socio-therapeutic classes provide opportunity towards training new ways of behaviour in order to acquire new skills, such as assertiveness, decision-making, coping with difficult situations, etc.[9, p. 7]
A series of socio-therapy meetings consist of a number of activities which have their own structure and form. Directions and forms of work is shaped by its previously prepared script of socio-therapeutic activities, which are prepared for the individual needs of the group. One of the techniques used while working with a group is the "brainstorm", which is based on uttering various ideas and writing them down without judgment. Out of the list the most efficient or the most interesting idea is chosen in order to solve a specific problem. Working in groups of 3 - 5 people is a technique used while working on some of the tasks. Everyone has a chance to be heard, his personal commitment and to make contact. Singing and music are among other forms of work that are used in socio-therapy. Children willingly express their feelings through music. Uttering different sounds with the use available items such as pots, lids, spoons, plates, clapping, stamping feet in the same rhythm are enthusiastically performed by children. The basic form of socio-therapeutic work is fun. A therapeutic role of a play is based on the fact that taking a playful activity, the participants are for a while freed from everyday life events, severe requirements of the surrounding environment or simply set by themselves. Observing children with social functioning difficulties shows that they cannot play. Fun introduced in socio-therapeutic activities and the use of children's spontaneous activity provides positive feelings and it is a condition for the healing process. Fun activities used in socio-therapy relax and bring good mood but also increase energy and promote group integration. Doing activities with street children requires from adults flexibility, friendliness, warmth, understanding as well as a sense of humor, so much needed in different situations. The range of socio-therapeutic activities for children who spend time in the street is very difficult. The introduction of such methods, as games, play and drama, despite their difficult subject matter perfectly meets its educational function and development. The feeling of safety and acceptance in the group is very helpful in role-playing and expressing yourself and increases self-esteem [9, p. 7].
Highly important in preventive and educational work with street children is the work with his family. Its first and essential element of the street councellor is making a contact with the child's family, he is cooperating with. Even though work with the child's family should be conducted in a continuous and comprehensive way, it should not in any way interfere with the independence and intimacy of the family. It is recommended to visit the homes of children which should be preceded by making a closer relationship. First visits should be announced and agreed beforehand. They may not be surprising neither official. Leaving positive impact after the first visit gives hope for further fruitful cooperation. Taking up work with the family, the teacher is required to pay a first visit however, not later than a month after starting work with the child. In addition, parents should be invited instead of being called for officially mostly in pleasant matters related to advantages and achievements of the youngster, maintaining tact and delicacy while reaching out to painful interfamily problems and keep professional secrecy and discretion of the case. It needs to arrange common specific tasks concerning the work with the child, which help to consolidate the continuity of direct contacts between parents and the counselors, organize and educationally use different situations, such as parties, trips, camps, which may allow better understanding of the whole family and its internal relationship. It is also important when making the initial family diagnosis not to fall into overconfidence. It may happen that creative restlessness and willingness is much more precious rather than making corrections. In relation
to each family member, new forms and methods should be designed in order to influence the change of harmful attitudes. Approved methods which apply to resistant parents are based on the use of a personality asset either the father or the mother discovered by the teacher. It needs to have in mind that everyone in spite of his defects he also possesses advantages. A positive attitude noticed during a conversation can favorably value to the caller, which is no longer treated as an enemy or an employee. It is also important to speak well of the child, pay attention to his achievements, give advice on education, encouraging contact with the child's school, as well as honest, open and frequent discussions with the children, listening to what they have to say. It is needed sometimes to inform the family about the institutions helping with solving family problems and motivation to take advantage of this form of assistance. Applying this method it takes into account the specificity of pupils, but especially those who spend time in the street. They create certain difficulties, such as lack of systematic absence during classes, lack of discipline, unwillingness to comply with orders, and disobeying others [6, p. 178-179].
These days, we increasingly face with the problem of "street children". It is easy to isolate or ignore their existence. Meanwhile, their life stories are horrific testimony reflecting numerous social problems and the crisis of today's family. Taking action towards street children, it is essential to bear in mind the fact that these are people who play an integral part of society and thus should also be attended with health care, psychological support, and most importantly social and living conditions. If a person, for various reasons does not want to contact a care centre himself, these are the experts or street educators who offer help first. Such education «face to face» is a response to the individual needs of each person. Forms and methods used in the work of the street educator must be attractive and adapted to the current needs of the children, combined with development of their interests, ability to demonstrate in different situations and acquiring new, positive experience that contribute to reducing dilemmas faced by street children. A great importance in this case needs to be paid to appropriate communication skills of the counselor, understanding, self-control, determination and kind attitude towards the child and his problems.
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