Questions/Answers
Question 1
Please provide a brief summary of the initiative including the problems/challenges it addressed and the solutions that the initiative introduced (300 words maximum)
KohKha Municipality officials realize the important and the urgent of the situation. A plan was set to survey and observe the area for risk factors and family background in general by applying CPMS which is designed to classify adolescences and juveniles into groups with risk of high, medium, and small. Problems are also evaluated for those during the age of 0-17 years old who reside in Koh Kha Municipality in 2014. The survey has found that 8.89% of adolescences and juveniles in the area is in high risk group while 12.07% are in medium risk. The percentage for small risk is 23.01%. It has also found that more than half of those in high risk tend to drop out of the education system and the number seems to increase.
KohKha Municipality has brought the survey data back to the community through public talk in order to share experiences and open for more opinions and suggestions from those in the area. This certain type of public talk is called “Kuang Pha-hya.” All community members decided to have a close watch on adolescences and juveniles in their area by applying Case Management Unit. Community volunteers are responsible in having a close observation on each of the adolescences and juveniles in order to listen to problems and their needs. Potential development project is also carried out to serve the program. The result from the past 4 years has shown that the number of those in high risk is reduced from 2014 which was 54 to 27 this year. They also change their behavior and gain more immunity to live healthily in society. They gain more trust and become more stable in maintaining their way of life. the area has become stronger and this provides a solid impact to the country as a whole.
a. What are the overall objectives of the initiative?
Please describe the overall objectives of the initiative (200 words maximum)
“An innovation Creating Opportunities for Children Equally to Return to Society” is designed to solve problems for adolescences and juveniles who basically confronting sexual violation, abusive discrimination, drops out, teen-pregnancy, and drug use to return and live a normal life in their community. Community volunteers are also part of the program to protect children by working correspondingly with multi-disciplinary team from both public and private sectors in order to build up a network and bring children back to their stable life in the society.
b. How does the initiative fit within the selected category?
Please describe how the initiative is linked to the criteria of the category (200 words maximum)
“An innovation Creating Opportunities for Children Equally to Return to Society” supports all children with family and financial problems, as well as those who are abandoned by their own parents, to reach basic needs and other public services. They are assisted by the program in both mental and physical needs. Leadership skill is also applied in order to lead life happily in their career and understand risk factors which might distract them in the future. Multi-disciplinary team from both public and private sectors work correspondingly in order to help protect the target group. It can be said that this has been one innovation that relies on social and cultural capitals in the area. The goal is to drive equality and opportunity forward for the future generations.
Question 2
The initiative should improve people’s lives, notably by enhancing the contribution of public services to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realization of the SDGs
a. Please explain how the initiative improves the delivery of public services (200 words maximum)
According to this innovation, community has come together and helped support their children which later on, this leads to justice and gender equality. All children with problems are being supported equally and return to education system. Once knowledge is gained, they can support themselves in society and their own family in the future. Financial issue is solved once everyone in the family helps one another in return. This has strong impact on mental and physical conditions, especially those with sexual abuse.
Question 3
The initiative must impact positively a group or groups of the population (i.e. children, women, elderly, people with disability, etc) and address a significant issue of public service delivery within the context of a given country or region.
a. Please explain how the initiative has addressed a significant issue related to the delivery of public services (200 words maximum)
Koh Kha Municipality has allocated budget to organize seminars and trainings on data collection for Community committee and volunteer group to run data collection with adolescences and juveniles in the community. Once data is collected, a meeting will be held together, in order to, inspect and return data back to the community. The data is used for plan and classification of the risk which are high, medium, and small groups. For small and medium risk groups, there are more than 30 activities prepared for them. For those in high risk group, community volunteers are keeping close watch on each case.
Moreover, Office of Social Development and Human Security in Lampang Province, schools in Municipality area are sharing their own database in order to plan a program to assist volunteers and children. Children and Family Shelter help to provide a temporary stay and recover child from being abused and violation. Social workers and psychiatrists are in charge at the point. Office of Provincial Prosecutor is in charge of legal action. Schools are in charge of close watch and connection. Network of local shops also provides job opportunity for children in order to live a sustainable life.
b. Please explain how the initiative has impacted positively a group or groups of the population within the context of your country or region (200 words maximum)
The innovation has provided chances to return to community and live a sustainable life which benefit children in the community in medium and small risk group. They can attend camp activities which provide various life lesson and recreation activities such as strong family, art, music, and sport. This generates immunity and unity in teamwork, build up a positive bond among family members, and provides chances for children to express themselves for real talents.
Those in high risk group are being supported by community members in order to change their behavior and return to the community. They can lead a sustainable life, pursue a career, and have a strong family of their own in the future. Some might return to education system and develop themselves to become one of the community leaders who can help support their next generation.
After behavioral change by community volunteers, children seem to have a strong bond with their family and live a happy life. This has generated a strong community where its members tend to care for one another. Koh Kha residents then live a happy and sustainable life with reciprocity and low crime rate.
Question 4
The initiative must present an innovative idea, a distinctively new approach, or a unique policy or approach implemented in order to realize the SDGs in the context of a given country or region.
a. Please explain in which way the initiative is innovative in the context of your country or region (200 words maximum)
An innovation which brings back young community members like this one has been a success. Koh Kha Municipality has held a training for all members on data collection and data use to evaluate the program through Child Protection Monitoring System (CPMS) in order to screen and classify children into 3 groups of high, medium, and small risks. The data then has been transferred back to the community by having a public talk in order to have more strong evidences and a clear perspective on how to craft assisting tools for each case, especially those in high risk group. Case by case run by a team of volunteers will assist children in this category. They keep a close watch and talk with children to understand their life better. House visit and online application communication channels like Line chat, Facebook, and FB Messenger are also taken to account. A direct call is often made in order to keep a close relationship with children. Once problems are revealed, multi-disciplinary team will take part and assist volunteers in solving the problems such as returning children to education system or looking for job opportunity that is suitable with the conditions.
Question 4b
b. Please describe if the innovation is original or if it is an adaptation from other contexts (If it is known)? (200 words maximum)
Koh Kha Municipality has initiated this innovation and the idea has been inspired from Public Hearing in Tambon or Khuang Pha-hya which is a social space for all community members to share ideas and talk about problems in the area. One issue is about children and violation which seems to be increasing every year. More teen-pregnancy rate is found and more drops out have been revealed. Drug, alcohol, and sexual harassment are also mentioned. The team then came up with an idea to solve the problems for its own community and access their work by using CPMS for data collection and family condition record. Then, help has been designed to suite each case in order to change behavior of children. It also aims to provide more opportunities and generate equality for children in the area by having multi-disciplinary team work with a close watch on the program.
Question 4c
c. What resources (i.e. financial, human , material or other resources, etc) were used to implement the initiative? (200 words maximum)
1. For the budget, Koh Kha Municipality has been allocated for preparation of children, youth and family projects contained in the ordinance. This is a policy of the municipal government.
2. For personnel, there are volunteers in the community to co-solve problems. There is follow-up of high risk behavior in all cases. The survey has been conducted in all 0-17 years old children in the community.
3. For tools and materials, GPS technology to determine the risk area in the community has been used. The use of CPMS is applied to survey data and to analyze children in the community.
4. For management system, the creation of public participation network partners by the group of people from the multi-disciplinary team is organized along with volunteers group.
Question 5
The initiative should be adaptable to other contexts (e.g. other cities, countries or regions). There may already be evidence that it has inspired similar innovations in other public-sector institutions within a given country, region or at the global level.
a. Has the initiative been transferred to other contexts?
Yes
Yes, the innovation has been interchanged to transferred to Technical Promotion and Support Office 10 in Chiangmai Province and Social Development and Human Security Office in Lampang as a pilot project to solve problem in the community. The program has been conducted and adjusted to match with certain contexts of each department. For Social Development and Human Security Office in Lampang, the data has also been used for further plan and project development for children in the province as a whole. Many other organizations have made an inquiry to visit and observe the participation among community members.
Question 6
The initiative should be able to be sustained over a significant period of time.
a. Please describe whether and how the initiative is sustainable (covering the social, economic and environmental aspects) (300 words maximum)
Since 2014, the work has been progressive and leading to sustainability in all dimensions of society, economics, and environment. Though the innovation has picked up issues and problems, it is also trying to solve the problems found in community. Public talk has led to many outstanding opinions and suggestions from community members, including social process. Children gain more trust and feel secure from community members and this leads to others community groups who help support children in child protection, close watch, and prevention from any further risk. Social capital will rise dramatically, provide strong community and generate Impact.
The Outcome of the innovation is obvious. It is to create mutual activities among community members. It also helps create safe ambient for children who will become future valuable human resource.
b. Please describe whether and how the initiative is sustainable in terms of durability in time (300 words maximum)
Since 2014, the number of children in risk is reducing. Now, there are 20 of them who are still under support by Koh Kha Municipality. The innovation has been inspected by other organizations and has been applied accordingly to its context. The outcome has led children to live a safe environment and support themselves and their own family. They end up having a sustainable life style according to 6 (a.). Factors lead to sustainability are:
1. To pull community volunteers to be part of data collection and help screening data through community leaders for the correctness and to bring back data for community development. The data has been collected every 6 months and always being up-to-date.
2. To collaborate all sectors from public and private in the creation of multi-disciplinary in order to keep a close watch on community area and children. It will also reflect participation from all parts of work collaboration which lead to a united sustainability.
3. To develop a close watch system for all children in the community and apply to Case by case to individuals who need special supports from volunteers group.
Therefore, a close watch from volunteers group is a strong drive for the rest of the team to work on database and this has been organized for the past 4 years, since 2014.
Nowadays, lessons plan has been composed and a close watch system have been applied to certain areas of Office of Social Development and Human Security. Technical Promotion and Support Office in Chiang Mai also applied the lesson plan into their area and spread the program to other departments.
Question 7
The initiative should have gone through a formal evaluation, showing some evidence of impact on improving people’s lives.
a. Has the initiative been formally evaluated?
Yes
If yes, please describe how the initiative was evaluated? (200 words maximum)
The innovation has been evaluated from other organizations as a tool to create equality and return children at risk back to community. Other organizations as mentioned are King Prajadhipok's Institute, Office of Decentralization Commission, and Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. Koh Kha Municipality has submitted the work to the contests and won. The above agencies have set up a commission to assess and visit the area in order to check the data and see the actual results. Evaluation of the work is divided into statistics, with the number of children attending the program who dropping out from risk group and moving to quality adults. Interviews with target children, individual volunteers, multidisciplinary team, and community involvement have been arranged. In addition, a questionnaire was administered to children who participated in the activity. They found that children had the knowledge to protect themselves from premature sexual intercourse. They also have the skills to reject the temptations of drugs and drugs abuse. Moreover, the number of children who are in high risk of violation are significantly reduced.
b. Please describe the outcome of the evaluation of the impact of the initiative (200 words maximum)
1. The number of children who experienced violation and being abused sexually have been reduced by 70% while the number of those who return to the community and received child protection is increased by 70%. The significance shows that the innovation can help children to return and live their normal life.
2. The number of children who drop out and those with teen pregnancy is reduced by 80% while the number of those who return to education system and received child protection is increased by 80%.
3. The number of volunteers from the beginning until now has been increased by 70%.
4. The number of local organizations who participated in the network for child protection since the beginning until now has been increased by 70%.
5. Koh Kha residents are satisfied with the overall outcome of the innovation. In 2014, the number of satisfaction was 60% and it is increasing every year.
c. Please describe the indicators that were used (200 words maximum)
Indicators that have been applied to the innovation are:
1. The number of children who experienced violation and being abused sexually, compared with the number of children who decided to return to community and those who are under child protection for every 6 months collection.
2. The number of volunteers and committees who decided to participate since the beginning, compared with the number at present for every 6 months collection.
3. The number of local organizations who decided to participate in child protection network since the beginning, compared with the number at present for every 6 months collection.
4. The percentage of satisfaction regarding the innovation.
Question 8
The initiative must demonstrate that it has engaged various actors such as from other institutions, civil society, or the private sector, when possible.
a. The 2030 Development Agenda puts emphasis on collaboration, engagement, coordination, partnerships, and inclusion. Please describe what stakeholders were engaged in designing, implementing and evaluating the initiative. Please also highlight their roles and contributions (300 words maximum)
Roles and certain responsibilities are set in order to work together with multi-disciplinary team. Roles and responsibilities are:
1. Data collection on community children is run by community volunteers. The data is then evaluated by a program called Child Protection Monitoring System to screen and classify children into 3 group of high, medium, and small risks. The data is also brought back to community in order to gather ideas and help each case individually by community committee and volunteers group, especially for Case by Case.
2. Collaborative networks are set and being identified for special role and purpose. Schools are in charge of close watch and return children back to education system. Police are in charge of those in case of sexual harassment. Hospitals are in charge of sex education and psychiatric consultation. Provincial and Family Home is in charge of temporary stay. Budget is granted by Office of Human Development and Security, Lampang Province. Local organizations help create network to provide children rights and work correspondingly with multi-disciplinary team.
3. Koh Kha Municipality helps support information technology network and other communication devices such as Line chat, Facebook, FB Messenger, and mobile phones.
Moreover, Koh Kha Municipality has located houses of each child on My google map. The data is also being analyzed the zone and area where they live whether it is near a club or a computer game shop. This is helpful for further plan.
Question 9
a. Please describe the key lessons learned, and any view you have on how to further improve the initiative (200 words maximum)
The important lesson from this innovation is to solve problems that children are facing. All factors are needed to be concerned carefully and in a complex view. Therefore, those who participate in the work must have a holistic view regarding the problems. To work with multi-disciplinary team such as doctors, police, psychiatrist, social workers, prosecutors, community development team, teachers and lecturers, etc, can generate a strong connection among those who live and work in the same area. It can be a strong drive as they try to rely on their own resources like personnel and culture.
Moreover, the drive on solving children problems is one of the missions of local organization based on Big Data which usually reflect the way to solve problems in order to help community children. One important tool is public talk. Collaborative network, communication devices for frequent follow-up, participation from others in the community have shown a big impact on how the community want to develop their living condition and to help their own children.
The last lesson is sustainable community which initiated from human resources. Once human resources have been improved, social and cultural capitals will be increased accordingly.