"Our children now have a chance at life." – A Christel House parent
Parents do find it challenging adjusting to the many drastic changes in their child's overall growth and development after they enter Christel House India. Christel House India conducts regular Parent-Teacher workshops in order to involve the parents more closely in the child's development. These workshops are designed to educate the parents on the dynamics required to ensure progress and to help them come to terms with their child’s growth. It is regular interaction through outreach programs like Parent Teacher Meetings that makes parents part owners of the Christel House process and creates a Parent-Teacher team that works together in the best interests of the child’s development.
At Parent Teacher Meetings, matters connected with school regulation and academics are discussed and special awareness programs are offered to emphasize the importance of every aspect of Christel House. Medical professionals are brought to lecture on hygiene and illness prevention and resource persons from various organizations conduct awareness campaigns on Human Rights. A thrift movement was also initiated in order to inculcate a savings habit among parents.
We encourage feedback from the parents and schedule one on one meetings with the teachers to discuss the progress and performance of their son or daughter. Parents express their delight at how their child has grown to be more disciplined, cheerful and eloquent since attending Christel House.
To ensure closer involvement of parents in the education of their child, parents are encouraged to volunteer 40 hours a year at the school. This could be in the form of gardening, cooking, laundry or other services that parents may want to support.
AIDS Awareness
As part of our outreach program, Christel House Learning Centre has partnered with ACCEPT, an NGO working for people with HIV & AIDS. An AIDS awareness programme was launched in 2006. Public awareness about HIV/AIDS is conducted on World AIDS Day and includes participation from neighbouring schools, colleges and the local municipal corporation. Approximately 1900 people participated in the program held on 1st Dec 2009.This is now established as a regular programme on International AIDS Day for the benefit of the local community.
Vocational Training
Christel House Learning Centre and Rotary Club of Bangalore started a rapid short – term vocational training program for the elder siblings of our children and other unemployed school drop outs from the community. Forty-three candidates were selected and employed after the training with a starting salary of Rs. 200/- per day.
Our Learning Centre has helped 35 Christel House mothers participate in free income generating training programs, thereby helping unskilled parents become skilled laborers. The women have now been trained in tailoring, embroidery and candle making..
Student Sanitation and Public Health Community Initiatives
Students of Grade IX, in collaboration with the local Municipal Health Department, conducted public health awareness programs in three areas populated by children from our school. The entire area was sanitised and disinfected with spray. The students also held awareness sessions on health and hygiene, sanitation collection and disposal of waste material and garbage. The students liaised with the Municipal Health Department to close the open drains in the area. They also requested the authorities to plan a better way of clearing the garbage in the area and to regularly spray the open drains.
