An eight-day workshop of “Capacity Building and Training Programme on Strengthening the Skill of Childline Functionaries in Kerala” was conducted by the Department of Social Work, Amrita School of Arts and Sciences, Amritapuri, from June 16-24, 2017. The programme was in association with The Childline Foundation and UNICEF, Chennai. It was conducted in three sections spread over 8 days ,from 16th to 18th , 20th to 21st and 22nd to 24th June 2017, for the three different categories of Childline functionaries- Coordinators, Directors and Counsellors and team members from all the 14 Districts of Kerala.
The first section of training programme which was meant for Coordinators, was inaugurated by Smt. Shoba Koshy, Honble’ Chairperson, Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KeSCPCR) on 16th June 2017. The Keynote address was delivered by Shri. C.J. Antony, Member of KeSCPCR. The inaugural session was presided over by Br. Sudeep, Director of Amritapuri campus, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and and facilitated by Dr. VM Nandakumaran, Principal , Amrita School of Arts and sciences. The three day section of the training was handled by various experts from their own respective fields of practice to emphasis on real life situations faced by the participants.
The second section of training for two days was devoted to the Directors of Childline nodal and collaborative agencies all over Kerala and it provided a unique opportunity for them to streamline the activities of child protection statewide.The third section of training from 22nd to 24th was meant for Counsellors and team Members working at the field level for the care and protection of children in distress. The Training programme was inaugurated by Shri. Muhammad Ibrahim, Honble’ District & Session judge ,Kollam. In his Inaugural speech, the judge pointed out that the delay in securing result from forensic labs is the major reason for the interruption in cases charged under the Protection of Children from sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. Smt. Ajeetha Begam IPS, the City Police Commissioner, Kollam delivered the special address which became an interactive session for the participants which benefited them in getting clarity on different issues faced by volunteers while dealing with the police department on the child protection. The 3 day training was packed with sessions meant for developing the skills and motivating the participants for their effective functioning at the field level.
Mr. V. S. Kochukrishna Kurup, the Coordinator of Amrita-UNICEF- Childline Programme for Kerala and the Asstistant Professor & Chair in-charge of Department of Social Works, Amrita School of Arts and Sciences, Amritapuri, stated, “By AMMA’s grace, the three sections of training programme for three different categories of Childline functionaries went off well as per the schedule. We got a feedback of high degree of satisfaction from the participant delegates on the content, module, resource persons, accommodation, food and hospitality rendered by Amrita”.
