Report for the Biennium 2004 - 2006

1. Introduction

It gives me an immense joy, in presenting the report on the ministries of the Diocesan Board of Hostels for the Biennium 2004 - 2006.

As most of the rural pastorates of our Diocese consist of village congregations where people live in extreme poverty situations, working as agricultural coolies the condition of their children is truly pitiable. Due to poverty and absence of schools in their neighbourhood, lack of transport facilities, children from our rural congregations face a common problem of being sent to work as agricultural coolies to support their families and so they miss not only opportunities for getting education, but also, a better future as well.

It is here the hostel board’s ministry, makes a big difference in their lives, by reaching for them, taking them into its fold, and bringing a total transformation through stay in our hostels and study in our schools. It is also aimed at providing the children with an opportunity of studying in an ideal environment, best educational institutions under personal care and attention paid on them to ensure an overall development in them.

2. Aims & Objectives

Vision

Hostel envisions children and youth taking charge of their lives, enjoying the rights as citizens, living on an Environmental Friendly atmospheres with peace and harmony.

Mission

To serve the needy children and youth irrespective of case, creed or religion and offer them the opportunities for developing their potentials, leading them to have a self sustaining life.

Goal

Destitute children and youth receive education, enjoy good health and become confident, Self-Reliant and Responsible citizens.

Objectives

• Proper selections of children.

• Provide basic necessities of life for the Children / Youth.

• Ensure proper health care for the Children / Youth.

• Improve Academic performance.

• Bring up Children / Youth in Christian nurture.

• Impart value - oriented education.

• Enable Children / Youth to develop leadership qualities.

• Develop the latest of Children / Youth.

• Provide vocational guidance, training and placement services.

• Advocate fundamental rights.

• Conserve and protect environment.

• Provide after care services.

• Promote indigenous fostership.

• Proper utilization and management of finance.

• Effective administration.

3. Admission Procedures and Week-End Coaching & Bridge Course

Deserving children, mainly from rural areas, irrespective of caste, colour and creed, are selected by the Hostel Board by strictly following admission rules and procedures. The admission is based on the Entrance Test conducted by the Hostel Board. The selected children are equipped for further studies in our schools by undergoing weak- end coaching classes conducted during Jan. to April every year.

After this, a full month residential coaching class called Bridge Course (275 children participated last year and 270 this year) is conducted in May every year at different centers. These special coaching endeavors were effectively carried out in co-ordination with the Diocesan Educational Officer, Correspondents and dedicated team of Heads of Institutions and teachers who rendered their maximum support in this regard during the biennium.

Since these children attending the week – end coaching from October 2006 April 2007 one-month bridge course in May are getting special coaching in English, though coming from remote rural areas, they gain lots of self-confidence and abilities to pursue their studies in English, as they join 6th Standard. Children who secure excellent marks conducted at the end of bridge course are sent for further studies in English medium through Jessie Moses & other hostels.

4. Strength Particulars of Children and Staff

Category of Homes Under Board of Hostels

1	CCCYC supported Homes	12
2	SAC – CCC Supported Homes	2
3	World Vision supported Home	1
4	Diocesan Supported Hostels	2

Staff

The list of all categories of hostels and a detailed strength particulars for all the children and staff of all the hostels are given in Annexure I

5. Government Examination Result Particulars in Hostels

Result of all the Hostels are Given Below

Best Result Performance Hostels and Top Rankers
were Given Special Awards and Certificates in the Awards Day Celebration

Efforts are being taken to improve and achieve the best results by way of conducting a special coaching classes during the holidays both in the schools and the hostels utilizing the services of the experienced teachers of the Hr.Sec.Schools. We hope that we would achieve our goal in the forth coming government examinations.

The list of hostels with the Government Examination performance (pass %) is given in Annexure II.

6. The Child Care Activity

An overall development of the children is our goal, and efforts are on, not only to provide the hostel children with good food, but also opportunities for their overall development. Regular morning and evening prayers are conducted in our hostels, and the children participate in worship services regularly in their neighboring churches. The Daily Bible cards prepared by the Diocese are used by all the hostel children for personal devotion. Periodical Retreat are conducted for the growth ofthe spiritual Nurture of the children. Apart from this the following are some of the activities carried out for the total personality development of the children.

• Our hostel senior Boys and Girls participated in the Teen Fest Rally conducted by the Christian Education Department Madras Diocese conducted at the St. Thomas Hr.Sec.School, St. Thomas Mount.

• Many of our hostel children have participated in the Zonal , District, and the Regional level sports and won prizes and certificates.

• The three top rankers in academic area of our hostel have been chosen to undergo the advanced leadership programme conducted at School, Area and the Diocesan Levels.

1. Physical Education (Games & Sports).

2. Vocational Guidance and carrier service.

3. Outreach Programmes (Community Concerns).

4. Life Oriented Education (Work Experience).

5. Leadership & Talent Development.

6. After Care & Placement.

7. Counselling & guidance Programme.

8. Karathe Training for Girls.

Periodical Annual General Medical Checkup are conducted and follow-up measures are taken for the welfare of the children. Efforts are being taken to have special medical checkup such as Dental and Eye Care.

7. Staff Training and Seminar Programmes

• A one day seminar was conducted for the managers and the hostel management committee chair persons “on Hostel Administration and Management”.

• An In service Training ( 3 days) was conducted for the Wardens in order to update their administrative skills and Child Care Ministry.

• One day Computer Orientation was conducted in order to make them participate in the computer training ( All the Cadre I Wardens were trained thoroughly in computer operation.

• One day Finance Management was conducted in order to update the finance management skills and the spirit of accountability.

• One day special meeting was conducted for the Cooks and Helpers in order to create awareness among them on personal health and Hygene.

• . Monthly meetings were conducted for the wardens in order to develop cordial rapport and to discuss matters related to the day to date administrative matters.

• Three days Seminar was conducted by the CCCYC at Tharangampadi for a selective group of Senior most Wardens for the development of the Child Care Activities and Administrative skills of the wardens.

• An Entrepreneurship Training Programme was conducted for the CCCYC at CSI Goudie Hostel, Tiruvallur for about forty Youth who left the hostels after completion of the course but still were unemployed. Two youth from Kollaguntta boys hostel were given financial assistance by the CCCYC under the Self Employment Scheme.

• Christmas Get-together for the Managers, Wardens , Cooks and Helpers are conducted every year during the month of December to share the Joy of the Birth of a baby of Bethlehem and to have the fellowship the staff of hostel board .

8. Financial Administration

The ‘Hostel Board’ is an important and major ministry, not only in terms of the huge amount involved in but also the number of children benefited through it. The Annual budget of the Board is a staggering 78 lakhs, and it continues to be on the increase.

The 2260 children, who are now under our care through our 26 Hostels, receive their support as per the following details.

9. Diocesan Fostership Programme

‘BUILDING A BRIDGE OF LOVE’, the Diocesan Fostership Programme introduced by our Bishop, Rt. Rev. Dr. V. Devasahayaminviting local sponsors to support a child at Rs. 350/-per month, has had a tremendous response so far, as many churches, Institutions, and individuals have come forward to support 1089 in our hostels as on date. Efforts are underway to gain as much support as possible through this Diocesan Fostership Programme, so that still more children could be supported

The list of the Institutions and the Churches which are involved in supporting children in the hostels are given in Annexure IV a & IV b

10. Hostel Buildings – Repairs and Maintenance

Even though we have spacious buildings with all necessary facilities for a comfortable stay, much attention is paid on the maintenance & up keep of the hostel buildings. Therefore, sufficient budget provision is made annually for such repairs & renovation works of our hostels. Given below is the statement showing the total expenses incurred in the new building construction, Repairs and Maintenance of the hostels and the purchase of new equipments.

Nature of Diocesan CCCYC Other Expense Grant Fund

• New Building Constructions - 26, 20, 318.00 / 29, 907.00 / 50, 70, 206.30

• Repairs and Maintenance - 5, 84, 281.50 / 6, 82, 066.00 / 6, 32, 141.00

• New Equipments 1, 09, 344.00 / 1, 44, 134.00 / 2, 11, 004.00

Building works completed or underprogress in some of our hostel during the biennium is given in Annexure IV.

11. Futureplans

Given below are the future wishes and goals of the Board of Hostels, Madras Diocese

• To ensue and achieve 100% in all our hostels.

• To ensue the best total health care of the children.

• To enroll 600 sponsors under Diocesan Sponsorship scheme.

• To focus on providing the best infrastructure building facilities.

• To focus on modernizing the toilets and the bathrooms with enough water supply.

• To equip the kitchen and the store rooms with modern amenities.

12. Conclusion and Thanks

We thank our Bishop who had been a great source of inspiration and motivation in all our good efforts and we thank the officers of MDC fortheir support and encouragement towards this ministry. Our thanks to the hostel management committee chair persons, managers, Heads of Institutions, Teachers, wardens, child care workers, parents, and the Staff of the office of the Hostel Board for their wholehearted co-operation in all our endeavors in child care ministry. Thanks also to the funding agencies such as CCC-YC, SAC- CCC, WORLD VISION, COUNCIL FOR WORLD MISSIONS and all the presbyters, leaders of churches & institutions, and foster parents who under the Diocesan Sponsorship Scheme rendered their invaluable support to this vital ministry.

The Board of Hostels also record with gratitude for the generous contributions in kinds such as New Beautiful dress, Mats, Bed sheets, Towels, School Stationary items, Equipments and many other useful things made by the Churches, Institutions, a few Business people, individuals well-wishers and philanthropist

Above all, we thank our Lord Almighty for His Abundant Grace that sustained us in all our endeavors in childcare ministry throughout this biennium.

G. James
Director
Board of Hostels