ChildSafe Training and Child Protection at Soksabike
Recently, our team participated in an important session focused on child protection, safety standards, and responsible tourism practices. Here is an overview of what we covered during our ChildSafe training:
1. Introduction
- Registering participant names and welcoming everyone
- Introducing team members to each other
- An interactive game of Basket and Fruit, where participants who were out answered review questions
2. Understanding ChildSafe and Friends-International
Friends-International operates across three main pillars:
- Friends programs
- Friends social businesses
- ChildSafe network
In 2015, ChildSafe protected over 9,000 children. The recognizable ChildSafe logo features a Thumb symbol, and the organization provides specialized training to tuk-tuk drivers and hotel staff to build a strong network of child protectors.
3. Children's Rights
Every child has fundamental rights, including:
- The right to live
- The right to develop
- The right to participate (join)
- The right to be protected
4. The Children Are Not Tourist Attractions Campaign
We discussed the critical importance of never using children to solicit money from tourists. For example, some unethical operations establish informal orphanages primarily to attract tourist donations. Often, operators attempt to pull children away from their families to place them in these facilities for financial gain.
5. Dos and Don'ts for Child Protectors
What we should DO:
- Contact ChildSafe workers immediately when observing any instance of child mistreatment or abuse.
What we should NOT do:
- Do not give money to children begging on the street. Giving money encourages dependency and begging as a lifestyle. When they grow up and people stop giving, they may turn to crime. Furthermore, parents or handlers often force children to beg—such as recent news reports where children were exploited for sympathy.
6. Process to Become a ChildSafe Agent
The structured journey to becoming a certified agent includes:
- Recruitment process
- Comprehensive training
- Assessment/Exam
- Issuance of certificate
- Displaying advertising and awareness materials
- Ongoing inspections
7. Soksabike's Role and Commitment
At Soksabike, we maintain strict operational standards: we do not bring our guests to visit orphanages or schools during tours. Furthermore, we discourage tourists from holding children or approaching kids on the street, ensuring children understand that foreigners are not to be indiscriminately approached.
8. Conclusion
We wrapped up the session by summarizing key learnings, sharing real-world observations and stories regarding child welfare issues in our community, and concluding with group reflections and photos.