ACTIVITIES

Since 1992, TWT has tried to achieve the above-mentioned objectives by implementing several activities, dividing them into the five following phases:

PHASE I: PILOT TESTING "ATTITUDE CHANGING MODEL"

In 1992, the Women's Economic and Leadership Development Program (WELD), supported by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), provided research funds to the TWT project called " Reduction of Child Prostitution by Adjusting Consciousness and Attitudes of Children and Parents in Rural Communities." This project, as the title implies, attempted to change the attitudes of rural girls and their parents, encouraging them to reject prostitution as a viable option and to choose to either continue their education or to enter more constructive occupations. Effective media (such as radio broadcasts, and video programs) and counseling methods supported this venture. TWT produced three series of video tapes, attitude changing kits and counseling techniques. Six volunteer teachers from two districts in Payao Province were recruited, trained and provided with the attitude Changing packages. The results of this pilot testing endeavor were very promising and could be extended to other districts and provinces.

PHASE II: PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

In 1993-1994 USAID (Thailand) recognized the importance of solving the child prostitution issue by removing the key reasons for girls to enter the commercial sex industry. USAID organized the public-private partnership, with TWT as a coordinator, to implement major activities in six districts in Payao and Chiang Rai Provinces. These activities include:

1. Raising and providing scholarships for the amount of 3,000 Baht each for 1,000 girls to continue their schooling beyond sixth grade. Funds were successfully made available from such public and private donors as USAID, J. Walter Thompson Company, and other socially responsible Thai companies, associations and individuals.

2. Distributing the attitude changing package to six districts by involving 18 volunteer teachers. More rural girls and their parents were thus made aware of the issue and increased their participation in TWT-arranged scholarship and occupational training programs.

3. Providing alternative occupational opportunities to rural girls who have finished school or need immediate employment. The public-private partners offered four occupational training and job placement programs:

3.1 Assistant Health Workers Program.

Six month training programs implemented at the Thai-Canadian Academy, Bangkok for 140 girls who finished ninth grade. Graduates were placed into various child or elderly care centers and hospitals.

3.2 Modern Fashion and Design Program.

150 sixth-grade graduates were recruited by companies in the garment industry, training with the Wing Group at Sankampang District, Chiang Mai and With the Saha Pattana Group at Lampoon. After training for three months these girls were employed by the above-mentioned companies.

3.3 Secretary in Modern Office Program.

75 sixth and ninth grade graduates were recruited and trained in applications using computers and equipment at the Computer Service Center, Faculty of Social Sciences, such as Samart Pegging Corporation and Barn Chang Group helped employ these for secretarial work.

3.4 Assistant Jewelry Cutter Training Program.

60 ninth grade graduates were trained at the Gemopolis Company, Bangkok for six months. After the training some companies of the Thai Gem and Jewelry Traders Associations, like the General Diamond Company, employed these graduates.

PHASE III: STRENGTHENING MEDIA PRODUCTION AND COUNSELING POTENTIAL

In 1995, after USAID terminated financial support, TWT need to improve both its educational media productions and its counseling services to strengthen the attitude changing activities locally. The Small Scale Grant Assistance (SSGA) of the Japanese Government generously supported this project.

SSGA helped TWT set up video-audio production equipment, renovate the counseling center at the Faculty of Social Sciences, and establish mobile campaigning and counseling units. These activities enabled TWT to expand its attitude changing and counseling programs to cover 12 districts in Payao, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Lampang Provinces.

PHASE IV: EXTENDING THE ATTITUDE CHANGING CAMPAIGN AND PROVIDING ACADEMIC SUPPORT

In 1996 TWT engaged in three major activities supported by The International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor (IPEC) of ILO to extend the attitude changing campaign. NGO models to improve both the higher education and the training program for at risk girls include the following projects.

1. Creating campaigns rejecting child prostitution by promoting positive attitudes towards alternative careers. TWT produced six series of video tapes that promote positive attitudes towards career opportunities. Thirty-six volunteer teachers were assigned to "face-to-face" counseling and campaigning in their respective districts. TWT also created other educational multimedia productions.

2. Developing education and occupation training modules at boarding schools for at risk girls.TWT helped the Ministry of Education's Sema Patana Chiwit Program to conduct research on how to develop curricula, occupational training as well as guidance and counseling mechanisms for three boarding schools in Lampang, Payao. and Chiang Rai Provinces, in order to allow the girls to either continue high school education or to seek employment directly.

3. Protecting child workers in Chiang Mai. TWT provided academic support to the Friends of Children-Chiang Mai, an NGO, and the Provincial Office of Labor and Welfare, a GO, in researching children's working conditions. Several initiatives and programs preventing child labor abuse were able to use this research.

PHASE V: FOUNDING THE TWT RESOURCE & RESEARCH CENTER FIGHTING CHILD PROSTITUTION AND CHILD ABUSE IN NORTHERN THAILAND

From 1996 onward, the TWT project plans to help reduce the problem of child prostitution and child labor by creating a Resource and Research Center. This center will facilitate the project's administrative aspects. It will have the five following functions:

1. Compiling Information: Establishing a data-base containing relevant information about child prostitution and child abuse in Thailand and Northern Thailand.

2. Networking and Coordinating: Recording and coordinating the network of GO's, NGO's and other public and private agencies who are involved with the issue of child prostitution and child labor. They include northern regional, national and international networks.

3. "Attitude changing " Campaign: Creating and incorporating locally specific, and thus more effective, media and working strategies to cultivate realistic attitudes which oppose child prostitution and child labor and to stimulate positive attitudes that support both education and skill-enhancement for more constructive careers.

4. Educational and Occupational Support: This function involves promoting and supporting existing existing agencies such as primary schools, vocational institutes, and certain child prostitution and child labor abuse." This module includes

(a) Counseling mechanisms for each school to positively influence attitudes towards higher education and/or employment and to help solve social and psychological problems of target students.

(b) Extra-curricular activities to enhance the target students' educational achievements.

(c) Practical and market relevant skill training for target students by mobilizing local resources. School teachers act as "organizers" to make skill training possible locally.

5. Strategic Research and Academic Support: This function has two services which allow the TWT Center to help GO's and NGO's conduct their research. The services are:

(a) Practical advice and how to conduct research.

(b) An extensive collection of child prostitution and child abuse data to further assist the organization's research.