DSWD-8 evaluates YNS program in Maasin City
By R.G. Cadavos
Maasin City, Southern Leyte (15 February) — There were at least 30 beneficiaries out of 40 who were evaluated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) based in Tacloban City Friday here to find out if the objectives of the Youth National Service Program was absorbed in each community they were assigned in.
The Youth National Service program, is one of the priority programs of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to underscore the importance of the youth in community action and to uplift the lives of our young ones. The program started last August 2009 in Maasin City, hiring 40 out-of-school youths who rendered their services in each community and only 30 actively remained working during the evaluation, Ariel Kirong, Maasin City Social Service Office Youth Focal Person said in an interview.
During the one-day evaluation held at the Super Cha Restaurant here, the beneficiaries presented their problems encountered during the 5 months job, to include the gaps and weaknesses, strength of the project, and actions undertaken to cope up with these problems.
Alice Severino, DSWD-8 YNS Focal Person, one who facilitated the evaluation said that the said activity expect that the youth’s experiences on their work at the community level will be able to help them develop their skills, help boost their self confidence, improved their communication skills, among others.
The output of the assessment will be consolidated and will be reported to the Central Office, the result of which will be the basis if the program will continue, the source reported.
In Maasin City, 10 barangays were involved in the youths’ services, namely, San Rafael, Asuncion, Mambajao, Tagnipa, Soro-soro, San Jose, Dongon, Ibarra, Canturing and Combado, There were 4 youth-beneficiaries assigned in each barangay, the report added.
The National Service Corps-Community Service Program (NSP- CSP) is a core strategy that mobilizes the youth to assist in the implementation of social welfare and development programs and services at communities, with an incentive of Php 250.00 per day. Involvement of the youth, who are either skilled out-of-school-youth or unemployed/underemployed college graduates, are in community-based programs, services and projects on Disaster Risk Reduction, Mitigation, and Response and Disaster Rehabilitation, as well as Center-Based and Residential Care Services. (PIA/soleyte)
