Don Bosco City offers wide range of programs for youth

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco City, located in Medellín, Colombia, works to improve the lives of vulnerable and at-risk youth who have often had their rights violated. Youth find a welcoming home where they are protected, and they receive support for their development and personal growth.

A Salesian noted, “At Don Bosco City, youth have access to quality education, technical training and social service support, all aimed at providing them with the necessary tools to achieve a future full of opportunities. It’s not just traditional school work. Art, culture and the healthy use of free time are fundamental tools for change. Spaces for fun, sports and folklore act as real agents to combat hostile social contexts and vulnerability.”

Don Bosco City has several specific programs for youth. The Building Dreams program, under the specialized protection house, is for youth ages 14-18 who have been removed from organized illegal armed groups and criminal gangs. Most of them come from rural areas of the country. These youth often experience socio-cultural delays, slower learning rates, behavioral difficulties and emotional problems.

The Salesian noted, “As a firm commitment to justice, peace and reconciliation, and in coordination with the state, the center also promotes socializing meetings in an atmosphere of true joy. The main objective of these events is to strengthen the family ties in a safe space while providing an environment for family cohesion as a basis for their reintegration and integral development.”

Don Bosco City also offers the Michele Magone program, which is a boarding school for young men. The program works to restore their rights with an approach that emphasizes school growth, the strengthening of skills and preparation for the transition to adulthood.

The Seeds of Life program ensures the rights of children under age 12 who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. The program offers tools for personal development, building networks and access to services and opportunities. The goal is to help these children define an alternative life that allows them to recognize themselves as people with rights and duties, with the ultimate goal of achieving their social inclusion.

Finally, the Leaving Footprints program helps with the development of youth through education in the municipalities in Angelópolis and Amagá. Through an approach that includes education, emotional support and recreational activities, this program provides tools to build a safer and more stable future. In addition, it encourages the active participation of families in the process.

Close to 33% of Colombians live in poverty, according to the World Bank. One in five children in the country has no access to education and 800,000 children reside in refugee camps. The number of street children has reached epidemic proportions and thousands of at-risk youth have been recruited as child soldiers. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS) 

ANS – RMG – The social works that give life to Don Bosco today: “Ciudad Don Bosco” Medellín

Don Bosco City

World Bank – Colombia