Attending school is a normal activity most young people are familiar with. People learn to read and write there and learn many other subjects. The children who are part of our Morning Educare Program are between10-18 years of age and have never been, or have dropped out of the mainstream schooling system and sometimes they are still unable to read or write properly. We educate and provide them with skills development opportunities so they can transfer to a trade school if desired. Some will attend only our schooling program before they seek to work.

Developing  skills  is  the  process  of  facilitating  learning  through  a  set  of  structured  activities.  It is intended to equip a child on the street with new or improved strategies for dealing with the daily life on the street and with specific situations that they are likely to experience. Many types of skills can help a child on the street to plan and carry out responsible and healthy choices. These include; life skills, practical skills, performance skills, vocational and livelihood skills.

Life skills are defined by ‘WHO’ as ‘abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that enable individuals to deal with the demands and challenges of everyday life’ (WHO, 1993). Some of these skills are mentioned below:

• Decision making and problem solving.
• Creative thinking and critical thinking.
• Communication and interpersonal skills.
• Self-awareness and empathy.
• Coping with emotions and stress.