A Study of Shelters for Street Children from an Organizational ...
A Study of Shelters for Street Children from an Organizational ... A Study of Shelters for Street Children from an Organizational ...
Management styles were also influenced by management structures of the parent organisation to which shelters were affiliated. The managers held regular weekly meetings with staff to brief them on all decisions affecting the operations of the shelter made by board of managers. Managers felt that circumstances determined how closely to work with shelter staff but admitted that they endeavoured to provide a good working environment thereby motivating staff morale and performance. In shelter C the role of the manager was more difficult and kept the manager under pressure with constant supervision to make sure that the shelter was working and in order. 4.3.4 Admission Procedures Shelters managers shared a common assumption that children should not be left on their own in the streets because doing so would harden the street life survival culture which increased the possibility of their drifting into crime. The longer a child remained on the streets the more difficult it was for any intervention. In this regard, they felt that the residency capacity of shelters could be increased but structural size and location of shelters inhibited that to happen. They also expressed fear that a large number of former children living and/or working on the streets would present serious challenges to maintaining discipline and/order. In deed, shelter managers advocated for preventive strategies to be put in place to prevent children coming or drifting to street living or working. They argued that such an endeavour required government in collaboration with other stakeholders to develop and implement such preventive programs. 4.3.5 Shelters Staffs and Residents Supervision, discipline, and morale of staff and children presented shelter managers with constant challenges. This situation arose because of (a) lack of clearly defined roles of managers, social workers and supervisors. (b) Social workers served as deputies to managers and acted in that capacity when managers were attending other meetings or were away for other reasons. The situation in shelter C was replicated in shelter A except that at times the social worker differed to an even larger extent with the shelter manager. In shelter D the roles were totally confused. The manager said Social workers, childcare workers, educators and volunteers each have their own agenda on what programs should be followed 67
Apart from management of shelters, managers had other social responsibilities in society which took their time and concentration from the running of shelters. Ennew (1994: 157) discusses the difficulties projects dealing with similar shelter programs face when managers become preoccupied with matters away from their projects. The four shelter managers faced similar difficulties. 4.3.6 Services and Routines Provision of services to meet children's basic needs presented different challenges for the managers. Most of these challenges were compounded by the availability of human and material resources in particular finances. Like we noted earlier shelter accessed meagre funds from the government and as a result sourced funds from private donations. This increased the workload of managers in that they had to conduct fund raising which takes considerable time and efforts. Managers were faced with the dilemma of providing adequate and quality services with insufficient financial resources. In this regard, managers felt that the number of residents should always correspond with available resources and the capacity of shelters to provide quality services to children. They felt that shelters could do more for children if shelters had more human and material resources. Keeping order and discipline in the shelters was another challenge managers faced. These were derived from staff and children as follows. (a) Few staff members meant that when one staff member for any reason was absent, finding a replacement was difficult, another staff member would fill the gap consequently working double. Managers were handling staff grievances and relational problems at work, improving staff salaries or remuneration and the management of time. (b) Challenges from children mainly concerned following a regularised order which children were not used, concentration and keeping focus on certain issues which children did not consider important, keeping basic health and cleanness e.g. use of flash toilet and keeping them clean, brushing their teeth, washing their hands before meals and after using the toilets etc. Like we observed earlier when children felt bored, wanted money or wanted to see their boy/girl friends, they absconded. Absconding delayed and complicated the process of intervention. The managers did not know how best to respond to children who absconded or how to solve the difficulties of shelters routines and discipline. 68
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Apart <strong>from</strong> m<strong>an</strong>agement <strong>of</strong> shelters, m<strong>an</strong>agers had other social responsibilities in<br />
society which took their time <strong>an</strong>d concentration <strong>from</strong> the running <strong>of</strong> shelters. Ennew<br />
(1994: 157) discusses the difficulties projects dealing with similar shelter programs face<br />
when m<strong>an</strong>agers become preoccupied with matters away <strong>from</strong> their projects. The four<br />
shelter m<strong>an</strong>agers faced similar difficulties.<br />
4.3.6 Services <strong>an</strong>d Routines<br />
Provision <strong>of</strong> services to meet children's basic needs presented different challenges <strong>for</strong><br />
the m<strong>an</strong>agers. Most <strong>of</strong> these challenges were compounded by the availability <strong>of</strong> hum<strong>an</strong><br />
<strong>an</strong>d material resources in particular fin<strong>an</strong>ces. Like we noted earlier shelter accessed<br />
meagre funds <strong>from</strong> the government <strong>an</strong>d as a result sourced funds <strong>from</strong> private<br />
donations. This increased the workload <strong>of</strong> m<strong>an</strong>agers in that they had to conduct fund<br />
raising which takes considerable time <strong>an</strong>d ef<strong>for</strong>ts. M<strong>an</strong>agers were faced with the<br />
dilemma <strong>of</strong> providing adequate <strong>an</strong>d quality services with insufficient fin<strong>an</strong>cial<br />
resources. In this regard, m<strong>an</strong>agers felt that the number <strong>of</strong> residents should always<br />
correspond with available resources <strong>an</strong>d the capacity <strong>of</strong> shelters to provide quality<br />
services to children. They felt that shelters could do more <strong>for</strong> children if shelters had<br />
more hum<strong>an</strong> <strong>an</strong>d material resources.<br />
Keeping order <strong>an</strong>d discipline in the shelters was <strong>an</strong>other challenge m<strong>an</strong>agers faced.<br />
These were derived <strong>from</strong> staff <strong>an</strong>d children as follows. (a) Few staff members me<strong>an</strong>t<br />
that when one staff member <strong>for</strong> <strong>an</strong>y reason was absent, finding a replacement was<br />
difficult, <strong>an</strong>other staff member would fill the gap consequently working double.<br />
M<strong>an</strong>agers were h<strong>an</strong>dling staff griev<strong>an</strong>ces <strong>an</strong>d relational problems at work, improving<br />
staff salaries or remuneration <strong>an</strong>d the m<strong>an</strong>agement <strong>of</strong> time. (b) Challenges <strong>from</strong><br />
children mainly concerned following a regularised order which children were not used,<br />
concentration <strong>an</strong>d keeping focus on certain issues which children did not consider<br />
import<strong>an</strong>t, keeping basic health <strong>an</strong>d cle<strong>an</strong>ness e.g. use <strong>of</strong> flash toilet <strong>an</strong>d keeping them<br />
cle<strong>an</strong>, brushing their teeth, washing their h<strong>an</strong>ds be<strong>for</strong>e meals <strong>an</strong>d after using the toilets<br />
etc. Like we observed earlier when children felt bored, w<strong>an</strong>ted money or w<strong>an</strong>ted to see<br />
their boy/girl friends, they absconded. Absconding delayed <strong>an</strong>d complicated the<br />
process <strong>of</strong> intervention. The m<strong>an</strong>agers did not know how best to respond to children<br />
who absconded or how to solve the difficulties <strong>of</strong> shelters routines <strong>an</strong>d discipline.<br />
68
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