DIAGNOSIS OF THE ARTISTIC AND CREATIVE CAPACITIY OF WORKING CHILDREN FOUND IN SITUATIONS OF RISK WITHIN THE DISTRICT OF INDEPENDENCIA, LIMA-PERU
To allow the expression of emotions through Art, promoting creativity and favoring the improved development of self-esteem. FIRST DIAGNOSIS To measure the creative and artistic capacities of children ages 8 to 12 years in situation of risk in two schools, Maria Auxiliadoraand CastillaMontero of the District of Independencia.
The Evaluation Process:
Obtaining information, by means of two instruments:
- Focal Groups with family members and teachers.
- Art workshops with students, ages 8 to 12 years, who are Working Children.
The sample group is 20% of the total population of beneficiaries in the project.
- Ambivalent attitudes and feelings of Denial that the children are working.
- Condemning other parents to permit their children to work.
- They are unrealistic. They feel the issue of Working Children is not an issue in their country.
- They are not familiar with what Art is, but they understand it can be used as an alternative way of learning.
- Accepting of children who work, assuming that it is a solution for poverty.
- They understand the consequences of working children, but, they accept it as a problem without a solution.
- They have knowledge of basic art and they appreciate that it as one therapeutic solution for the children.
- They have hopes that Art can help solve the different emotional problems seen in their children.
- Their level of creativity was found to be below average.
- Their techniques of watercolor and clay were poor.
- The children’s Psychomotor development was found to be average to below average.
- The difference between the students from one school and the other, was that one school was at at a below average ability and the other was just average.
[] Mothers and Teachers have contradictory and ambivalent feelings about working children.
[] They assume a passive role regarding this problem and are resigned to the belief that there is no solution or alternative.
[] The mothers are critical of other families with working children, yet they are in denial that their children are also working on the streets.
[] The children evaluated have an average to below average level of creativity and artistic ability.
[] Providing a project that sensitizes and raises the awareness of the issues of working children. The parents and children need to be made aware of the risks on the streets and the negative impact on the development of their children.
[] Informing the teachers of how the emotional development of their students is adversely affected by working on the streets.
[] Providing artistic and playful interventions, that allows for the child’s creative development and also allows for a capacity to play and enjoy socializing with his or her peers.
[] Creating spaces where the children have more time to learn, develop and play thus allowing for a healthy social development. The time working should be lessened and later eradicated.