Connecting and Engaging Young People: Implementing A School-Based Youth Program at Agay National High School

 Jayson S. Patalinghug

Teacher III, Agay National High School

Remedios T. Romualdez, Agusan del Norte

 

In 2017, Agay National High School was challenged by decreased enrolment, poor academic performance of students, and escalating dropout and failure rates. This reality prompted the school’s Supreme Student Government Adviser to establish the Youth Optimizing Life Opportunities (YOLO) supported by the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Commission on Population and Development in 2018. Primarily, the partnership moved to do a comprehensive inquiry to identify the root causes of these challenges. Comprehensive interviews found that 98% of at-risk behaviors of students stemmed from dysfunctional familial dynamics. Moreover, the training for teachers significantly affected how far students were assessed, which in turn affected academic growth and the decline in dropout rates. Widespread advocacy initiatives raised students' understanding and gave them the power to make wise decisions.

 

Seeing the potential of the YOLO Program in helping students and young people in general navigate through the problems identified, USAID has extended technical assistance in the early parts of the setting up the YOLO Program to further its promise. Particularly a Manual of Operations was developed that defined a system for the program to proceed with the conduct of its various initiatives. Moreover, to enable a comprehensive identification and analysis of various difficulties and risky behaviors students were facing and were exposed to, the YOLO program utilized the HEEADSS assessment tool by the time it was fully operational in 2019. The process allowed for early detection and deeper evaluation of the young people’s problems through the HEEADSS tool, define preventive measures, and a create strong referral network that identifies where young people are referred to in order to address their identified problems or issues such as romantic relationships, underage sex, alcohol consumption, and suicidal thoughts. The YOLO Program Team also found the need to set up an area in the school where students can go to for needed services. They repurposed an abandoned comfort room into a Teen Center, which is now a place where all essential health and counseling services may be accessed and availed of.

 

The outcomes of these interventions revealed the value of the program and demonstrated the utilization of such services by the students. From 2019-2020, the number of students who received one-on-one counseling using the HEEADSS tools increased from 145 to 1,315. Students’ assessments also increased from 1,623 in 2019-2020 to 1,850 from 2023-2024. The service providers comprising the team has also grown from two professionals to an addition of a professional nurse, two skilled teachers, a registered guidance counselor, and 40 qualified educators.

 

The YOLO Program stands as a potent intervention proven to help in connecting with the young people and engaging them to thresh out their issue and identify effective solutions for them. For Agay National High School, this is one way of showing the society’s commitment and compassion to caring for the students and young people in order to rise up and thrive academically, emotionally, and socially. Young people have great potential to develop resilient and empowered personalities despite adversities.