A garden that has been cleaned, pruned, and removed of weeds will only stay that way if someone maintains it. A project is similar to a garden. One starts implementing it but if that person is gone, someone else should take his place. For six weeks that the team stayed in the community, a lot of things happened. The team were able to gain new experiences, work with other people, gain new friends, and new connections. But sadly, some things must come to an end. It may be the end of the team’s stay in the community, but hopefully the learning and experiences, the communication with the barangay and the project itself lives on.
The STEP UP Project would not have been possible without the efforts of the people behind it. It would be a shame if it ever stopped. Before going home, the team conducted their last activity in the community: the turning over of the responsibilities. As a closing event, the Team Teen Titans decided to share with some of the barangay officials and the newly trained peer helpers the experiences and the goals achieved during their six-weeks stay in the community. The teens also shared their experiences and realizations throughout the whole project. It was touching to see that the members who were once just mere strangers to them made a big impact on their lives as teens and as young leaders of their community.
The STEP UP Project believes in the capabilities of the teens to improve themselves and inspire others. The project is not only for the teens but for the parents as well, in hopes that they give their full support and guidance to their children. After the sharing of the Team Teen Titans and the teen facilitators, a turning over of the key of responsibility took place. The key was given to the core group consisted of the selected teens and barangay officials. Since Barangay Cag-an already have an established Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC), the team decided that it is only appropriate to utilize this council for the sustenance of the project. Before the project started, a signing of a Memorandum of Agreement took place. Indicated in the MOA was the agreement that the core group or the BCPC will continue the project monitoring and sustain the project even after the Team Teen Titans leave the community. Six weeks after, 13 teen from the barangay were trained to be teen facilitators. These teens were added in the core group so that they will have their inputs in any barangay activities. The key of responsibility was received by the Vice Chairperson of the BCPC and the Youth Representative, with some of the barangay officials and teen facilitators as witnesses. After the turning over, the BCPC and the teen facilitators took an oath to fulfill their duties as a core group.
The closing event ended with warm smiles and goodbyes from the teens who got close to the members’ hearts. Despite the end of the six weeks journey of the Team Teen Titans in the community, The STEP UP Project will continue to live and grow on the hearts of those that the project reached. The team may not be physically present in the project’s future activities, but they are assured that the project is now in the good hands of the teens of Barangay Cag-an. All the learning and responsibilities have now been passed on to the new members of The STEP UP Project, in hopes that they apply what they have learned and reach other teens from other barangays. Keep stepping up for teens, Barangay Cag-an!
