Transitions aren’t always easy. It means making adjustments, getting out of comfort zones, and getting used to new environments. Perhaps one of the most difficult periods of transition is adolescence, when a child is no longer just a child but becomes a teenager – an exciting yet often confusing phase.

In Children International, when a child turns 12 they also go through a transition, a certain rite of passage. Each year, thousands of sponsored children are formally welcomed into the Youth Programs through an induction. In the Philippines, it’s dubbed as the Succeeding Teenage Encounter Program or STEP… and rightfully so, children take a big step into a whole new world of fun, learning, and more opportunities that would prepare them for the challenges ahead.

STEP welcomes each child by introducing them to the different opportunities available to sponsored youth. These include scholarships, various trainings in leadership, life skills, alternative skills, and many more. They also find out about the youth fund, agency youth council, youth health corps and how to be a part of it. It is also through this that CI’s mission, vision and goals and core programs are explained. Ultimately, the goal of STEP is to introduce and at the same time encourage greater involvement and participation from the youth.

The process doesn’t happen through the usual discussions that could easily lull any 12-year old to sleep. This year the Tabaco Agency adopted a different strategy, one that would appeal to the participants and loaded with lots of fun – the Amazing Race style! Divided into several groups, they hurdled different tasks spread in various stations each one giving them a valuable lesson.

The wood walk... taking it one synchronized step at a time

Knowing thy letters...

The Youth Health Corps puzzle

Core Program benefits...

Balancing the ball blindfolded needs a lot of concentration and team effort.

The group who finished with the least amount of time wins, but at the end of the day... everyone one goes home a winner.

With almost 1,400 children to be inducted from the end of July until September, this is one transition the kids would love to go through!