Supporting former child soldiers

Y Care International supported Bogotá YMCA to rehabilitate displaced former child soldiers in Colombia between October 2004 and December 2007.

An estimated 11-14,000 under-18s are participating as combatants in armed groups in the civil war that has lasted for over four decades. Armed groups involved in the conflict tend to be highly mobile, which means that young combatants are separated from their family and communities for long periods of time. The ongoing conflict often prevents these vulnerable young people from returning to their families.

How we helped
This project supported the effective rehabilitation and reintegration of former child soldiers into Colombian society. The project involved:

• Assessing the needs of former child soldiers; developing and piloting care model
• Sharing learning with other institutions supporting this group in Colombia
• Increasing awareness among community members to combat the stigma faced by former child soldiers
• Increasing awareness internationally and sharing good practice on the rehabilitation and reintegration of former child soldiers
• Developing UK advocacy initiatives that focus on the specific needs and rights relating to the rehabilitation and integration of former child soldiers
  

What we achieved
The project has helped to raise awareness of the plight of former child soldiers and has contributed to the development of more effective rehabilitation and social reintegration models for former child soldiers worldwide.

Y Care International has published a ground-breaking report into the rehabilitation of former child soldiers in Colombia, through research carried out with YMCA Bogota. Read the report here.

Y Care International is now supporting the YMCA on a pilot project aimed at preventing the recruitment of children and young people to illegal armed groups. The project is focussing on one of the most marginalised areas of Bogotá. This involves working with children, young people and their families, as well as the wider community to address the reasons why children and young people become involved in armed groups.