“Assessing Life Skills Proficiency: An Investigation into Homeless Children and Adolescents at a Juvenile Center in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India"

Abstract

Introduction: Life skills encompass a vital set of competencies that empower individuals to make informed decisions, assert their rights, and lead a healthy, productive life, making them agents of change. Adolescence, marked by physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes, is a critical phase, where the absence of traditional norms and support systems can lead to various mental health challenges. Thus, the present study was undertaken to assess the level of knowledge among the homeless children and adolscents at a juvenile center in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Methodology: A structured close ended multiple-choice questionnaire was provided to the selected respondents for assessing the baseline knowledge of the children. The sample size for the study was 100. The analysis was carried using IBM SPSS version 23 and chi square test of association was used to analyze the association between the knowledge and age group of the children.

Results: Chi-square tests were used to examine age and gender-related differences in responses from children and adolescents. Significantly, age-related variations were found in questions about decision consequences, accident response, and math problem-solving (p ≤ 0.05). Gender differences were significant for decision consequences and math problems (p = 0.04). Other topics showed no significant age or gender variations, suggesting targeted educational interventions can enhance life skills knowledge and attitudes across different age and gender groups.

Conclusion: A lower level of knowledge towards life skills among the children and adolescents at the juvenile centre in Ahmedabad suggests that Life skills in juvenile centers is important to empower young offenders with essential abilities for better decision-making and reintegration into society. Life skills training equips individuals with essential abilities for informed decision-making, problem-solving, and well-being, fostering personal growth and adaptability.