The Queen Rania Family  & Child Center  of 

The Queen Rania Family & Child Center (QRFCC) of the Jordan River Foundation:
A Case Study of Abuse Prevention through Social & Emotional Education
By: Maya Chivi
Purpose & Methodology
• How can prevention programs overcome the challenges for community involvement in areas where children and youth 1) are victims of abuse and 2) live in environments in which such maltreatment is prevalent
• Data collected in June, July, and August 2009
• 54 Semi‐structured interviews
• Observations
• Field notes
*Girls with puppets their mothers created
at the QRFCC’s puppet‐making workshop for women
*Youth Summer Leadership Program volunteers
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Jordan
• Population:
• 70% under age of 30
• 60% under age of 24
• Jabal Al Nasr, East Amman
*A QRFCC staff member hanging paintings created after the death of two brothers as a result of child abuse
‐ both were under the age of 5
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Jabal Al Nasr:
Issues faced by children & youth • In the community
• In schools
• Additional issues faced by girls
* Youth of Tomorrow Committee members in the playground they won funding to renovate in a national contest
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The QRFCC: Rights & Needs
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Health
Safety
Protection from abuse
Mental and body integrity
*Example of photo used during children and youth’s workshops to increase emotional intelligence
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The QRFCC’s Growth
Dar Al Aman (“Safe House”) : Child and Youth Abuse Intervention 2000
The QRFCC: Child and Youth Abuse Prevention 2005
Youth Volunteer Leadership Program
Children: Boys and Girls
Youth
Youth of Tomorrow Committee
Women: Training Center
Establishment of the Gym: For Women and Girls Safe Schools Project
Fathers: Training Center
Community Leaders
Directors
Students
Teachers
This growth chart represents JRF’s initial work in abuse intervention under the Child Safety Program to next begin to work on abuse prevention through the establishment of the QRFCC and it’s sub‐units The QRFCC: How?
• Local Community Center
– Interactive Mediums Unit Workshops
• Children, Youth, Mothers
– Youth Programs
• Training Center
– Mothers, Fathers
– Community Leaders
Children & Youth’s Social & Emotional Development
• Safe Schools Project
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The QRFCC: Coming Full Circle
This graph shows how the QRFCC’s work involves and engages all members of the community
The QRFCC: Impact in the Community
• Individual impact in two stages
• Model adopted covers full spectrum of social needs
• Indirect beneficiaries
• Growth versus shift in focus
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* Youth of Tomorrow Committee members in the playground they won funding to renovate in a national contest
“... he [the director] told me he had found out about a student who was severely abused. He said, “I feel that everything that was discussed in the Safe Schools [project] is at stake if we don’t act regarding this case... [And] I felt that if I did not talk to you right now ... I would feel that I am a traitor ... it would be a shame for me to be a school director ... to look at this student in this situation and remain quiet .”
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The QRFCC’s Challenges
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•
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Integrating into Jabal Al Nasr
Long‐term continuity
Meeting community needs
Relations with other organizations, municipalities, and government officials
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* The playground’s surrounding walls at the time the research was conducted
Lessons Learned
• Focus on prevention
• The need for community involvement and engagement
• Engagement of all targeted groups for implementation of comprehensive approach
*Youth Summer Leadership Program volunteers playing games aimed at team building and East and West youth integration
IHSP Policy Fellowship Program 2009