In our penultimate update from 2020, there are many things we can look back on and be grateful for. It’s been a tough time in many ways – with government guidelines and restrictions still in full effect. But with our Youth Center operations back on track since lockdown stopped any activity back in March, our research and construction work nearing their end, and everyone getting into a rhythm, there’s a lot of positive signs coming out of the yea. And optimism as we near the end of 2020 and can look ahead to the New Year.

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A major part of the good news for us comes in how our students are now finishing their first full semester (first half of the school year) from the online classes and modules. It’s been a real challenge, we’ve had to adjust and adapt, and have learned many things along the way. But we can be proud of our Fairplay Scholars and how they’ve really tried to help each other through this time.

A caring atmosphere is growing with the team looking out for each other and for our scholars. The Youth Center is open 9am to 5pm for the scholars to come by and get assistance from their youth leaders, before the Youth Group at 5:30pm to 7:30pm. The Youth Group (merged with EQ Club) has an hour’s personal development session based on a Social and Emotional Learning curriculum, followed by an hour’s chill time as they use the games or watch something together.

After surveying our students, and comparing with a nearby community as a control group, we are also able to show how much our support has meant for the kids. Seeing improvements in resiliency, self-esteem, a lowering in the risk of depression, and more good news, has helped to quantify the social and emotional support we try to build throughout. While noting is perfect, and we constantly aim to improve, this feedback is extremely useful in seeing what is working well, what isn’t working, or which areas need to be tweaked. We will share more about the research report once it is published (ongoing review in an academic journal) and the PDF is put together for the overall picture at the end of the year.

Support a Fairplay Scholar

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For those of you who sponsor our kids as they make their dreams become reality, thank you so much. If you’d like to join the club through 2021 and support a Fairplay Scholar, then do get in touch with us to join in and help level the playing field.

As we create these opportunities, more of our kids are taking advantage of everything that’s happening and stepping up to pay it forward. With our first generation of scholars halfway through College, they’re now in a position to help and lead the younger ones, as our youth coaches and tutors mentor and guide the younger groups.

Payatas FC Comics

We also launched the Payatas FC Comics with two of our older scholars putting together the story, drawing, and illustration of the comics. Meant to reflect the reality of the situation, the challenges and the fun, you can download the first issue of the Payatas FC Comics below in Tagalog (Filipino). It will be translated into English and released in the New Year too.

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So as we wind down the year, a big thank you to everyone who has helped us stay strong this year. More to come in the next update: Hindsight is 2020.