There is a growing awareness and concern for the plight of children around the world today. The ratification of the 1990 United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child exerted pressure on governments and societies to secure and protect the rights of children around the world. In the Philippines alone, statistics on human rights violation on children have been significantly recorded to reach beyond a normal understanding. The Department of Social Work and Development, a Philippine government agency, reported 18,542 incidents on child abuse from 1991–September 1998. Even the more basic children's rights have been continuously violated without the benefit of justice. As a result, the rights of children to a decent life and adequate education have not been given emphasis nor due recognition.

A large number of these Filipino children are caught in a vicious cycle of abuse, exploitation, cruelty, conflict, neglect, abandonment, delinquency, and parental negligence. Thus, the urgent need to restore and protect these basic children's rights cannot be ignored.

Although several institutions and organizations have already began to make initial contributions to provide these children with decent homes, educational opportunities, and proper formation and guidance, the dilemma still exists.

Realizing the need for continuous voluntary community service to address this problem, "FIL-MENTORING, INC." (Filipino Integrated Learning Through Mentoring, Inc.) was conceptualized and established to motivate and encourage these streetchildren to pursue higher education. This is Fil-Mentoring's way of assisting these children -- by helping them to help themselves.

In 1994, "Fil-Mentoring, Inc." was formally organized as a nonprofit & voluntary organization involved in propagating Mentoring schemes and develop supplemental learning particularly for the Filipino streetchildren. Composed of mostly young professionals, "Fil-Mentoring, Inc." was created with a vision of providing these children with adequate skills in enhancing their God-given talents, at the same time, monitor and guide their academic progress. "Fil-Mentoring, Inc." also seeks to assist other institutions and government or non-government agencies involved with street children, in setting up Mentoring programs that could result in the establishment of a national forum for research on effective Mentoring schemes and programs.

"Fil-Mentoring, Inc." intends to strengthen and expand its membership base to encourage other government and nongovernment organizations to adopt and develop Mentoring as a solution to the problem of street children.

"Fil-Mentoring, Inc." serves as a link between education and the community. It initiates and promotes a wide rage of activities to children in all areas of education and skills development. Ultimately, all "Fil-Mentoring, Inc." projects are geared towards the same common aim -- transforming and molding these children to become a successful, confident, self-reliant, and independent adult.

A Board of Trustees headed by a President manages "Fil-Mentoring, Inc." affairs. A part-time secretariat staff, under the supervision of its members and Trustees, presently handles Fil-Mentoring's projects and activities.

"Fil-Mentoring, Inc." seeks to supplement the efforts of government in reawakening the cultural awareness, environmental consciousness, and provision of nonformal education and basic/literacy education for various target groups irrespective of their age, creed, gender, race, tribe, geographical location, and political or religious orientation.

"Fil-Mentoring, Inc." further aims to work closely with individuals and organizations here and abroad to enhance training and improve the content and delivery of cultural, environmental, functional, health, literacy, and nonformal educational needs.

In recent years, Mentoring programs emerged in many countries as an effective response to the plight of the youth. Mentoring schemes have expanded rapidly with increasing number of students, young professionals, as well as, adult volunteers unselfishly giving their time and effort to help these young people in institutions, schools, community agencies, and in their own respective localities. What, then, is Mentoring?

• Mentoring involves volunteers who assist in institutions, community agencies, churches, and schools on a sustained and systematic basis. These mentors act as a resource to the coordinator, director, housemothers, and teachers who usually work individually or with small groups in helping these street children with their activities and relating them to the "outside world."

• Mentors are more than role models. They initiate activities that persuade and motivate these children to value education and view it as an instument to alleviate their present economic and social situation. They inculcate in them the message -- "be as you can be" rather than just "be as I am."

• Mentoring, likewise, involves a higher level of personal commitment than mere conventional tutoring. Mentoring programs can take place in schools, community agencies, business establishments, churches, colleges and universities.

VOLUNTEER/COLLEGE STUDENT MENTORS

• Gain personal satisfaction 
• Develop patience, insight and understanding 
• Learn lessons in citizenship through work with the community 
• May experience a cultural, social, or economic background different from their own 
• Improve leadership and communication skills 
• Gain personal experience for future careers in public service, social work, teaching and the like 

• Receive academic skills 
• Learn study skills 
• Improve social skills 
• Have the attention of another caring adult 
• Discover new options and opportunities 
• Set goals for the future 

• Form stronger ties with their communities 
• Build better citizens through responsibility and serve 
• Turn potential school dropouts into potential students 

• Report improvements in student-teacher relations 
• See progress in schools performance and in academic and social skills 
• Forge stronger ties with institutions, colleges, community groups and parents 
• Receive additional student support services 
• Involve other caring adults in the education process

"Fil-Mentoring, Inc." was first represented internationally in London, U.K. during the International Conference on Tutoring and Mentoring held in 1995 and 1997. This conference was ably sponsored  and organized by BP, British Council and UK’s CSV

As an offshoot to these Conferences, "Fil-Mentoring, Inc." presently maintains close relations with other foreign organizations involved in Mentoring and streetchildren, like the BP International Project on Tutoring and Mentoring, UK’s CSV Education for Citizenship, Israel’s Perach, USA’s Big Brother Big Sister program, and other similar programs in Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Netherlands, India, Malaysia, China, Thailand, etc.

Presently, "Fil-Mentoring, Inc. concentrates on alternative classroom activities with a composition of 50 active member-volunteers. In the coming years, we hope to reach out to as many street children as possible and initiate projects for training, scholarships, technical assistance, research and information services.

Furthermore, we are at the stage of expanding our Mentoring program to other organizations that are, likewise, involved with street children. We intend to assist in child/youth development and organization and help establish a national forum for research and effective practice on Mentoring and create a national, if not global, awareness to this problem.

Membership is open to all institutions and individuals that are willing and interested in working with street children in terms of cultural, environmental, functional, health, legal, literacy by means of nonformal education and skills enhancement. Membership is voluntary. Volunteer-members will serve as positive role models and counselors, a modest tutor, a friend and companion.