Ten years ago, Surendran* was sent to a juvenile home in Thoothukudi district for committing a petty offence. After a spell of detention, he finished school and got a job as an instrumentalist in a local band, but struggled to make ends meet.
Two months ago, he got a job at a home similar to the one he was detained at. While this brought back old memories, he was excited to share his goodwill with the current inmates.
“I hope that I can help these youngsters become better people in every way possible,” said Surendran, who works at the juvenile home for boys in Kellys, Kilpauk, as a full-time gardener.
He is one of the 171 former inmates of juvenile homes, observation homes, child care centres and vigilance homes across Tamil Nadu who were provided employment at institutions runs by the Department of Social Defence. The department began the recruitment process following orders from the State last year.
It is a move that has attracted both praise and censure in equal measure, with critics claiming that the idea of a corrective system is to ensure children enter society, and not keep coming back to it.
On the other hand, those in its favour argue that given the current climate, the state at least assures these ex-inmates a steady income. The youth themselves, by and large, are happy at the move.
“We found that 176 vacancies had accumulated in the department over the years. And no former inmate was recruited, despite rules mandating it,” said a senior official from the department. The official added that lack of human resources had affected the functioning of the homes. “We didn’t have enough manpower to handle issues such as juvenile unrest,” the official said.
In August 2016, the department announced recruitments for C and D grade posts in 11 categories, including gatemen, guard, cook, watchmen, matrons, etc. Child welfare officers and superintendents in each district helped circulate the news. By the end of the next month, they had received 916 applications from former inmates.
A new life
“I am very happy. I now have a job in a government department and can start a new life,” said a newly-recruited gateman at the Kellys home for boys. He added that things seemed to have changed a lot since he was in a home. “First of all, the quality of the food is better,” he said laughing. He also felt that since employees like him had been in a similar situation, they would be able to connect with the young inmates and counsel them.
While some child rights activists welcomed the move, others noted that permanent employment of former inmates in these facilities would not help them lead a mainstream life. “They can be invited to stay maybe for a few days in these homes. But there are chances that employment here will take them back to the past and they may not be able to grow,” said P. Manorama, director of CHES, a collaboration partner of ChildLine India Foundation.
(* Name changed)
