One Day Award Leader Training Workshop

20th December 2018 at The Scindia School, Gwalior

The International Award For Young People (IAYP) promotes the Award, provides young people with the Award programme and preserves the quality of the Award. It brings together practical experiences and skills to create committed global citizens and equips young people for life. The vision of IAYP is to engage young people from diverse backgrounds; equip them with life skills; empower them to succeed in life, and reward their achievements.

Keeping the above aspects in view, a training workshop for Award Leaders was conducted on 20th December 2018. Bivujit Mukhoti (Programme Manager) and Pallavi Gill (Programme Officer) has facilitated eleven Award leaders from The Scindia School, Gwalior and Scindia Kanya Vidyalaya.

The workshop was based on the introduction of Award, Philosophy of Award, Service, Skills, Physical Recreation, Adventurous Journey and Residential Project for Gold level. Under each session, the Award Leaders under training performed a few activities that made use of their imagination, skill and initiative. National Award Authority wish to thank Dr. Madhav Deo Saraswat, Principal The Scindia School, Gwalior for his hospitality and suport. More workshop pictures can be seen here.

We gained insights on cultural and perceptual differences between rural and city life

The following report has been submitted by the students of Delhi Public School, Gurugram who iterate their experience of visiting Ghamroj, Sohna Road as part of their residential project. They narrate how the project has been a life changing experience for them while acknowledging the important role that the Award Programme has played in their journey.

Undertaking the Award Programme is a learning experience that enables participants to not only expand their interests by transcending classroom boundaries but also to develop new skills and gain recognition for performing extra/co-curricular activities. Moreover, a sense of responsibility and leadership quality is also developed due to the different aspects of the Programme.

As part of the residential project for the Award Programme, we visited Ghamroj, Sohna Road. This project, to begin with, helped us understand the fundamental difference between city life and rural life. Understanding these basic cultural differences is what made this project one of the most interesting opportunities for experiential learning that we’ve come across. Of the myriad activities that we engaged in, a major one was teaching the students of the village school. We taught them subjects like Social Science, Science, Mathematics, Hindi and English and our experience was enriched by their patience and discipline. Messages about hygiene and cleanliness were also spread during this project. We highlighted how lack of hygiene could unleash various diseases and how those could be prevented via proper and effective measures.

We were taken to a brick kiln to witness the making of bricks, after which we attempted the activity of brick making with the help of local people of the village. We also visited a vegetable farm where we enhanced our motor skills by plucking vegetables by their roots. We learnt what lies beyond the domains of theory by gaining practical knowledge of technical skills for agricultural development. We were then taken to the poultry farm where we understood how domestic birds such as hens, ducks and turkeys are raised. Gaining insights on the profits earned through poultry farming was another advantage associated with the visit to the poultry farm. We also interacted with members of the village council, analysing various possible issues of the village such as water supply, electricity supply, provision of education and women-centric issues. The insights that we gained through the discussions helped us scrutinize the perceptual differences between rural and urban setups.

The residential project helped us foster new skills such as time management, team work, problem-solving and building our confidence through novelty. The experience that we gained in this project will always be cherished by us. However, we acknowledge the efforts of our teachers who have been pillars of support, encouragement and guidance and those of IAYP of making our journey a truly memorable one.

We learnt to share our joys

The following report has been submitted by the Award participants of The Ardee School. They relate their experience of engaging in community service as part of the service section of the Award Programme. They narrate how their participation doubled their joy of ‘Christmas’.

As young people on our way to becoming ‘young leaders’, we could feel the spirit of community service in the task that we undertook. Keeping up with the spirit of Christmas of ‘caring and sharing’, we welcomed the members of Ardee Creche and other NGOs as part of our community service for bronze and silver level. We had the opportunity of exploring new techno-savvy lessons through our assignments. New friendships were made as we sang carols together and enjoyed the nativity play. After a veritable feast served by Ardeeians which was relished by the guests, we bade them goodbye with goodie bags and warm wishes.

As part of a community, we feel accomplished when we share with and care for the people who actually need assistance. Until this experience, we hadn’t realised that the joy of sharing something and bringing smiles on people’s faces could be amazingly blissful. It was a learning experience for us; one that made us realise the significance of being a responsible constituent of society and that made us more sensitive towards the needs of others. Click here for more pictures

Award Orientations and Ceremonies

In its stride to provides opportunities for the youth as well as growth of a community and to charge young minds with passion, a team from the National Office of IAYP comprising Mr. Bivujit Mukhoty – the Programme Manager and Ms. Pallavi Gill – the Programme Officer visited Delhi Public School, NTPC Vidyut Nagar on 17th December 2018 and Vocational Training Centre, Khandawali, Faridabad - Community Project of Lady Bamford Charitable Trust, Ballabhgarh, Faridabad, Haryana on 18th December, 2018 for student orientation workshops and Award Presentation Ceremonies. The objective was to interact with students, introduce the Award programme to the new participants and highlighting its ideology and benefits, with recognising the successful participant with the Award Certificate and Badge.

The orientations commenced with an ice-breaking session followed by an introduction about the Award Programme. The team threw light on the philosophy of the Award, its journey and its framework. They, then, elaborated upon its various facets that include service, skills, physical recreation and adventure and the residential project for the Gold level of the Programme. The orientation concluded with discussions on the benefits of the Award Programme and its power to bring about a difference in the lives of young people.

Orientation at Delhi Public School, NTPC, Vidyut Nagar was attended by over 200 students. After the orientation, an Award Presentation Ceremony was organised in which nine successful participants achieved their certificates and badges. Mr K K Sharma (Principal) along with Ashish Choudhary (Award Leader) was also present during the ceremony. Click here for photos.

Orientation at Vocational Training Centre, Khandawali, Faridabad was attended by over 60 participants. Apart from the other aspects of the Programme, the team also briefed them about the upcoming Adventurous Journey. Tauqeer Ahmed (Award Leader), Sabbar Tausif (State Manager LBCT), Vandana Kohli and Nishat Akhtar (Location Coordinator) were also present during the orientation. After the Orientation, an Award presentation ceremony was organised, in which nine participants received their Certificates and Badges from Nishar Ahmed (Sarpanch, Khandawali). Click here for photos.

Such workshops are stepping stones in IAYP’s stride to build aware and able young people who can make productive use of their capabilities.

A Solid Step Ahead

 

Charged with passion and motivated by the vision to show that young hands can do wonders that the world cannot fathom, the Award participants of Pt. Uma Dutt Public School, along with the Award leaders, Dr. Pankaj Vashishtha and Gufran Khan visited Machkund, an ancient sacred place in Dholpur city and offered their services by launching a cleanliness campaign.

The area from Monisidha Hill to Machkund Lake was squalid, with plastic bags and other waste material scattered all around as a result of a massive fair that took place, visited by thousands of people from all over India. The open fields and the area beside the road were not in good condition and the participants had to combat numerous difficulties to collect polythene bags and plastic waste material. They cleaned the entire premises in four hours nonetheless, reaffirming the philosophy of the Award Programme to ‘Engage. Equip. Empower. Reward.’

The Award participants, together with their mentors, have made volunteering to clean 10 square kilometre wide premises a part of their Service section of the Award Programme. The purpose of this cleanliness drive was to create awareness among the villages regarding cleanliness and to highlight the ill effects of poor hygiene. Such a pioneering effort by the Award participants convinced the inhabitants to not use polythene bags in their daily routine and ensure cleanliness in their respective areas. Initiatives like these not only fortify IAYP’s philosophy and values but also strengthen the individuals who choose to spread its values far and wide.

IAYP’s Community Service Projects Have Made Us Empathetic

The following report has been submitted by Shubhra Jain, an Award participant from Uttam School for Girls, who narrates her experience of a community service project to be undertaken as part of the Award Programme. She highlights how it helped her and her fellow participants grow.

I believe that IAYP’s community service projects aim not just at building strong and self-reliant communities but also empathetic individuals who endeavour to create a better society. As part of one such community service project, a number of Award participants from our school, Uttam School for Girls, organised a fund-raiser talent show to support the students of Sewa Samarpan Vidyamandir – a school that aims at educating the children belonging to economically disadvantaged sections of society.

We toiled to make the event a huge success. We prepared posters and put them up in the corridors of our school to promote the event. Teams were prepared that coordinated with teachers and looked after the discipline and finance. Also, we made entry tickets out of old used paper and an entry fee of ₹10 was charged from those who witnessed the show. Our students gave enthralling performances; while some delivered commendable dance performances, and some left the audience spellbound with their melody in singing. Not only these, the participants also performed a magic show and a street play depicting the plight of beggars in our country. To mollify the atmosphere were some funny ‘shayaris’ that appealed greatly to the audience.

Our skills and efforts bore fruit when an amount of ₹6500 was successfully collected through the fund raiser. With some part of the amount, we purchased textbooks which were distributed among the students of Grade VI and VII of Sewa Samarpan Vidyamandir, while the remaining amount was used for purchasing 28 metres of cloth with which the students of Sewa Samarpan Vidyamandir created exquisite shopping bags to be used in place of polythene bags. This activity helped the students there to acquire a new skill for a lifetime.

'No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.' In the process of raising funds for the students at Sewa Samarpan Vidyamandir, we developed a sense of empathy and understanding – values that will guide us in our stride of bringing about a change in the world.

Student Orientation Workshop

In its stride to be an all-inclusive platform that provides opportunities for individuals as well as growth of a community and to charge young minds with passion, a team from the National Office of IAYP comprising Mr. Bivujit Mukhoty – the Programme Manager and Ms. Pallavi Gill – the Programme Officer visited Titiksha Public School, Rohini, Delhi, on 28th November, 2018 for a student orientation workshop. Its objective was to interact with students and introduce the Award programme, highlighting its ideology and benefits.

The orientation commenced with an ice-breaking session, followed by an introduction about the Award Programme. The team threw light on the philosophy of the Award, its journey and its framework. They then elaborated upon its various facets that include Service, Skills, Physical Recreation and Adventure and the Residential Project for the Gold level of the Programme. The orientation concluded with discussions on the benefits of the Award Programme and its power to bring about a difference in the lives of young people.

Such workshops are stepping stones in IAYP’s stride to build aware and able young people who can make productive use of their capabilities.

Service is done out of empathy, not sympathy

The following piece is a narration of the experience of the Award participants from Mody School, Lakshmangarh, who visited Kasturba Seva Sadan in Rajasthan, as part of their Service project.

As part of its endeavour to proliferate the idea of responding to the needs of others, IAYP ensures that its Award participants plant the seeds of a better world in their stride. As part of their Service for the Award, 50 participants from Mody School visited

Kasturba Seva Sadan, a local orphanage situated in Sikar, Rajasthan, on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. With the funds that they managed to collect as ‘pocket money’ and collection from the community, the participants distributed sweets in the orphanage. To mark the essence of the colourful occasion of Raksha Bandhan, they also tied handmade ‘rakhis’ to the children. Additionally, they gifted them items of stationery and clothes and danced with them. This was an overwhelming experience for the participants, who returned with memories to cherish for a lifetime.

The objective of IAYP’s Service projects is to propagate the idea that service is done out of empathy and not sympathy. By motivating Award participants to transgress their comfort zones and contemplate the greater good of the world around them, IAYP’s Award participants become not just receptive but also sensitive to the needs of others.

Award Leaders Training (YES) Workshop

At New Digamber Public School, Indore

On 19th and 20th November, 2018, the National Award Authority organised an Award Leaders Training (YES) Workshop at New Digamber Public School, Indore. The objective of the workshop was to interact with the Award Leaders of different schools and iterate the importance of their contribution in the journey of the Award participants. Bivujit Mukhtoy (Programme Manager- IAYP) lead this two days workshop.

The workshop witnessed a total of 14 participants from New Digamber Public School, Indore; The Daly College, Indore; The Emerald Heights International School, Indore, and Global City International School, Bangalore.

The workshop commenced with an ice breaking session followed by an introduction about the Award Programme. Bivujit Mukhoty threw light on the philosophy of the Award, its journey and its framework. He expl

ained its various facets that include Voluntary Service, Skills, Physical Recreation and Adventurous Journey. He also elaborated upon risk management, stressed the benefits of the Programme and touched upon the Residential Project for the Gold Level of the Programme. There was a review session and discussion about the levels of the Award Programme. The session concluded with a film highlighting the Award’s achievements and its impact.

IAYP India thank Mr. Winston R. Gomez, Principal; Mr. D. M. Thoukar, Manager and Mr. Chandresh Shah, Vice Principal New Digamber Public School, Indore, for their hospitality and support for conducting this workshop. Workshop pictures can be seen here

TAKE ON AND LEAD ON

Kapil Bhalla is the National Director of the Award in India and given below are his thoughts on what it means to be world ready.

How does the Award framework help you to become ‘World Ready’?

The possibility of constantly challenging oneself comes not just in the classroom but when one ventures into the unknown and the undiscovered. Being subject to conditions that bring out the best and the worst in oneself, one should aim to create a world that fosters the best possible utilisation of one’s capabilities; relentlessly pushing one’s limits and setting new targets for oneself with every passing moment.

When we focus solely on reading chapters in the classroom, the idea of dealing with life’s chapters recedes into the background and we start living a refined reality. The Award programme, in that light, is a framework through which one can set forth into the world as an indomitable being, ready to take on the challenges of modern life. Non-formal education, which is the core ideology of the programme, is important in the longer run in a dynamic world for sculpting intrepid individuals.

Be World Ready to stand up after every challenge, without wavering from one’s goal

The Award uses experiential learning to educate & empower young people as they develop virtues along with skills. The hands that hold ropes while climbing are the same hands that extend to offer help to the ‘marginalised’ and ‘at risk’. Its objective is to enable young people to thrive in a multifaceted, uncertain world that has multiple opportunities for those who can take them.

The vision of the Award Programme is to make young people ‘ready for the world’. Its philosophy is to encourage participants to strive to better themselves in all spheres. The activities that the participants undertake are in line with what a competitive world has to offer them, they learn to get up and vanquish what has caused them to trip. Our young individuals become enthusiastic, fearless, confident and rational with a sense of compassion and empathy.

As part of a world that witnesses this metamorphosis, we can make sure that young people realise and utilise their potential; they are ‘World Ready’.

 Learning for life outside the classroom worldready

Bringing Smiles to Innocent Faces

A report on Residential Project

As part of the residential project for IAYP’s Gold Award Programme, two participants of Mody School, Laxmangarh, participated in a 5-day Residential Project camp in Government Senior Secondary School, Morwa, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan.

The camp was organised from 7th September to 11th September 2018. Together with other Award participants, they actively worked for the construction of six toilets, whitewashing of rooms, wall paintings and also taught younger students of the village school. The participants aimed to bring smiles to the innocent faces of young students along with bringing a sense of comfort in their nebulous lives. In the course of the programme, the heart touching motivational words of Major Sonam Wangchuk, Mahavir Chakra Awardee, proved extremely inspirational.

This project not only acquainted the participants with the struggle of the students but also helped them understand the challenging lives of the army personnel. It was an enriching experience that made the participants venture into an undiscovered arena of community life and motivated them to work as a team for a common cause.

Sports are a means to bridge economic inequality gaps

The following report has been submitted by Bawa Lalvani Public School. It talks about their experience of visiting the Government Elementary School, Phulewal (Kapurthala) and introducing various sports activities there.

Sports and games are an integral part of many cultures. From the early days of developing good motor skills to playing sports at the professional level, men and women have come to know the value of playing at least one sport either competitively or for leisure. Unfortunately, though, the economic conditions of the relatively under-privileged sections of society prohibit their community from engaging in sports. Lack of financial resources keeps playing sports beyond the reach of many.

Taking these factors into consideration, Award participants of Bawa Lalvani Public School visited the Government Elementary School, Phulewal (Kapurthala). The participants introduced to cricket, badminton, chess & carrom through instruction and demonstration to young people at the village school. Having received an overwhelming response from the students, the

participants gifted a sports gear to the village school to enable the young students to pursue volleyball, basketball, football, block making toys among other sports. The participants also prepared a plan and executed the same in the form of engaging with young students at the village school in future too.

Even though we acknowledge the pragmatic impact that sports can have on international development and combating poverty, we staunchly believe that sports should not be seen as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution but instead as part of a broader effort towards reducing poverty. Every child regardless of sex, race or physical capability has the right to participate in sports and foster social interaction, inculcate team spirit and have fun, to begin with. Sports programmes, we believe, can go a long way in removing divisive lines of inequality between girls and boys by encouraging girls to participate in sports that have been traditionally played by boys. It is imperative that sports programmes that are implemented in poor communities include all children without prejudice. Click here for more pictures

WE ARE #WORLDREADY

Join us as we celebrate the Award and shout about the importance of non-formal education for young people around the world.

As an important member of the Award family, we’re excited to share our brand new global film with you!

This week, the Award’s global family launches #WORLDREADY – a campaign which aims to shout about the Award, its inspirational participants and adults who support it as well as the importance of non-formal education in helping to prepare young people for the world.

Check out the brand new film here

We need your help to spread the word!

Help us to spread the word by… 

1. Be part of the global discussion – share your Award story, thoughts, photos, videos and more using #WORLDREADY 

2. Share the #WORLDREADY film - you can find this on our social media channels (Follow us on Facebook; Twitter; Instagram and at Youtube.

Find out more about the campaign and join the #WORLDREADY discussion at www.worldready.org.

Happy Deepavali

Award Family wishes You And Your Family A Happy Deepavali

May this light of happiness, light up your life. May this Deepavali be the most sparkling and lightening. The sights and sounds filling up your heart with joy and happiness.

Forum 2018

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Forum 2018 is on from Tuesday 30 October to Sunday 4 November in Accra, Ghana.

The delegates will meet with other leaders from the Association and the Foundation to share best practices, troubleshoot issues and celebrate the success of the Award.

During the Forum delegates will have the opportunity to discuss the Award’s global development, understand the context in which we are all working and to have your say on new policies and plans.

This Forum’s theme: “Shaping the future, shaping our world” brilliantly summarises the opportunity that we have to help shape the future for young people and position the Award as the leading proponent of non-formal education.

Practical sessions will focus on how we can improve the Access, Reach and Impact of the Award globally and include a mixture of speakers from within the Association and external experts across a range of topics.

Award Leader Training (YES) Workshop

At Edubridge International School, Mumbai

On 25th and 26th October, 2018 the National Award Authority organised an Award Leader Training (YES) Workshop at Edubridge International School, Mumbai. The workshop was led by Kapil Bhalla - National Director and Bivujit Mukhoty - Programme Manager. The objective of these workshops was to interact with the Award Leaders of different schools and iterate the importance of their contribution in the journey of the Award participants.

The workshop in Mumbai witnessed a total of 16 participants. The schools that participated in the workshop in Mumbai were DSB International School, Mumbai; Edubridge International School, Mumbai; Euro School Airoli, Mumbai; Jamnabai Narsee School, Mumbai; Rustomjee Cambridge International School, Mumbai; Spring Mount Public School, Tirupur, and Worldview Education Services Private Limited, Hyderabad, Telangana.

The workshops commenced with an ice breaking session followed by an introduction about the Award Programme. The team threw light on the philosophy of the Award, its journey and its framework. They then went on to explain its various facets that include voluntary Service, Skills, Physical Recreation and Adventurous Journey. They also elaborated upon risk management, stressed the benefits of the Programme and touched upon the Residential Project for the Gold Level of the Programme. What followed next was a review session and discussion about the levels of the Award Programme. The session concluded with a film highlighting the Award’s achievements and its impact. Click here for the pictures

National Director's visit to Cambridge Assessment International Education

Kapil Bhalla, National Director, IAYP India, visited the Cambridge Assessment International Education Team at Mumbai on the 22nd and the 23rd of October, 2018. The two-day meet focused on ways in which the Cambridge Curriculum and Award Programme work towards youth empowerment and development. The discussions concluded with new ideas and goals to provide greater opportunities for the young people in India, making them well equipped for the world.

The Award's Global Satisfaction Survey

The 2018 Global Participant Satisfaction Survey results are out! The IAA research team analysed responses received between May 2017 – September 2018 from 7,393 Award holders from 62 countries (23 NAO countries and 39 IAC countries). An 'Award n numbers' info graphic - including some key highlights from the satisfaction survey and global statistics - will be available in early November.

In the meantime, here are some highlights 

• * 65% of Award holders (and 79% Gold) of Award holders believe they have changed as a person as a result of participating in the Award 
• * 93% said the Award encouraged them to try something new 
• * 90% said the Award has challenged them 
• * 74% said the Award has inspired them 
• * 66% said through participating in the Award, they now feel part of their community 
• * 84% said they intend to continue to regularly volunteer at least once a month vs 48% of those who said they volunteered at least once a month prior to doing their Award

This year, 12 countries have enough (100+) responses to also access country-specific reports.

A Journey of Contemplation

This report has been submitted by Mrs Ambuj Sharma, Headmistress and PRO, Jain International Residential School. The Award participants of JIS undertook a journey to Sikkim and Nathula Pass as part of their Adventurous Journey. She has an interesting story to share on her and her participants’ soulful experience.

As part of an enriching experience, our students visited Sikkim, followed by the Nathula Pass. The trip commenced on 15th July 2018 and concluded on 22nd July 2018. Being a part of the Himalayas, Sikkim is home to glaciers, alpine meadows and countless wildflowers. We commenced our journey from Bangalore to Bagdogra. From Bagdogra, we commenced our climb and reached Rinchingpong, to be welcomed by a cool breeze and the promise of sheer tranquillity. We drove through groves of bamboo towards a rustic farmhouse – the Yangsum Heritage Farm. With the Bhutiya and Lepcha community people who stayed in proximity to the farmhouse, we ate freshly prepared meals, trekked and walked with them, trying to understand their lifestyle, culture and food habits.

We then visited the Pemayangtse Monastery – the oldest sacred Buddhist temple in Sikkim, nestled in a scenic backdrop of snow-capped mountains. Following this, we visited Pelling, a small hamlet where we were welcomed by a breathtaking view of the majestic Kanchenjunga. We interacted with the communities living nearby and relished the authentic Sikkim cuisine, while basking in the intoxicating burble of River Teesta.

Strings of prayer flags fluttered as they were tied along the path leading to the foothills of the Kanchenjunga. We trekked a distance of two kilometers through the thick forest from

Pelling to Geyzini to reach the ruins of Rabdentse - a city believed to be the second capital of the former kingdom of Sikkim. It was then that it dawned on us that our journey was as much about historical sites, culture, farming and ecological balance as it was about developing a strong connect with nature. We also visited the Rinchen Choling Tamu Monastery and gained insights on the Nyingma Order - the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. However, we appreciate the omnipotence of the Indian Army personnel, who were vigilant yet reassuring.

Having completed our exploration, it was time for us to delve into another journey – a journey of contemplation and reflection. With the experience that we gained on our journey, we realised the importance of dealing with life’s challenges with as much vigour as we dealt with the journey’s challenges. It was a journey of exploration; one that led us to the path of self exploration. Click here for more pictures

Sankalp: The Aspiration to Live a Life of Dignity

This report has been submitted by the students of Scindia Kanya Vidyalaya, in which they share their experience of installing a sanitary napkin production unit as a measure to deal with women hygiene issues.

In her pursuit of inculcating experiential learning, Mrs Nishi Misra, our Principal, came up with the idea of community service for women as part of the Service section of the Award Programme. Having shared the idea with us, she guided us to survey the areas around Gwalior to find a cause to espouse. During our analysis, we found that women hygiene is a highly stigmatised issue. It was then that we discovered the essence of our community service activity. Mrs Misra worked hard to acquire a low cost indigenous sanitary napkin unit from Coimbatore, with the vision of producing sanitary napkins for women who can’t afford them.

After the successful running of this unit at the school campus, Mrs Misra launched women empowerment projects in two villages, Jarga and Virpur, where low-cost and eco-friendly sanitary napkin machines were installed and the production is managed by village women. Having been approached by numerous hospitals, NGOs and scheme developers that expressed their desire to purchase this product, Mrs Misra has been working out a small scale industry model to make this product self-sustaining.

Though Scindia Kanya Vidyalaya is an all girls’ school, Mrs Misra invites students of both sexes from schools in both India and abroad to engage in ‘shram-daan’ (labour service) and earn ‘volunteer hours’. She has developed it into an activity during the Youth Festivals that she holds at the school. We, together with students of other schools, work on manufacturing the napkins and assist in their distribution at the village.

At times of natural disasters like the floods in Kashmir, the Nepal earthquake or even the recent Kerala floods, we try and work relentlessly on these manufacturing machines to send a good batch of sanitary napkins, along with other relief materials to the needy. We deem it our duty to donate as well as work hard on these machines to prepare sanitary napkins for women who need them.

The initiative of setting up this unit is called SKV-Sankalp, a collective resolution taken by Mrs Nishi Misra and us to help women live with dignity. We staunchly believe that this will go a long way in gender sensitization of the youth.

Award Orientation for Teachers and Students

The NAA Team comprising Bivujit Mukhoty (Programme Manager) and Priyank Kumar Gupta (Head IT & ORB) visited Kasiga School, Dehra Dun on 8th October 2018. After the formal interaction and discussion with Nakul Raibahadur (Award Leader), the team delivered an orientation to the teachers and mentors. Nine teachers had attended the orientation session. In the late evening, the team delivered an orientation session for the students of grade 9 to 12, which was attended by over 150 students. After the session, there was a Question and Answer round where the students got answers to their queries.

ITAP Workshop amongst the Pine Hills of Solan

It was a wonderful experience to attend this 2 days ITAP workshop amidst the Pine Hills in Solan. It was filled with informative sessions. - Dina Nath, Camp in Charge, NALS Manali

It was one of the best Learning experiences! The purpose of the programme was achieved with expertise and precision. It has inculcated a positive highlight for proper planning and execution of handling the youth attending the Award Programme, with security and safety parameters in mind. I thoroughly enjoyed attending the event. And I want to thank IAYP for including me in the programme. - Sapan Pradhan, Director, Tread Trails Rejse Pvt Ltd.

The training was very helpful. It helped me to understand policies, procedures of IAYP and most importantly, the responsibility we have towards young adults. I wish we could have more workshops similar to this in future, and also anyone who is working with young adults in the wilderness should attend this training. - Jayant Solanki, INME

I got more than what I expected from the ITAP workshop at Pine Hills Eco Camp. The IAYP Team had all that we needed, it was well organised and informative. A must attend, for all who are involved in IAYP! - Jehangir Chinoy, Worldview Education Services Ltd.

A Report by Pallavi Gill

Amidst the cool hills of Solan, Himachal Pradesh, nestles the Pine Hill Eco Camp, the site for the ITAP Workshop. On the 4th of October, the camp was swarming with Award Leaders and Trainers from all corners of India to attend the Training. The Training saw Award Leaders from Renok Adventures, Allrounder, Rocksport, Inme Pvt. Ltd, Navrachana International School, Harvest International School, Oberoi International School, Symbiosis International School, Adventure Mantra Pvt Ltd, Worldview Education Services Pvt. Ltd., Pugmarks Eco Tours Pvt. Ltd., TREAD TRAILS REJSE Pvt Ltd., Homerton Grammar School, NALS Outdoors India Pvt Ltd., and Pine Hills Eco Camp, Chewa. After their long journeys by multiple modes of transport to the silent pine hills, the Award Leaders ate a hearty dinner and tucked themselves to sleep, gathering their strength for the Training that was to begin the next day.

The Training on 5th and 6th began early, with fun-filled warm-up exercises and escapades on the Rope Course, comprising knot bridge, commando net, Burma bridge, single rope bridge and many more. Post breakfast, the Award Leaders were trained on the Adventurous Journey and its requirements in the Award. From tent pitching, cooking, leadership training, safety measures and various action-oriented activities, the parameters of the Award was imparted to the Award Leaders. The Award Leaders were also briefed on the Residential Project, Risk Management and the procedures for filling in the Record Books.

The two-day training ended with huge smiles, wonderful memories and immense knowledge of the Award. The way back home was a little heavier, with fond memories and mostly, the aspiration and ambition to help provide the young people across India and the globe to experience and achieve the Award.

IAYP would like to thank the team at Pine Hill Eco Camp for their huge support and hospitality during the Training. We would also like to thank the Award Leaders who, with their vast creative insights, made the Training a success!

Click here for the pictures

We’re With IAYP in its Stride to Make a Difference

This report has been given by Divya Charnalia, an Award Leader who attended IAYP’s Training Workshop in Delhi. She narrates her personal experience of attending the workshop, while also voicing the experience of other Award Leaders.

On 14th and 15th September 2018 a training workshop was conducted at NAA Office, Delhi by the IAYP team comprising Mr Kapil Bhalla – the National Director, Mr Bivujit Mukhoty – the Programme Manager and Ms Pallavi Gill – the Programme Officer. It was essentially one of those sessions where you’re guided through the episode by being given a firsthand experience of the tasks and activities that the Award Participants would undertake.

The workshop commenced with an icebreaking session that addressed its purpose. We introduced ourselves, narrated our goals and expectations and formulated a motto. Following this, Mr Bhalla introduced the Programme and reiterated its ideology and philosophy. While highlighting the benefits of the Programme, Mr Bhalla also listed our responsibilities as Award leaders. What followed next was an elaborate session explaining the various facets of the Award Programme.

The second day started with a Physical Recreation activity of playing games like dodgeball and the sports alphabet. This way we became active witnesses to the fact that sports inculcate in us a spirit of teamwork, coordination and the will to better ourselves with each passing moment. Tripping and getting up with the same motivation and vigour, we were reluctant to leave the field. Similarly, the objective of the activity of the Skills section was to embolden us to own our skills and to celebrate them. Expressing our exhilaration at being able to showcase our unique talents, we couldn’t help but define the activity as ‘going back to our childhood’. The Residential Project for the Gold Award Participants with its central idea of an ‘unfamiliar environment’ and an ‘unusual companion’ was also explained. Another important aspect of the session was a discussion about the risks involved in the Adventurous Journey and the response mechanisms to deal with them. By narrating personal experiences, Mr Bivujit reiterated the dynamics of the Award Programme.

These two days were a roller-coaster ride, packed with fun activities and lessons to cherish for a lifetime. The aim of these activities was to enable us to step into the shoes of the Award Participants so that our relations with them could be more personal. The workshop stressed the important role that Award Leaders play as counterparts to the Award Participants in their journey. 

‘Engage. Equip. Empower. Reward.’ We went like plain sheets of paper to the workshop and these words seemed to have been printed in everlasting ink on us! Workshop pictures can be seen here.