Award Leader Training (YES) Workshop

The International Award for Young People India organized a two-day Award Leader training workshop on 26th -27th March 2015 at the Award Training Centre, New Delhi for 80 participants from various Institutions including Sunrise University, Alwar, Kasiga School, Dehra Dun; The Naz Foundation (I) Trust, New Delhi; Pt. Uma Dutt Public School, Dholpur and participants from the Open Award Centre.

In this experience sharing workshop, over the span of two days, the participants were given in-depth knowledge regarding the four domains of the programme i.e. Skills, Service, Physical Recreation and Adventurous Journey and also the Residential Project for the Gold Award Programme. The participants were also introduced to the technical aspects of the programme, which included Risk Management and Online Record Book (ORB).

The workshop was delivered by National Award Authority (NAA) India National Director Kapil Bhalla, Bivujit Mukhoty (Programme Manager), Priyank Kumar Gupta (Head IT & ORB) and Madhubala Sharma (Member National Training Panel). The programme concluded with the presentation of participation certificates to the participants by Kapil Bhalla.  Click for pictures

Award Leader Training Workshop at the Award Training Centre, New Delhi

The National Award Authority organized a National Award Leader Training Workshop at the Award Training Centre, New Delhi on January 13-14, 2015.  The sessions covered the four pillars of the Award i.e. Physical Recreation, Skills, Service and Adventurous Journey, as well as the Residential Project, Volunteering and Risk Management. The training was led by Kapil Bhalla (National Director), Bivujit Mukhoty (Programme Manager) and Pratibha Kumari Singh (Member National Training Panel).

The workshop was attended by eleven participants from the Future Hope School, Kolkata; Sat Paul Mittal School, Ludhiana; Mayor World School, Jalandhar; Ramagya School, Noida and Inside Passage, Dehra Dun.   Click for pictures

YES Training Workshop at Amity International School, Pushp Vihar, New Delhi

The National Award Authority organized an Award Leader Training Workshop at Amity International School, Pushp Vihar, New Delhi on December 29-30, 2014. Kapil Balla (National Director) started the workshop with an ice-breaking session and then introduced the Award to the participants. Over a span of two days at Amity International School, the participants were given in-depth knowledge regarding the four domains of the programme i.e. Skills, Service, Physical Recreation and Adventurous Journey and also the Residential Project for the Gold Award Programme. The participants were also introduced to the technical aspect of the programme, which included Risk Management and Branding. The workshop was delivered by Kapil Bhalla, Skand Bali (Head, National Training Panel) and Pratibha Kumari Singh (Member, National Training Panel). The trainers shared their own experience as trainers and Award Leaders and had an open discussion with the participants.  Click for pictures

10th National Award Leader Training Workshop in New Delhi

The National Award Authority organized a National Award Leader Training Workshop at National Training Centre, New Delhi on October 16-17, 2014. The sessions covered the four pillars of the Award i.e. Physical Recreation, Skills, Service & Adventurous Journey. Also other topics like Residential Project, Award Branding and Safety issues were conducted by Kapil Bhalla, National Director and Bivujit Mukhoty, Programme Manager.

The workshop was attended by ten participants from Delhi Public School, RK Puram; Amity International School, Pushpvihar; Amity International School, Saket; Cambridge School, Indirapuram; Amity International School, Mayur Vihar & Greenwood High, Bengaluru. The workshop completion certificates were presented to the Award Leaders by our National Director, Kapil Bhalla. 

Meet the water boy

Michael Phelps started swimming when he was still seven and ended up winning 22 Olympics medal, and hence the most decorated sportsperson in the history of Olympics. Shashwat Khemani also started swimming when he was seven and hence has a great future ahead in Indian Swimming. Read what he has to say about his passion:

An hour long swim routine for me is anything but tiring or exhausting it is in fact refreshing. I have been swimming for past twelve years.  I am from Sarala Birla Academy, Bangalore an all-boys residential school located in Bannerghata region of Bangalore. Under the able guidance of my coach Mr. Shashi, I have been able to win many laurels and merits in various inter-school and state level swimming championships conducted throughout Bangalore. I also represented a famous swimming club of Kolkata, the Calcutta Swimming Club participating in the intra-club swimming tournament. I have successfully participated in the swim-a-mile contest hosted by Calcutta Swimming Club on the occasion of Independence Day.  I have won the silver and the bronze medals at the Karnataka ICSE Schools Association (KISA) State level swimming competition, which was hosted by The Ryan International School in 2012 and Sports Mentor in 2013. After having successfully getting the bronze and silver stage, I am currently pursuing the Gold Award for International Award for Young People. 

Project Intervention

Students of St. Mary’s School Safdarjung went for a Residential Project at Azadpura village in Madhya Pradesh. For the students it was nothing close to any other educational project they attended before, they call it the Intervention project. Oxford defines intervention as any interference in the affairs of others, especially by one state in the affairs of another. For the participants intervention here meant taking the beneficiary’s perspective and expectations on the idea of building an educational hub for them.

Here is the experience shared by one of the participant from the Residential Project:

First day of the project was dedicated to acclimatizing ourselves to this new environment, the acclimatization included profiling the community by knowing their culture, their daily routine all this spread across all the age group and for both sex. The motive behind profiling was to weigh the reactions of the locals towards an external entity like us. The results were quite positive as we were able to narrow down to the appropriate locality and timing for setting up our project. As for the perspective of locals towards us was warm and welcoming, this gave us a morale boost and filled us with happiness even before we started the project. 

From the above profiling it was clear that targeting children between 3-5 years and their mothers was of highest priority. 3-5 years because that is the age group where depending on our qualification we would be able to provide them with the basic training such as verbal and motor training. As for their mothers, they were also a point of focus as children learn most from and listen most to their mothers. 

After consistent effort we were able to attract the children to the school, this involved jumping over the psychological walls created by the villagers and making them feel comfortable. At the start we made sure we involved the children in simple recreational activities with prime focus on motor and language skills. There were two important lessons for us to take home, first being, reputation is an important factor when it comes to interventions. Secondly, we also learnt to be sensitive when it comes to interacting with people from different cultures as it took us time to break our barriers of limitation in order to be one of them. Hence from this day onward we decided to devote quality time in reflection, self-introspection and planning for the next day.

With high expectation we started our next day with the aim of bringing in the mothers of 3-5 years children to the school. This turned out to be a much tougher task as the women were not ready to leave their household and delay their daily chores. That is when we realized we let over-confidence cloud our thought process, which is when we decided to get into immediate discussions to solve this problem. In order to tackle this problem we decided to put in extra effort in order to convince the women to leave their houses but this too didn’t help. Once we returned back to the school all battered and drained, not because we were tired but because we didn’t manage to complete day’s objective. To our surprise at the end of the day, 8-10 women did turn up at the school. Thoughts on schooling and its importance were discussed between us and the participating women. 

In spite of all the hurdles that we faced in the day, the major achievement was the active response of women and the confidence they showed to bring more women the next day. We also managed to get volunteers from among them to help us for the next day. It was a day of realization and self-reflection. We understood the importance of planning and that we should not have adopted a laid-back attitude after a minor achievement. Remaining day was spent on preparing for the next day which was the main day of INTERVENTION.

On the D-Day we felt more confident and organized. Firstly, we had our final recreational session which was specifically focusing on children’s cognitive and social development. Meanwhile we were also doing preparing for the upcoming volleyball match. The volleyball match was played between the two teams formed among the villagers of Azadpura. This was not just a mere match for us but the result of three days of our reputation building and execution of initiatives. We finally formed an effective recreational team. This was followed by the reception of women in huge number at the educational hub.  One volunteers supported us a

lot; it was her who made that extra effort to bring 40-45 women to the new school. She proved herself and was very confident & willing. We conducted circle time with them which addressed the need of being

responsible once the children are admitted in school. We also made them self-realize the importance of time by using the medium of role play. It was good to see that it was a two-way communication process as they suggested lot of trainings and courses that can be conducted for them in the school in near future. The thought and significance of ‘empowerment’ was well conveyed. We ended the day by giving recognition to all our volunteers and the teams in the form on certificates, cash prizes and small gifts. We were very glad to see that all our beneficiaries went happy with a promise that they will always support when required. The trust in their eyes was our real achievement. 

IAYP Residential Project 2014 gave us exposure to explore ourselves and to contribute towards a change. It made us more responsible and enlightened us on our role towards the economically disadvantaged. We learnt to work under limitations and deal with different people in difficult circumstances.   

   

Gold Award Ceremony 2014

Achieving your Gold Award is really a big step in your young life. It shows that you have the ability, focus and determination achieve. It shows you have done your share to achieve all-round development and at the same time open to learn from what your future has in-store for you. So it’s only right that you get a proper celebration for your achievement. Our Gold Award Ceremony are designed to celebrate this achievement.

We are happy to announce that S. Y. Quraishi, former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, has consented to presenting the Gold Awards to the successful participants at the Annual Gold Award Ceremony on July 7, 2014 at India International Centre, New Delhi.

You can soon expect to receive an invite to GAC 2014 and your presence will make this event worthwhile.

YES CENTRE AWARD LEADER TRAINING WORKSHOP

12th - 13th April 2014 at Father LeBlond School, Siliguri 

Two days Youth Engaging Society (YES) Centre Award Leader Training Workshop was held for nine students from Father LeBlond School, Siliguri and two teachers from Birla Divya Jyoti School, Siliguri. Niranjan P.Datta, Director, Father LeBlond School, Siliguri welcomed National Award Authority (NAA) India Programme Manager Bivujit Mukhoty by talking about the excitement among the school students who are part of The International Award for Young People (IAYP) Programme and also talked about the overall development he has witnessed among the students taking IAYP Programme. 

Award Leader showing her skills.

Rather than calling it a training workshop, Bivujit Mukhoty preferred calling it an experience sharing workshop. Over the span of two days at Father LeBlond School, the participants were given in-depth knowledge regarding the four domains of the programme i.e. Skills, Service, Physical Recreation and Adventurous Journey and also the Residential Project for the Gold Award Programme. Other than that the participants were also introduced to the technical aspect of the programme, which included Risk Management and Branding. Before meeting the teachers, NAA Programme Manager also held an orientation workshop for fifty students from Father LeBlond School to introduce them to the IAYP Programme. The workshop was delivered by Bivujit Mukhoty & Ranjana Rai (Member, National Training Panel & YES Centre Manager, The Assam Valley School, Balipara). The programme concluded with the presentation of participation certificates and badges to the participants by Mr. Datta. Click for pictures

Experiencing a new outlook towards camping

Rishikesh: An unforgettable experience.

Camping as an Adventurous Journey is not only about completing the required timescale that you need to complete your award but becomes much more fun when it is about learning about the nature and experiencing thrills that will help shape you into a better person. Here is an experience shared by Aishwarya Kakkar, a student of Delhi Public School, Gurgaon who for their Adventurous Journey went to the beautiful valley of Rishikesh.  

Pre-rafting talks delivered by professional trainers. 

The four day Adventurous Journey kick started on the night of 24^th October, where 92 students of the IAYP India Award Programme and 10 teachers left for Rishikesh. Little did we know the fun surprises that were waiting for us at Rishikesh.  Four hours into the journey, at around 2 am the buses stopped at ‘Subway’ for an early morning feast where we all ate to our tummy’s delight. The following days spent camping in Rishikesh was equally fun.  Activities such as rock climbing, rappelling, river rafting, trekking, beach volleyball and body surfing were planned for us.  Rafting being a new activity for majority of us was extremely thrilling.  We were lucky enough to experience rapids such as ‘three blind mice’ & ‘sweet sixteen’. Moreover, from time to time under the guidance of our leaders we were allowed to swim freely in the Ganges which altogether took our elation to a whole new level.  The warmth provided by the Sun in the afternoons was very comforting. The ideal weather also allowed us to enjoy the rest of the activities planned for us to their full extent. The adrenaline rush felt by each and every student during all these activities cannot be described in words. Though there were difficulties and fears faced by some of us whilst performing the activities but they were all erased by the welcoming and experienced instructors. We also played games and learned how to cook during a camping expedition. A 3 kilometers trek was arranged for us where we all learned a lot about our environment, its resources and its conservation in the most fun manner possible.  The students loved waking up to a beautiful sunrise, running on the white sand and quietly watching the sunset whilst sipping their hot tea. Singing, dancing and eating the yummy self-cooked food around the bonfire is a memory I will never let go of. During the night time we all used to gather around the bonfire which when complimented by the beautiful starry night sky helped us attain a state of bliss. Our trip to Rishikesh truly revamped our outlook towards camping.

The Studio

The Studio, is the modern training and resource centre for IAYP India. This new conference facility can house a maximum of 20 individuals and has all the IT and infrastructure for workshops and training. Located in Shahpur Jat, New Delhi, with ample parking and greenery, most inviting for all. The lanes of Shahpur Jat are a treasure trove too, small boutiques, eateries and even fast food cafes are all there.

Future Leaders : A Talent Development Initiative

HSBC believes in the Award Concept of individual challenge : to give the youth a balanced, non-competitive programme of voluntary activities to encourage the objectives of personal discovery and growth, self-reliance, perseverance, responsibility to themselves and of service to the community. HSBC India, as a licensed operating partner of IAYP India, is steaming ahead to “Equip for Life” their young employees by introducing the Award Programme in the Technology and Services Centre nation-wide.

The Award Leaders, identified Activity Coaches and Volunteers at the various HSBC Sites will provide the required guidance that will help the participants complete the Award successfully. This Pilot Project is an excellent opportunity to empower young professionals by allowing them to embark on a journey of self-discovery, add international recognition to their Resumes and prevent burn out from a high-paced work environment.

Governance of the Award in HSBC

An Award Leader or a Site SPOC at HSBC will monitor the entire Award Programme for all HSBC participants. Each participant will choose an activity from an already compiled list provided to them for the different sections of Service, Skill and Physical Recreation Service and share it with the Award Leader. The participant then becomes responsible to provide a detailed calendar of activities and goals to a related Activity coach for each chosen activity.

The sections of Adventurous Journey and Residential Project aimed at encouraging teamwork, developing interpersonal skills and broadening a participant’s experience in an unfamiliar environment work a little differently. Participants in teams choose the purpose of an Adventurous journey and/or the nature of a Residential Project with the Award Leader. The teams then finalise the plan, embark on a journey and complete the activity under the supervision of an assigned Assessor. Every participant, after the completion of either the journey or the project is required to write a report and share individual reflections in the Diary.

Participants’ Activity coaches at the site become mentors, assessors and guides of each participant’s progress to complete the Award. They will also review participants’ Diaries, maintained by every participant, in monthly meetings. Activity coaches will sign off the Record Book after the completion of Award requirements of each component.

HSBC with this “Equip for Life” initiative stresses the aim to Cherish Service and Relationship within its socially responsible corporate structure. The employees are indeed the backbone of a company and challenging the young professionals to complete the Award is an impeccable strategy to progress

CBT Workshop 2009, 9-11 Oct 2009 New Delhi

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS REGISTERED FOR CBT WORKSHOP 9-11 OCT 2009. PLEASE NOTE IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN NOMINATED BY A ZONE, YOU CAN APPLY TO THE NATIONAL OFFICE AND GET A NOMINATION FORM. YOU WILL ONLY BE WELCOME AT THE WORKSHOP IF YOUR APPLICATION IS ACCE...PTED AND CONFIRMED. SO FAR THE FOLLOWING ARE ATTENDING:


A R Parmeswaran
P A Srinivasan
R Elangovan
M Singarayan
Neena N Nath
Darshan Dahiya
Naval Singh
P P Vermani
Madhulika Bakshi
Usha Bhalla
Bishakha Banerjee
Chirantan Bhaduri
Kalyani Chakraborty
Kuntak Gupta
Dr. Tapti Dasgupta
Leon Blaise Pereira
Parag Fatehpuria
Fernandez Rita
Alok Virmani
Juzer A Shaikhally

CHEERS,
SANDEEP

sandeep.dutt@iayp.inRead more

Open Award Centre is now on!

The first OPEN AWARD CENTRE (OAC) has been inaugurated successfully at the Sri Aurobindo Society , on the 5th of September 2009.

The Agend of the meeting / launch ceremony:
1. Orientation for the new AWARD participants.
2. Enrolment at the OAC.
3. Plan for the Award Holders Association (AHA).

The meeting itself saw hoardes of participants and volunteers alike.

The students and staff members of the society also attended the ceremony with abundant enthusiasm. It started with a formal introduction and a speech by the head of the society, Mrs. Daljeet Wadwa.

Mr. Sandeep Dutt then officially introduced the programme to the audience. Starting with light discussion about the achievements and goals of IAYP so far, he moved on to explain the role of the programme.
“It is in fact 90% trust and 10% effort. It can find even that tiny miniscule of positive energy in you and enlarge it to that degree that it makes you do grand things. And you will be left with glorious
memories that will last you a lifetime. Why did the award come into being?? It is simply there because we want to motivate you, want you to enjoy the present moment and get rewarded for it, thereby making your life somehow more meaningful. It is presented to you not because you secured the highest position or the grand trophy but because you are showing an initiative. You come first , you receive the award .. you come last , you STILL receive the award . Because you get rewarded for doing whatever it is that you are doing , in a positive way.” Thus by captivating the crowd with his speech which was delivered in a jocund manner , he proceeded to inform the audience about the required fields of the award.

Next, Saachi Sarin, enlightened the audience about her experience receiving the gold. This
programme is considered the highest accolade for an achiever.

Moreover the institute members also showcased many dance pieces, plays and instrumental performance to entertain the crowd.

Following this the interested candidates were registered for the programme and briefed about the coming events. All in all it was a fruitful day.

We are most grateful to Ms. Daljeet Wadwa, Directos of SAIMA, for not only being our host but for assuring us of full support towards the OAC project.

Karisma Rawat