Life After Gold

Arunish Singh, Gold Award Holder from Welham Boys' School, Dehra Dun sharing his experience during his Award Journey for all three levels.

Don't live life as it is meant to be lived.  Change its course to the harsh and the mildest of conditions and you will see the wonders of life! I have always been actively involved in all spheres of my school life. IAYP was one of them and I must say the experience has been very enriching. Even on having achieved the Gold Award of the International Award for Young People I do not feel content. I say so because during the past three years I have worked to achieve these three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards; I have been from the harshest climatic conditions during my Adventurous Journey trek to the harshest human conditions during my Service. The Skill and Physical Recreations were not something I was compelled to do. I was blessed to be in one of the nation's finest schools, Welham Boys' where all the criteria to be an Award holder of the IAYP did not make us take a harsh route.

The school trained us from the very beginning to be involved in all spheres of life primarily because it's a boarding school. Day boarders and people who are not a part of such institutes might have found it very difficult to achieve the IAYP standards. This Award gave me an objective to work upon. And still there is so much to learn and so much to conquer.

IAYP helps us embark on a journey of learning and discovery which takes us beyond the classroom. And indeed teaches us all the values and qualities of a gentleman and a good human being that we are meant to learn in a class. Our mentor Mr. Laxman Singh who introduced the IAYP to our school motivated us immensely. With his support we always worked beyond the time limit because he taught us on our journey to accomplish the Awards that the Award should not be our main objective; the learning will eventually help us shape our future and guide us through the storms of life. In the words of Mark Twain he taught us that "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream. Discover."

India - Sri Lanka Youth Exchange (ISYE) Programme

The Audacious Dreams Foundation, India in association with National Youth Services Council (NYSC), Ministry of Youth Affairs, Govt. of Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth Youth Council (CYC) are jointly hosting the India-Sri Lanka Youth Exchange (ISYE) Programme which is to be held in Sri Lanka from 5th to 12th July 2015.
The ISPG award aspirants are participating in this Global Understanding and Sustainable Development (GUSD) programme. Audacious Dream Foundation extends an opportunity to invite IAYP students all around India to participate in the ISYE programme. During this exchange programme the participants will have the opportunity to interact with the Hon. Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Youth Affairs Minister and other dignitaries.
The GUSD programme India-Sri Lanka Youth Exchange 2015 will give an opportunity to unleash the potential of our India-Sri Lanka youth to empower themselves and the community around them. This GUSD visit will help the fellow youth to foster peace talks, civic responsibility, cultural understanding, and policy exchange through communication, rich diverse experience, field visits etc.  This is an opportunity for youth to develop and engage with societal issues and be new generation change agents.

Participants doing the Award Programme anywhere in India are encouraged to apply with their updated profile and a one-page motivation letter on why they wish to apply for the GUSD programme. Selected participants will be provided with partial scholarship to participate in this event.  For more information, please get in touch with Dinesh Gajendran

Gender Diversity Empowerment Project

The Skills Development programme of the Gender Diversity Empowerment Project under the aegis of the International Special Project Grants is running successfully in West Bengal. Adrija Chatterjee, Award Leader reported that 15 Award participants from different rural and marginalised areas of West Bengal are participating in the Skill Development programme. The project team opened a special section in a shop on 21st April, 2015 to sell imitation jewellery and handmade items on a regular basis in Kolkata. The small store was appreciated by the local people and the team welcomes over 20 guests on the first day. The Award Programme Foundation congratulates the particiants, Award Leaders and friends of the Award for making this project a success, with the hope that this programme would help participants to use this skill as their Life Skill.

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Experience of IAYP...

Shivani Verma, from Jodhamal Public School, Jammu shares her Silver Journey experience with the Award family.
Since childhood I have been interested in painting and it was thanks to the IAYP that I had a platform to display my talent which was widely appreciated by my teachers. I have always been a shy person but participating in the IAYP programme helped me overcome my shyness and also prove my worth as a good artist. IAYP activities helped me hone all spheres of my personality from my speaking skills to confidence level.  So, I am really thankful for this great opportunity through which I discovered my true potential as a person as well as an artist.
Even the adventure camps opened new horizons for me because of which I came closer to nature, capturing through my paintings, the beauty that I saw around me. I hope you appreciate my paintings and feelings behind it.  And the credit obviously goes to IAYP. IAYP taught me to "Dream big and be realistic because the sky has no limit".

Returning home

Ayushi Atri, Silver Award holder from Jodhamal Public School, Jammu took up painting as her Skill.  Ayushi shared some of her paintings with us.  In her own words, Ayushi describes one of the paintings which she is sharing with the Award family.
This beautiful piece of art describes the scene after sunset..... when all the birds and other creatures are returning to their homes after the sunset....... this painting tells us the importance of home when all the creatures return to their homes after a full day of hard work for their family. Everyone feels a sense of safety in their home...... so this painting tells us the importance of shelter for every creature through a midnight scene after dusk when all the birds are flying back to their shelter, taking food or to meet their loved ones.

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