Congratulation Ms Priyo Lall on Receiving The Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award 2014

The Award family wishes to congratulate Ms Priyo Lall (YES Centre Manager and Director Special Education, Raphael, Dehra Dun) on receiving The Rajiv Gandhi Manav Sewa Award from the President of India Mr. Pranav Mukherjee on 14th November 2014, for services rendered for the welfare of children.  In pursuance of its policy to support and encourage voluntary action, and in memory of the later Prime Minister, Shri Rajiv Gandhi, the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India instituted this award in 1994 to honour individuals who make outstanding contributions towards service for children, including children with various kinds of disabilities. The sole basis for selection is the quality of work performed by the individual for the cause of children. Voluntary action has a special place in the nation's effort for promoting the well being of children and the Award seeks to grant recognition for individual excellence in such voluntary services.  We are proud of her association with us.

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.   

   

Regional Training Workshop

November 23, 2009 RTW begins!

The Asia Pacific Regional Director of the International Award for Young People Ms. Sue Walker and her team- Delia, Peter, Rob and Katherine visited us at the IAYP National Office on November 23, 2009. They enjoyed a small presentation about the Open Awards Center and its scope of attracting the target group of youth aged 18-25 put together by Award Volunteers Nikhil and Uttarkarsh. Sue mentioned that she enjoyes the newly renovated office, the old home of Book Cafe. Many thanks to Book Cafe for moving two doors down here at the commerial complex at Shahpur Jat and generusly providing the National Office its first office space!

Sue and her team took in a quick lunch prior to packing in a quick trip on the Delhi Metro to the Delhi University, with assistance from newly inducted volunteer Nivedita.

The delegates from the countries of Pakistan, Australia, South Korea, Malaysia and Sri Lanka have begun arriving to the their hotel the United Services International. Much appreciation for all the planning efforts done by the entire team at IAYP Delhi. As we look forward to an entire week of training, networking and diverse participation, hopes to make the IAYP venture a successful worlwide become stronger!

Read on for more details....

To all Member schools / Award units and Operators

Dear Award Friends and Supporters;

This is an open letter to all our Award Units and Volunteers, first to thank them for the continued support for the Award Programme, and to apprise all that IAYP India is now all set to grow from strength to strength.

India is youth and youth is India!
A young nation, with the largest youth force in the world, poised to make this century ours. Brand India today is the flavour of the season, the meteoric rise of the services sector and the need for knowledge capital has made India shine on the world map, and this is the opportunity for the Award Programme to build on.

Not many are perhaps aware that the Award Programme in India commenced in the year 1962, and am certain near 2,00,000 lac or maybe more, have either participated or volunteered to build the programme over the years. Some say the Award Programme is perhaps the best kept secret!

A conscious effort is being made by the full Award team to roll out the Development Plan 2010 – 2013, and build up to 5,00,000 participants in the near future. A big capacity building and training initiative is in the offing; the focus now is not only on the 14 -18 year olds at schools, but also on the 18 – 25 in the colleges, corporate and social organizations. We need to work with a mission to bridge the social divide and help young Indians live their dreams.

The national office is now functional and the first Open Award Centre, for the college going and other youth was inaugurated at Sri Aurobindo Society in New Delhi, on the 5th of September 2009, to commemorate Teachers Day and keep the spirit of the ‘guru’ vibrant.

For more and other exciting opportunities, please follow us on http://www.iayp.in/ .
We are also on FACEBOOK, www.facebook.com/iayp.in
To keep you updated with news and plans there is a blog http://www.brewingknowledge.com/

We are there to win hearts and partner for the spirit that keeps everyone youthful. Please share the information with volunteers and the youth. You are most welcome to drop by at our office or email Sandeep.dutt@iayp.in .

Let us join hands and challenge young people everywhere!

Yours truly,

Sandeep Dutt
National Director
International Award for Young People, India

The Award this Week

TATW top stories:

• The Trustees meeting
• Award Volunteers Meeting 26th July 2009
• The Open Award Centre
• The NTW Coimbatore - Train the Trainer
• "Role of Volunteers" - New Delhi workshop

 

1. Trustees support the Development Plan

 

The most important event of the week was the Trustees meeting at Mumbai, held on the 22nd of July 2009. There was a broad consensus on the draft Development Plan. For this we need to thank all the members of the Award Programme Foundation Trust.

 

• Aim

 

Make IAYP, India a premier youth programme for inclusive social growth.

• How we will do this?

 

1. Set up Open Award Centres – to facilitate build up of Volunteers and encourage the participation of youth in the 18 - 25 age groups.

 

2. Programme inclusion by enrolling more students from vernacular / government schools, from the current near 375 largely private sector schools.

 

3. Raise the annual enrolments for the program from 15000 to 500,000 in Year 3 of operation

 

4. Set in place a mechanism for fund raising; have Friends of the Award.

 

5. Partner with other NGOs, Volunteer groups and even look at the PPP Model for build up. Use the CSR approach and the Community outreach.

 

6. Set up a national centre that can undertake training for volunteers and award leaders from India and the APAC (ASIA PACIFIC) region.

 

• The role out

 

1. Plan that raises enrolments in stages.

 

2. Set-up volunteer committees that comprise eminent personalities in the various streams.

 

3. Have in place one national centre.

 

 

• 1. Raise enrolment in stages

 

Year 1:

 

70,000 (set forth the seed in model government and vernacular schools; spend time in getting model right for mass implementation; work out sponsorships/ third party funding routes)

 

Year 2:

 

200,000 (massive rollout, focus on timely and accurate implementation on a mass scale)

 

Year 3:

 

500,000 (massive rollout)

This has to be broad based in terms of geography, mix of students, gender. Should not be heavily biased towards anyone area. Further the roll out will be at a measured pace and will be governed by the availability of resources. The APF welcomed the idea of NLO - National License Operators and encouraged the NAA to build the programme on a franchise model with partner bodies.

• 2. The select volunteer committees

 

A. Industry
B. Brand and Communication
C. Educationists

  

• A. Industry

 

Representatives from one or two industry bodies such as CII, TiE etc., banking industry (SBI)

 

The Industry body will communicate with their member/affiliate network in procuring assignments for the volunteers across different industries/service firms as well as tap on to the CSR initiatives of different business entities across India.

 

Need to create programs that dovetail into organisations. For example -- SBI is big on rural banking and reaches out to many communities in far off areas. Plan specifically for SBI so that they can absorb students in bulk.

 

• B. Brand and Communication

 

Youthful Brand ambassadors that are publicly known who actually completed the course, Branding and Communication specialists including those in non English streams, one or two large media houses that can provide coverage for free across regional media.

 

The Brand and Communication team will be responsible for creating brand awareness of IAYP, keeping a strong communication with existing enrolments to further awareness within the student community, work on media coverage across modes of media, create content namely brochures/pamphlets to reach out to government/vernacular schools in the latter language.

 

 

• C. Educationists

 

Eminent hardworking educationists; who have the clout / connect with leading government / private education systems. The Educationists will be people who are well connected to schools across different geographies and can open doors for you. This has to dovetail into the numbers/geographies that you are tapping in the strategy highlighted above.

 

• 3. The National Centre
The centre has to be one fixed place that is needed 365 days a year, but at start could NOT be a fixed place; can be used as and when the need arises for a program.

 

 

2. Meeting of the Delhi AV Team

 

Award Volunteers Team scheduled for today, 26th July 2009 at Barista, Connaught Place, New Delhi 110001. Excitement in the air, and expect a good response.

  

AGENDA

 

Make an Executive Team and nominate Award Leaders for colleges

Work on the AHA (Award Holders Association) formation

Workshop plan - ROLE OF VOLUNTEERS

Events and opportunities for the Award Volunteers

Discuss the idea of the Award Holders Summit in December 2009 at British Council

 

3. National Workshop at Coimbatore

9-11 October 2009. The venue is Chinmaya International School.

 

Concept

TRAIN THE TRAINER

 

Participation in Coimbatore:

Total 30 = North, West & East will have 5 each, 5 for NAA and 10 for South

30 numbers includes faculty and trainers (NAA 5 will cover that).

The faculty will have two Award Volunteers, two trainers and one Director.

 

The Trustees of the APF have nominated the National Director to be the QA (Quality Assurance) Member on the trainer’s faculty, for the Coimbatore workshop.

 

The Zones are free to decide the five participants and may need to do rail bookings ASAP. Zones to please start the search for the 5 participants in each zone. The South will have 10 nominations.

 

4. Role of Volunteers

 

NAA will conduct an add-on session to the Coimbatore Workshop in Delhi and focus on "Role of Volunteers". The workshop will help draft the Volunteer Management Policy.

  

This initiative is being chaired by Mrs. Lata Vaidyanathan and Malini will help in execution please.

 The AV Team and partner agencies will work together; the event will be in September 2009

  

5. Regional Training Workshop

 

Nominations called for RTW 2009 in November, last date is 1st Sept 2009.

 Asia Pacific Regional Training Workshop, New Delhi India, 23-29 November 2009

 Theme: Define The Future. The Award and National Development.

 

RTW will carry forward youth engaging in society, an umbrella challenge for the Region 2009-10.

 

1. Format & Key Topics

The RTW will incorporate group work, case studies, presentations and subject matter experts on how to best engage and add value to these six (6) sectors:

 

Education/academic

Local community

Youth

Government

NGO/international sector

Industry

 

2. The Participants (Selection Criteria)

 

The participants sought for RTW2009 will have to be experienced hands and individuals with roles in policy, administration and youth engagement in the Zones.

 

We are seeking participants with a demonstrated interest and/or involvement in extending the Award into the wider community to meet a higher need.

 

The RTW 2009 participants from each Zone (two per zone) will work in six pre-selected groups. Each delegate will be asked to give inputs as a part of the RTW2009 registration process, and be involved in one or more of the six sectors and area of particular interest. The need for previous experience is important.

 

6. The NAA plan for 2009-10

 

August 09 - Open Award Centre, Delhi

September 09 - Role of Volunteers, workshop at Delhi

October 09 - Train the Trainer, Workshop at Coimbatore (9-11 October)

November 09 - Regional Training Workshop at New Delhi

December 09 - Award Holders Summit

January 10 - Annual National Workshop, host South Zone at Ooty

February 10 - Award partners meeting at Delhi

March 10 - proposed National Directors Strategic Alliance meeting.

 

7. Facebook and the website

 We now have 285 fans and friends on Facebook. (www.facebook.com/iayp.in)

 Website is building up and we are now ready to accept advertisements for http://www.iayp.in/

 Your blog offers information and updates http://www.bookspro.in/

 

 8. PR and Meetings this week

 

21st July: CCS School, Mumbai - meeting of the Zone representatives with the National Director

22nd July: The APF Trustees meeting in Mumbai

22nd July: Archanna Das, VP HSBC Team to work on partnering for the 18-25 employees.

22nd July: Aparna Dubey an award holder in Mumbai, to brainstorm and work on business development.

23rd: Tel con with HSBC Team and the International Council Brand Task Force

 

25th: Informal meeting with Sir Richard Stagg the British High Commissioner in India. Hon'ble HC offered full support and assured us use of services of the  British Council for the developement of IAYP.

 

9. What is in store next week?

 

Visit of National Director to London for the IC Brand Task Force and a visit to the International Secretariat. Followed by a two day stop over to catch breath in Dubai!

 
More from Dubai next Sunday....Cheers!