In 1990, 30 youth from various colleges in Chandigarh started a newspaper named Yuvsatta, which means youth power. The newspaper evolved into an organization (registered in 1996) that steers young people towards voluntary individual & community action.
Today, Yuvsatta is primarily a volunteer-run organization with a permanent staff of 20.
Yuvsatta’s activities are concentrated in Chandigarh. Activities vary from promoting: (a) peace education through peace clubs in schools and colleges; (b) environmental responsibility by advocating the use of bicycles and love for trees; and (c) public health awareness through initiatives focusing on HIV/AIDS, drug de-addiction, and counseling. The eclectic array of projects represents the breadth of Yuvsatta’s vision and its holistic perspective of development. Yuvsatta appreciates that economic, social and personal factors are inextricably linked and should be addressed simultaneously to have more impact.
In an endeavour to create a sense of ownership, responsibility and belonging for the youth, Yuvsatta started Jugnu, a monthly wall newspaper, designed to be displayed and read in public places. Published by children of Bapu Dham Colony, a slum settlement in Chandigarh, the newspaper is the children’s first lesson in participation, self-expression and grassroots democracy.
In 2007, Yuvsatta started an all-girls cricket team in the Bapu Dham colony. Prior to playing on the team, the girls had limited outside exposure to the possibilities for their own development. In addition to giving them a structured space to play cricket daily, this program has helped promote literacy and life skills training.
In the same year, Yuvsatta launched the Kitab Ghar (or house of books) to promote reading, inculcate morals, and improve educational outcomes of the children. Thanks to efforts by volunteers around the world, Kitab Ghar holds approximately 2,500 books – with subjects ranging from basic science to English to animation series.
In addition to these activities, Yuvsatta also organizes international conferences on peace-related topics. With the support of the state government, they have co-organized HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns in various slum communities of Chandigarh.
Need for Project:
To encourage holistic development of the children living in Bapu Dham, Yuvsatta started a volunteer-run library. Yuvsatta procured several hundred books with the help of funds raised by volunteers of ‘Be the Cause‘, ‘Children’s Suitcase Library’ and members of Yuvsatta. Books available vary from story books to animation series, books on basic science, computers and spoken English. Children have to pay a nominal fee of Rs.10 for membership to ensure ownership and responsibility from their side. Kitab Ghar currently has 300 members.
In addition to being a library, Yuvsatta also uses this space to celebrate birthday parties, cultural events and conduct English and math tuitions for the children thrice a week.
Yuvsatta now hopes to make this library a centre of activity in the community, where people can come together, engage in constructive dialogue, build strong bonds and encourage community led action.
As an August 2010 Indicorps Fellow, you will infuse the Kitab Ghar with energy and make it a popular hub for the community. There are three different layers to this project.
Popularizing Kitab Ghar:
You will need to think of creative ways to increase the Kitab Ghar traffic. Poetry recitals, literary events, book readings, and cultural performances could make Kitab Ghar a vibrant hub of community activity. You can also conduct focused theme weeks with poster competitions, debates, guest speakers and documentary screenings. Book fairs, discussion groups, and family memberships could all attract more members to the Kitab Ghar.
As you increase the foot traffic to Kitab Ghar, you should simultaneously conduct book donation drives to collect new reading materials and resources to share with new members. Conducting book donation drives may be a great way to involve housing societies, as well as college and corporate groups. You should also assist the volunteers create a system to accommodate the inflow of new books into the Kitab Ghar collection.
Tuition Program:
You will strengthen and expand the existing English and math tuition program being conducted at Kitab Ghar. At present, 40-50 children attend these tuition classes. However, classes are not formally structured and attendance is irregular.
You may want to start by understanding the children’s motivation to attend these classes. Why is English and math important to them? Why is it important to develop/improve their ability in these subjects? You may also want to interact with their parents to understand their point of view.
Next, you may want to find creative ways to enroll more children in the tuition program, and ensure regular attendance of the existing ones. Making classes more interesting, using games and interactive learning techniques could be one way of doing so. You may also want to raise awareness in the community about the importance of education. Organizing extra-curricular activities like picnics, excursions, and competitions for the tuition children could be an additional incentive for children to attend classes regularly.
Finally, you will formalize the tuition program at Kitab Ghar. You may want to create a formal time-table, segregate classes according to age-groups, and ensure a regular flow of volunteers teaching the classes.
Volunteer Program:
You will manage the current volunteer system as well as recruit and engage more volunteers at Kitab Ghar. This could begin with an understanding of the number of existing volunteers and their reasons for staying connected. Understanding what drives them will help you devise an outreach mechanism that draws other like-minded citizens to the fold.
You will create systems for (a) orientation of new volunteers and (b) training and development of the experienced cadre. Keeping the collective energy and enthusiasm of volunteers high and constructively engaged would mean collaborating with the range of Yuvsatta programs. An itinerary with the range of events and related volunteer needs will help you effectively channelize the flow of volunteers. A database with relevant information of the volunteers could help Yuvsatta stay in touch with them. Events that celebrate the volunteer’s contribution will be very essential to keep the drive intact and further propel them for more action.
Target Community:
The Bapu Dham colony consists of migrant labourers from neighbouring cities and states, and their families. Majority of the population are daily wage earners in the nearby grains, vegetables and transportation markets. The population of the colony is approximately 50,000.
Objectives:
• To popularize the Kitab Ghar through engaging, creative, and socially aware activities
• To create a curriculum for orientations, trainings, and workshops for volunteers
• To manage and expand current volunteer system
• To strengthen and expand the English and math tuition classes
Challenges:
• Building sense of responsibility in the volunteers
• Managing an eclectic spread of events at Kitab Ghar
Team-Based Model:
Each Indicorps 2010 project is designed as a three-way partnership between you, Indicorps, and a partner organization. Each partner organization – in this case Yuvsatta – will be hosting 2-4 Fellows. Consequently, the August 2010 Fellowship will have both an individual and a team component.
As a team of Indicorps Fellows, your focus is to revitalize Yuvsatta’s core activities. Team members will focus on different areas including development and implementation of the peace clubs program and enhancement of the community library to better serve the needs of the slum children.
You will be living in a shared accommodation. Simple vegetarian food will be provided. You will be expected to do you own laundry and chores, and assist with team responsibilities. Internet and international calling facilities are easily available in Chandigarh. For local transportation, you will be using government buses or bicycles. Chandigarh is connected to Delhi by the road and railway network. Delhi is well connected to the rest of the country by the railway network.
The language spoken at Yuvsatta is Hindi and Punjabi. For this project, a basic knowledge of Hindi is required. If you do not have basic knowledge of Hindi, you can still apply if you can commit to learning the language before the start of your Fellowship year.
Describe a time when you have had to accomplish a goal in an unstructured environment where numerous projects were running concurrenty. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them? How effective were you in achieving your aim?
2.
How did your local library play a role in your life when you were growing up? Why is it important for children to have access to books and a space to read?
3.
Describe a time when you felt unmotivated. How did you overcome this feeling? What tools do you plan on using to sustain your motivation during the Fellowship year?
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