Monday, October 24, 2011

Youthful Nation


Power of Sports for Development (S4D) 

The nation is always young and has many of us in transition. The young aspire for a better world the nations must evolve and keep up with the needs and aspirations of the youth. Youth development is really the crux of nation building, the country that takes care of the young people develops and goes on to become not only rich in wealth and culture but evolves as a real welfare state. There is thus the necessity of having a healthy and more fit young populace. The core of the youthful nation will only be strengthened by promoting physical recreation in the life of the young people.

Education many a times is touted and promoted as literacy; promotes the need to read and write for a better future, this is not enough.
 We need thinking and understanding and that is really the bottom line for a better future. There is the growing need for mentors to help the young, empower them to live in harmony with nature, encourage them to serve the community and more so be physically fit and better skilled than simply educated in the read and write way. We all have to work to equip for life the young, challenge them to achieve their true potential and keep the nation young, dynamic and on the growth path always.

India's rise in economic terms is closely linked to the youth power, and all investments in building youth capital will help the young equip for life. Yes, inclusive growth the mantra of governments is enshrined on building up the quality of life for the young people, and we all need to partner to help the young achieve their true potential. How do we do this? Let us invest in our youth and help them all live a healthy life. The best investment in youth will be in the form of pushing sports, not necessarily at the professional level, but for better health and wellbeing, we have endless research to show that poor health will not give us the desired academic results. India today needs to give same regard to sports as it does to any of the key economic activity that generates the millions for the states exchequer.

What does industry mean? Wikipedia refers industry as an activity that brings about the production of an economic good or service within an economy. An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the laborcapital and land resources; and the manufacturingtradedistribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area. An economy may also be described as a spatially limited and social network where goods and services are exchanged according to demand and supply between participants by barter or a medium of exchange with a credit or debit value accepted within the network. Sport very much fulfils this criterion, and for the youthful nation must thus be regarded as an industry and a major service that adds to the GDP of a nation. Any nation that uses sport as a development plank not only has a healthy lifestyle, is a youthful nation in itself. These nations today are major economic powers and believe in their young people.

Physical recreation with its emphasis on both individual sport and team games is designed to build the sinews as well as team spirit. Learning to function together with other to build a team is an invaluable art. Beyond just being an industrious activity, sport is the biggest catalyst in nation building, and is the best way for social inclusion and economic development. A nation must stay young to lead in the world, and the best way is to use sport as a key development initiative. Many developed nations have even used a term of military / services training as a compulsory activity for the youth, they thus work to build on achieving the goal of inculcating patriotic sentiment, but more is done to encourage physical fitness and the love for the outdoor. All this helps the young people to be equipped for life, and this again is the only way to build a better citizenry.

The International Award for Young People (IAYP), is a tool to ‘equip for life’ young people in India and a major components of the programme are targeted at using sport and outward bound activity as key enablers. The Award Programme is the most adaptable and successful youth empowerment program. We have no religious, political or strategic affiliations. We have an established capacity for identifying hard issues and challenges associated with youth. Schools, youth organisations, community groups, correctional services, employers and government departments nationwide use the Programme framework. Around the world, over 130 countries use this model for positive youth empowerment. We draw together and connect people, institutions and generations with the common purpose of youth development and inclusion. IAYP is the Programme of choice for over 9 million people in the world today.

The prescription for a youthful nation is only one, challenge young people everywhere. The vision of any sport for development initiative should be to equip for life all young Indians and to help achieve their full potential. We see the possibility of a nation where every school offers young Indian the opportunity to be rewarded for challenging themselves, rewarded for engaging with adult mentors, rewarded when finishing school, and rewarded for giving back to their communities. This really is the spirit for a youthful nation. We all need to ensure that we work to create best ecosystem to enable our youth, and there is no better way to do this than making sport for development a key agenda in all our initiatives.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

DofE.IN Server Sign-in restricted


Due to security reasons, we need to control access on the DOFE.IN Server, we will need to now have ONLY NAA team log in please.

YES Centres need to use their own personal emails please. No YES Centre will get a DOFE.IN email address please. We are bound by guidelines and Programme needs as per the IAA code of security, thus restrictions on log-in and server use please.

Thank you for understanding our limitations and we hope to offer continued support with more resources on the Blog and Facebook.

Cheers,

Sandeep Dutt
National Director




The age levels for participation?

For Bronze level, if a young person is slightly younger than 14, but is part of a peer group where the majority are 14 or older, then the National Award Authority (NAA) may exercise some discretion to allow that / those young persons to start the Bronze Award with the rest of the group. The starting age should not go below 13 ½ years. The participants time however will only count from 14 years and completion should not be earlier than 14 ½ years.

Maximum age to participate?
The maximum age to participate in this Award program is 25 years. 

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Arunav Deka, Bronze Award participant from YES Centre Assam Valley School shares his passion for music and the belief The Award has brought him


The only power I believe in…Music

I used to be a regular person with no aim in life, with no clue of where this circle of life would lead me. But it all just came to place when I began to take things seriously; I knew what I was passionate about, what would lead me to be someone I can be proud about.

It was the music, an art of meditation, a power which expressed me every time I wanted to be heard.

A voice that consoled me every time I was upset with the something or the other. A melody which brought a smile to many faces. A path which inspires many to come along with me or besides me. Those who simply heard me, reflected their beliefs on me.

"Music brought a lot of change in my life, making it more systematic, pragmatic and worth living."

And there’s another worth I have made in this phenomenal gyre of learning is enrolling in the Bronze Award this year . It has helped me strengthen my capabilities to seek opportunities and open many doors, I look forward to becoming a master of, in the years to come.

While I continue my search, I hope to learn more and seek every oppourtunity to learn from the activities of The Award in my School and outside.

"I want to explore the possibilities through the Award, learning music and exploring my strengths... here I strive to a new beginning."

Saturday, October 15, 2011

India Special Projects 'Runaway to Susunia' for an adventurous expedition


Dates : 26-29th Sept,2011.

College was on. Each day was becoming an identical experience.Calling my schedule ''boring'' might also put the word itself to shame. I was waiting desperately for the much needed break to get back to ''life'' and like always Mr. Bivujit Mukhoty- Programme Manager came to my rescue.On a very fine morning I got a call from Sir asking if I could be willing to go on camp to Susunia.The reply was an obvious one.

So all the planning began. We ran to All Bengal Women Union and Sarada Math-IAYP India Special Projects several times to give them the camp details.Every participant was duly informed.

The train was at 0600hrs on 26th September. I clearly remember having told Asim Sir to pick me up while going. And much to my surprise, rather ''shock'', Sir had FORGOTTEN. So at 0530hrs I was standing 5kms away from station, with my mum screaming at me, not knowing how to reach Howrah in less than 30 minutes.  There began the fun.Years of camping practice, learning to respond spontaneously to any situation came to use!! I quickly took a bus and thank god for the rush driving, I reached the station 10 mins before the train was to leave. I managed to get the train to Chatna Station.

The sun was blazing hot. Soon our jeeps arrived and we got on to them,fighting for the window seat like always.The cool breeze hit our face once the jeep started moving.We reached the camp site at about 1200hrs.

Now the much practiced activities began.There was the introductory session on the Award, Tent pitching, map sessions, rope knots, survival, first aid. All of this was coupled with the delicious camp food, SPECIALITY: CAMP RICE (somehow the same rice cooked from the same grains of rice is not quite the same,if you know what I mean!).The following two days were fun packed with activities and trekking. 

We trekked to far off places, went to our favorite spots, spent hours talking to the villagers, went to see Ashoka's depict (something that Susunia is known for ), blamed the Indian Govt for not taking adequate care of our historic monuments, took a bath for hours in the fountain water, took photos of every possible thing (be it rock or animal).

And then finally it was time for my favorite activity,Rock Climbing and Rappelling. It was about a 400 ft rock almost with a 90 gradient. Anal sir climbed it without any difficulty. He is ''The Spiderman'' of our group. Then I went up. The place looked beautiful from the top.As far as the sight went,there was only forest. Everybody did rock climbing and came down rappelling.After I came down, I felt as though a stone was lifted from my heart. Such is always the reaction after I complete rappelling each time! Then while returning through the dense forest,we lost out trail. It had rained for several days and the wild plants had grown without any consideration for our path. Our trail was completely covered. Somehow by tearing through the leaves, removing the brushes,getting hurt by thorns,slipping on the rocks we managed to reach our campsite.

With that ended all the fun and excitement for the camp.We had to return the next day,going back to the city was babbling with joy for the Pujas!

Anwesha Ghosh,
Gold Award holder-2011

Award India: Happy to help!

Award India: Happy to help!

Happy to help!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Shraddha Jain- Gold Holder and IAYP India AV Intern shares her Award journey


My Award journey was very enjoyable! 

I started my Bronze Award in 2006 and received my Gold Award in 2011 from the Welham Girls' School, Dehradun. During this period, I experienced and participated in numerous activities, I’d never have otherwise done. I used to visit an Old-Age home regularly as a part of the Service Component of My Award. Social service moved me so much, I’m now actively involved with a group that raises funds for NGOs. 

Through my journey, or should I say, because of the Award, I discovered the skills I never knew I had. I practised movie-making and editing as a Skill for the Award. I’m using the same skill today as an intern for Award India by producing digital media to reach out to the masses.

Somewhere along the lines, I shed my insecurity and gained enough confidence. The Award is certainly the most fun way for the youth to learn the value of community work and much more! I stayed for five nights in a village in Uttaranchal where I did everything, ranging from cooking to milking the cows and working in the fields! That is probably my most memorable trip.

I am happy to contribute as much as I can to the Award. As a first year Economics Honours student at Hindu College, University of Delhi, I look forward to introducing The Award to my peers, colleagues, friends and superiors at my college.. I’d like it if every member of the youth is a Gold Holder!


- Shraddha Jain, Photo

Thursday, October 6, 2011

'Getting to the Award'- personal experiences by Manan Mipun, Gold Award participant from YES Centre Assam Valley School

The last question that may run through any Award participant can be “Why am I doing the Award?”

Well, the same question popped into my head as well when I decided to participate in The Award Programme. The way it happened is an interesting and really unorthodox story that I WANT to share.

As a student in 9th standard, I was going about my own business that studying and wasting time in wandering about ( yes, I am very imaginative) in my school. No, I do not consider activities such as reading, sports, art as a way of spending time cause they are there for my good, spending time implies when you have nothing to do, in fact it means you spend quality time with yourself! Anyway, one bright afternoon as I was trudging through my daily routine, an obscure notice caught my attention.
“Interested pupils to apply for IAYP, contact the teacher in charge”

At that point I don’t know why or how I joined the Award Programme in school, bearing in mind that one can easily get led into the formation of gangs, alcohol and/or substance abuse. I will agree and confess to succumbing to peer pressure at some point in my life.  

The first thing the Award did to me was that it gave me an opportunity- an opportunity to escape, to build my life (yes I was a deviant)! As I progressed through the various activities and requirements of the Award, I also picked up some valuable life skills. That is the value of working together as a team and the value of friendship among many other positive things. Yeah, sounds corny and straight out of a recruitment poster, but understanding the value of it when you begin with nothing, literally nothing is a realisation of a lifetime.

I too was sceptical with the Award at first, because I was thinking like “dude how it’s going to affect me? “ Maybe I was worried about my future at that time as I was a boarding school student then its okay to get nervous, cause my grades were not that good and maybe I was worried about my college, but slowly things started improving.

The major breakthrough that came my way was the Indo-Mauritius exchange programme in 2010. I got to learn about all about how people from different parts of the world can be so similar. The programme helped me understand how much diversity exists and also let me make lasting friendships that cannot be expressed in words.

Doing The Award Programme has taught me to be tolerant and to be patient to work hard for a goal, the challenges there taught me to that diligence and honesty can help you achieve any goal. It gave me the life I never had.

So when the question comes that whether to join the program or not? Don’t think twice about taking the leap. Just do it! It’s worth it.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Columbian Exchange:The Assam Valley School

The 2010 Cultural exchange between Award participants in Assam Valley School (AVS) and Colombian Gap students from The Columbia School in Bogota took place at AVS. The gap students from Colombia were Round Square members but Award participants from AVS initiated and conducted this cultural programme. Sneha, a student and Award Participant from AVS share the memorable experience:


2010 Founders’ Semester can never be forgotten for many of us who were part of the Award in the Assam Valley School. I never believed how much doing the Award could change things in my life. From building confidence to warding off my shyness to dance in public, doing things in a team, competing with my own capabilities, and most importantly doing something meaningful, I did it all thanks to the Award. 

The two young girls from Columbia came to AVS as exchange students from the Colombia School, Bogota. Paula and Maria were very humble and genuine, representing their country.

The programme was not in the list, but we began in a sober way through everyday conversations with Paula and Maria wanting to know all about Columbian kids, of what they do? How they talk? What do they eat? Their sense of dressing up and of course their dances, though I was surprised to find out how culturally rich Columbia was.

Paula and Maria began exchanging notes on cultural backgrounds of our respective countries. They showed power-point presentations and danced to our delight. Impromptu, we decided to learn some steps. A bit surprised on how my limbs naturally followed the heart beating Columbian music. I just couldn’t resist tapping to the tune. Paula and Maria for many days engaged us in many of their programmes like learning Spanish and doing exhibitions. But learning Columbian dance was so much fun. It was indeed a wonderful and memorable experience of my life. We were introduced to many forms of traditional Columbian dance- ‘Cumbia’, 
‘Bullerenge’, ‘El Mapale’ and ‘Pa Mayati’. 

A the end of our learning experience, we not only staged four varieties of Columbian dance but Paula and Maria did a spectacular performance of the traditional classical Assamese dance ‘Shattriya’ or pronounced as ‘Hotriya’ with elegance and grace. It emerged for a moment that we belonged to the same land. We thank all the people who have inspired us to live life with brave elegance and meaning.


When we parted our ways at the end, Paula and Maria were like heroes for us and we together resonated John Lennon's ‘Imagine there’s no heaven, imagine there’s no countries; it’s easy if you try, no hell below us and above us only sky, imagine all the people living life in peace!

Photo Courtsey: Ranjana Rai, YES Centre Manager at Assam Valley School. 

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Award units need a License to operate

Greetings!

The Award Programme Foundation (APF), a Registered Charitable Trust registered with the Charity Commissioner in Mumbai, is licensed to run The International Award for Young People (IAYP) in India by The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award International Association (IAA) based in London.

The APF as the National Award Authority (NAA) is the only licensing body in India and has its National Office in New Delhi. All Schools, Colleges, Award Units and Operators in India must have a valid License to operate the International Award Programme. Please check your records and ensure that you have a renewed License to operate The Programme. Do contact us anytime by phone at 011 2649 7154 or by email at ai@iayp.in for further clarifications. The NAA Office is committed to assisting you and ensuring that young people in India get the best possible support while they participate in The Award Programme.

For schools who have been operating under Zonal Authorities, we recommend you to please renew your Operators License with the NAA office; so we can provide training and development support to engage and participate in events, exchanges and other activities of IAYP all over the world.

The NAA Operators’ License enables the Licensed Award Units to not only operate IAYP in their own schools, but also in the community and the society the schools exist in. This updated license is now referred to as the YES Centre license, and is issued to a Society, Trust or registered body keen to operate the Award Programme in their area of operations. For more for further information please visit our website www.iayp.in

The NAA mandates that all Award Units and Licensed Operators use the Common Award Participation Form only. Each form has a unique number and is tracked by us. The Forms are supplied free and are to be filled and submitted to NAA India office to build up the Database Registry on the secure server www.dofe.in, as per the IAA License needs. No one will now produce, print or distribute Award supplies, the National Office will be the exclusive licensed supplier.

For more information about YES Centres and how the Award partner institutions operate the Award Programme, please visit http://www.iayp.in/yes.htm

Please use the new Common Participation Forms only. They are supplied by the Zones or the NAA. You may want to get some from nearest YES Centre.

Each forms must carry with it a Fee of Rs 500.00 when submitted to us; we can only accept Forms from Schools Licensed to Operate please. The Schools, who do not wish to get a License may send the Forms from the nearest YES Centre.

For any queries, clarifications, order of supplies, etc please call our Programme Manager- Mr. Bivujit Mukhoty on +91 9212233900.

If you have any doubt do call us, and we will be very happy to help.

YES ahead

We celebrate the first anniversary of our YES campaign with 27 YES Centres and get set for the goal of 100 YES Centres by 2013.

Hope to meet all our YES Centre Managers and partners at the forthcoming YES annual conference.

Dream it, build it!

Sandeep

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