Create a Safe Space for Children and Youth

During the reporting period, CRTRC team trained and engaged with various stakeholders.

On October 9^th 2023, two of our team members engaged the doctors of the psychiatry department of Nadiad Medical college in acknowledgement of the World Mental health Day that falls on 10^th October. The team did Friendship games, group discussions, and self-awareness activities with them to relieve their professional stress. Being in the psychiatry section they are expected to take care of the mental health of their clients, but their own mental health becomes sidelined. Ten males and one woman attended this training. They had fun, open conversations during these activities.

Fourt eight women employed in Ambuja Cements Foundation completed their three-day Basic Wenlido training. Two members of the Wenlido team facilitated the sessions. The women gave happy and very satisfied feedback after the training. Many of them thanked the team for making them realize the internalized and invisible power inequalities in their everyday lives. Discussions were also held on how to ensure a safe working space for each one of them.

A three-day Activity workshop was done in two Aashramshalas at Pindval and Kadki from 5^th –8^th November 2023. A six-member team facilitated the sessions with 146 children. Children enjoyed the engaging activities which encouraged their creativity through Papercrafts, Art and Crafts. Children were amazed by the simple Science toys they could design on their own and they were excited all through the Leadership and Team building games and Life skill activities. Activities that improve one’s language skills were also played with children.

A four-member team was invited to do an evaluation on Timbaktu Collective’s Chiguru programme. The Timbaktu Collective is a grassroots nonprofit organization that works towards the sustainable development of marginalized people in the drought-prone and ecologically challenged Sri Satya Sai and Ananthapuram District in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Their expertise lies in making of cooperatives of women, youths, farmers. But they wanted an evaluation for their Children programme called as Chiguru programme that began from the 1993. From 3^rd December to 6^th December the team visited and interacted with all important stakeholders of the programme from children, parents, Leaders, Alumni members, teachers, Programme team, Head and Director.

A defined framework consisting of Focus Group Discussions, Observations, Interviews was developed before the visits. Shaishav had a great learning experience and recommended Timbuktu to be part of Child rights and collective networks to continue the conversations.

An elaborate evaluation report with observations, recommendations covering the Evaluation objectives were shared and the Final report was made after considering feedback from Timbuktu Collective team.

Ms. Parul Sheth, Executive Director of Shaishav was invited for the Catalyst 2030 held in Bengaluru on 10^th December to present about children’s participation along with Ms. Kavita Ratna from CWC and Mr. Jim Jesudoss from Sakti Vidiyal. Ms. Parul gave a presentation on how engaging with children can result in a peaceful and Gender equal world. BALSENA was talked about in this context and the importance of child participation was emphasized in here.

Two more days were spent in Bengaluru to visit various organizations in the child development domain. We visited APSA (Association for Promoting Social Action) an organization that runs a Childcare Institute and engages children in marginalized areas of Urban Bengaluru in several ways. Mr. P.Lakshapathi and other team members also met and interacted.

The Dream a Dream Bengaluru office was also visited, and we had an engaging interaction with the Career connect project team and Ms. Suchetha Bhatt (CEO, Dream a Dream).

On 17^th December, BALSENA (children collective) celebrated their Annual day. The theme for the day was Healthy Food consumption and children through group discussions, group works and board games, Audio visuals were informed of importance of nutrients, problems of substance abuse in human body, and how to be conscious consumers.

On 25^th December 2023, at St Xaviers school, Bharuch, thirty-two senior citizens (17 male and 15 females) over the age of 62 belonging to an association were productively engaged in a session of Friendship games and healthy conversations on how to negotiate a space with the newer generation of people. The participants were excited by these games that brought back their younger memories and took them back to their childhood. Senior citizens occupy an invisible position in society and acknowledging their mental health is not a priority in today’s world. It becomes important to create an open space for a free flow of conversation between people from both generations (new and old), so that emotions do not get repressed and result in frustrations.

On 27^th and 28^th January 2024, three of Shaishav team facilitated the Election process of children collectives run by AATAPI SEVA Foundation, Bharuch. Seventy children (26 boys and 44 girls) took part in this process and in the last day they selected their President and Vice President for the year. Children, through various leadership games and team building activities, discussed the qualities of an empathetic leader. Children displayed exemplary confidence in contesting and children chose the rightful candidate.

In the month of February, 170 young boys pursuing ITI at VGTK College, Jhagadia were engaged in a mix of activities that were creativity inducing, leadership and team building games and play for peace activities. Life skill activities that dealt with communication, Coordination, Critical thinking, and other skills associated with their career and overall personality development were also discussed. The young men also found the focus improving games, goal setting exercise and entrepreneurial skills interesting and helpful.

MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT

A board game that creatively engages the children and makes them realize the positive outcomes of eating nutritious food and the negative outcomes that will adversely affect life eventually was designed. This game can be easily replicable to be played with children from any geography and age group. Also associated with the same topic of Healthy Eating a Need and Want poster was designed.

In the coming days, the CRTRC team will be in the process of conceptualizing the revised strategy to develop the capacity and skill of facilitators/teachers at residential institutions /Aashramshalas of partner organizations in other parts of the state. This ensures a proactive engagement in the learning and sharing ecosystem in a larger scale.

During the months of July to October 2023, there were a lot of engagemnts in the training and staff capacity developemen tprogrammes.

Adolescent and Wenlido training in DISHA 

On 21st and 22nd July 2023, 35 girls attended Adolescent training at DISHA, situated in Dahod district of Gujarat.Primarily the topics of understanding emotions and gender activities like What is girl, boy? andPhysical and mental changes during adolescence were revised. Exercises like Baby Born and Sociogram were used for deeper deliberations on existing power hierarchies around them and how we are not able to identify them as we have become ingrained in them. Self-Awarenessactivities where they identify their own skills and recognizetheir strengths were challenging for them initially, but they enjoyed the process and were satisfied with the output.  

On 8th ,9th and 10thSeptember, 26 girls attended the Wenlido, a self-defense training with a feminist perspective that we give to girls and women. During these sessions the girls learnt to de-escalate any aggressive situations and become aware of various inequalities created due to social conditioning and how to create a space for oneself in midst of these discriminations. 

On 11th August 2023a workshop on POSH (sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013was held for the employees of BIRLA Sanctuary Limited, Ankleshwar. A total of 40 people attended the workshop which comprised of 10 women was an informative session on the various legal provisions and the complexities associated with each clause. This included the mandatory committees that need to be formed and the channels of grievances that can be approached.  

The workshop also focused on the need and ways to create a respectful and inclusive environment for all genders and ultimately how it is important for a productive work environment. 

Training on cooperative games was held on 21st Augustat YoganjaliKelavani Mandal, Siddhapur. 125 teachers attended this training which primarily dealt with the capacity building of the attendees in engaging the children more productively in classrooms. The games and life skill activities have broadened the pedagogical methodologies of these teachers, which will ultimately benefit the children. 

Parul Sheth and Mr. Falgun Sheth (co-founders of Shaishav) were panelists for a webinar on the topic of Child Safeguarding Policy hosted by ATMA, an NGO Accelerator organization on 31st August – The webinar with 60 people as attendees also had other speakers on the same domain. Shaishav spoke on ensuring and strengthening the child protection mechanisms in all the realms of one’s operation. The need to consistently revise the policies in accordance with the changing technological and social environments was discussed in detail. 

 Wenlido trainings for  Ambuja Cement Employees 

Two Shaishav representatives facilitatedWenlido trainings for 40 women who are employees of Ambuja cements in two training sessions. These sessions made them equipped to tackle any difficult situations in the workplace, outside and even home. Domestic abuse was discussed and diverse opinions on the matter emerged. Topics like Healthy sexuality was also taken up for deliberation.  

Cooperative games at Medical college, Nadiad

Shaishavalso facilitated cooperative games, mind relaxing activities that aim for improving mental health of the medical college students of Nadiad on 6-8th October.  40 medical students and associated staff attended these sessions and provided us with positive feedback.  

Leadership camp at Dharmpur

Shaishav’s team of six members did training on leadership games, life skills and cooperative games for the students of 6th, 7th and 8th class students ofSarvoday Parivar Aashramshalain two regions of Kadki and Pindval (Dharmpur district) on 5th-7th November. A total of 102 boys and 115 girls from both the schools attended the sessions. Training majorly was on self-awareness, increasing confidence, and public speaking skills. The children crafted a play and performed in the final days. Children gave positive feedback after the training. 

NETWORK MEETINGS 

On 18th August 2023, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) invited delegates from each state who engage in Child Protection domain in the concerned state to Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh for a National deliberation on Child Protection.Shaishav and another organization were representatives from Gujarat. The current scenario of the child protection infrastructures was put to discussion and Shaishav shared the present scenarios in the operating regions. A mobile applicationwas also developed by NCPCR to strengthen the present mechanisms. The launch and the conference were attended by 1000 people from all across the country. 

Shaishav celebrated its state level 30-year anniversary on 30th September at Vadodara. Around 100 people from all domains of the social sector attended the same.Shaishav’s 30-year journey was screened in a small video format and followed by panel discussions on two major topics: Health and Child Development and Present Scenarios of Child Rights and What the Civil Society can do? The deliberations were followed by constructive discussions from the audience. 

The Child Rights Collective-Gujarat Chapter (CRC-G)/ National Action and Coordination Groupfor Eradicating Violence Against Children(NACG-EVAC)organizeda webinar on Climate change for children on November 9th. The webinar aimed to raise awareness andunderstand the children’s stance on the present climate change issues across Gujaratand pool their ideas and opinionson disrupting the status quo of climate inaction in their concerned local area.9 Balsena children participated in this webinar and contributed positively. 

 Aatapi Sewa Foundation:  Need assessment 

On 1st July, Shaishav’s cofounders visited the Aatapi operational areas and Action Planfor the Children Collectives, Annual Activity plans were collectively drafted. Implementation plans and further procedures were discussed in detail.  On 3rd and 4th October, Ms.Parul and Mr. Falgun (co-founders of Shaishav) did a Need Assessment study in the AATAPI operational areas of Bharuch district.Various of ATAPI’s stakeholders, employees and other concerned were consulted and eventually a detailed Couse of Action was prepared for Aatapi Sewa Foundation.Shaishav’s support in the implementation of the course of action was also identified and agreed upon.   

Meeting in  Sanskaardeep School and Amity School

The Principal, Teachers, trustees, students of Sanskaardeep School and Amity School, Ankleshwar were visited and interacted with by the Shaishav’s core team on 30th July 2023.  Discussions ranged on the present issues faced by students in the schools. Conversation also led to the creation of appropriate life skills curriculum that can positively engage the children in the right ways and address their issues. 

Indian Multiversity Alliance 2023

Indian Multiversity Alliance was organized at Hyderabad on 16th –20th August and two Shaishav’s core members attended the same. The alliance was aperfect opportunity to interact and engage in conversations with people who are engaged in alternative spheres, especially in education. Networking in this platform has led to the creation of more collaborations and partnerships that can foster developments in the existing areas of operations.  

 STAFF TRAININGS

Aaranyak and Balsena’s team members were regularly trained in the various activities that needed to be executed in the field. Staff were trained in conducting sessions in Journalling activities and Mental health sessions with a focus on music and art-based activities. Training on adolescent sessions, Sign Languages were also mediated. Training was also facilitatedin updated reporting formats, LFA matrix and other documentation procedures. 

ATTENDED WORKSHOPS

 Shaishav ‘s two staffs attended a workshop on inducing the Natural learning of Children on 16thJune. The sessions were coordinated by Jinan, a renowned educationist who advocates for free learning of children with less or no interruption from the parents. The workshop did provide certain insights that can be inculcated to the present Vanshala program of Aaranyak project in Narmada.  

In the month of August, the Aaranyak’s 16 team members visited two organisations as part of our Exposure Study Visits. A greater understanding of Adolescent programmes and resources were captured at SEWA RURAL organisation based in Bharuch district. Later we visited the SAHAJ-SHISHUMILAP, a non-profit based in Vadodara. The complexities and mechanisms on engaging Adolescent programmes with the children in urban slums were also deeply explored in this place. The visit has led to creation of more ideas for programmes and resources that needs to be contextually replicated in our project areas.  

Shaishav’s representative attended an SDG-Data Workshop with special focus on data with a Gender lens organized by SAHAJ –SHISHUMILAP. The three-day workshop was from September 17th to 19that Vadodara. The workshop covered sessions on reading data, interpreting and presenting the data for advocating and campaigning activities. 

Atraining course on healthy masculinity and identifying instances of gender inequality in the various realms of life wasorganized by SAHIYAR at Vadodara on 15th-16th  

Shaishav is continuing its partnership on organizational development and capacity development with ATMA, an NGO Accelerator organization. During this reporting period, Shaishav’s mission and vision statements were put to revision. The recruitment plan was also created. 

OASIS Workshop  

Three Aaranyak project members attended the ongoing capacity development training of people in the social sector, especially personal development.This concerned training dealt with improving the relationships that one builds both in personal space and the workplace and how to go about it. 

 Jeevan Vidya workshop in Dharwad. 

A personal development training held in Dharwad facilitated by Mr. Vineesh Gupta was attended by a Shaishav member from 28th October to 4thNovember. The workshop focused on how to live your life in harmony with the natural world and meaningfully. How to have a greater understanding of people and the world around us and how this can help in significant living.