Empower Vulnerable Young People with Life Skills

Dear Codreamers,

“Growth” is the word that best captures Dream A Dream’s journey so far this year. We have now reached out to 4739 young people directly through our life skills programme. Our Dream Team is growing and today we have 70 member staff with sharp design and delivery skills.

With this report I would want to share with you a few highlights so far and the story of Goutham (name changed), from the words of our Life Skills Facilitator, Kishen.

Meet Goutham, who is studying in 4th standard and has been part of our Dream life skills programmes since the start of this year.

The Challenge:  When we started sessions, he was very mischievous and would sit in the back bench of the class and disturb his friends. He was never attentive in class and showed the same behaviour in our sessions. He would pretend to be doing the assigned activity during the sessions. One day, I sat with him and spoke with him regarding this issue and asked him to be attentive in the classes and to understand the instructions carefully before he does the activity. During the next session in the Reflection circle I asked Goutham to take initiative and speak about the experience he had in the activity. He said “I don’t know what to speak.“  After the session that day, we both had another chat for 20 minutes and I explained that if he had participated in the activity with interest and dedication he would have been able to speak like the others. Also I explained what life skills are and why they are important just like academics is in our life.

The Change:  From that day Goutham has realized and has been showing interest in sessions and also participates very actively. Now, he loves the sessions so much that he asks me to take more than 3 classes in a week. He follows all instructions carefully and asks for clarifications. He also takes initiative to lead the group.

The Dream Power:  At Dream A Dream, we take pride in our approach to bring 'care and empathy' into our engagement with young people through Life Skills Facilitators like Kishen. Kishen’s ability to build a personal bond with Goutham and gain his trust; Kishen’s ability to not give up on Goutham and create a safe and supportive learning space for Goutham are hallmarks of Dream A Dream’s unique approach to learning.

Organization and Programme Updates and Highlights:

• 4739 young people are enrolled in our life skills programmes: 1890 in Life Skills through Football and 2849 in Life Skills through Creative Arts. Quote from the field “I like all games in Dream A Dream class and those life skills is helping in my personal life; how I can plan for study and managing some personal problem”. Young person, 9th Standard.
• 206 young people were part of our 6 Outdoor Experiential Camps.
• At our Dream Connect Centre:
  • 610 young people were engaged in our career based life skills education with a healthy gender ratio of 10 boys for every 12 girls enrolled in the course.
  • 97% of young people showed significant improvement in computer skills.
  • As part of last mile support programme 11 young people were provided job placements.
  • “Saturday Kalarava” – An evening get together was initiated and will happen on every third Saturday bringing together young people, volunteers, alumni and other stake holders to network, engage, contribute and learn new things which can be applied in daily life.
• 1288 volunteers were engaged, clocking 11,606 volunteering hours.
• Teacher Development Programme is delivered through a series of 4 workshops called Teacher Development Programme (TDP #1, 2, 3, & 4) focused on engaging, enabling, and empowering teachers and youth workers which in turn helps them to empower young people with life skills in their own schools and regions. 156 teachers/youth workers have successfully completed TDP #1 and 43 teachers or youth workers have successfully completed TDP #1 and #2. Quote from a teacher "This training programme made me very bold and confident and also helped me to discover myself."
• Our Head of Programmes, Ashok G, being selected as one of the speakers at the EDUCASPORT World Forum, Paris France in November 2013 to share best practices and the Dream A Dream way in the area of Sports for Development. http://www.educasport-worldforum.org/en/dream-a-dream-un-reve-sportif-au-coeur-des-bidonvilles-indiens/
• A team of six young people from Dream A Dream have been selected to represent us at the Football for Hope Festival 2014, to be held during the climax of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ in Rio de Janeiro - http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/sustainability/football-for-hope.html
• Two of our Dream Graduates, Santosh & Vishwa, who have just returned from a US Consulate sponsored one-year study programme in the US featured in the press (Pages 20-21) http://www.joomag.com/magazine/boiled-beans-september-2013/0992266001379671546

We look forward for your continued support and an enduring relationship.

Thank you!!