Reference Article: Involving Youth in Community Welfare

Defining “Youth”:

• The word "Youth" has three clear connotations
  • First, it refers to a particular age group
  • Second, it indicates a group of individuals who are at a transitory stage from the point of education and employment
  • Third, it also means a group that has special social, cultural and psycho-somatic factors affecting their life
• Youth constitute the productive workforce and with experience, could become leaders in their respective walks of life
• This group organises himself for working to realise its aspirations in areas in which he explores to meaningfully engage itself

Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan:

• Background History:
  • established in the year 1972 with the objective of providing rural youth avenues to take part in the process of nation building as well providing opportunities for the development of their personality and skills
  • In the year 1987-88, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan(NYKS) was set up as an autonomous organization under the Government of India, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, to oversee working of these Kendras
• Objectives and Significance of Nehru Yuva Kendra:
  
  • Objective: to render community support through developmental initiatives involving activities with particular focus on youth empowerment
  • It is the largest grassroots level youth organization; one of its kind in the world
  • It channelizes the power of youth on the principles of voluntarism, self-help and community participation.
  • Over the years, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan has established a network of youth clubs in villages
• Activities and Initiatives of Nehru Yuva Kendras:
  
  • The implementation of programmes and activities of youth clubs is based on local needs and requirements by mobilizing resources from various government departments and other agencies, which include both national, State level and multilateral institutions
• Youth Leadership and Community Development:
  
  • The Training on Youth Leadership and Community Development aims at enhancing the capacity of young people to take up leadership roles to help others to live a meaningful life and contribute towards nation building
• Yuva Kriti Program:
  
  • The Youth Convention and Yuva Kriti Program is organized annually by all District NYKs,
  • It provide opportunity and platform to rural youth leaders to display products and express themselves, share experiences and suggest best practices for youth empowerment
• Yuva Adarsh Gram Vikas Karyakram:
  
  • Yuva Adharsh Gram Vikas Karyakram aims at developing one village in selected districts as a model village by the youth for the youth
• Tribal Youth Exchange Program:
  
  • In Tribal Youth Exchange Program, tribal youth from the LWE districts are taken to other parts of the country to sensitize them to the rich culture of the country and to enable them to develop emotional linkage with the people in other parts of the country
• Girivikas Gurukulam Project:
  
  • Itbeing implemented by the Nehru Yuvak Kendra (NYK) and the Scheduled Tribes Department
  • It has assisted hundreds of youth from the tribal communities to clear higher secondary education (HSE) and pursue a professional career
• Involving Youth in Namami Gange:
  
  • NYKS has signed an MoU with National Mission for Clean Ganga for creating awareness on abatement of pollution, rejuvenation of National river Ganga
  • Accordingly is implementing the project titled "Involvement of Youth in Namami Gange Pragramme"
• Action against Alcoholism
  
  • NYKS implemented a yearlong pilot project, entitled "Awareness and Education for the prevention of Drug Abuse and Alcoholism "
  • It focused on adolescents and youth, high risks and vulnerable groups as well as their family and community members on the one hand and mobilized support and partnership of variety of stakeholders

Today, the youth talks about development, communication, engagements and opportunities to demonstrate its potential. The energy of the youth is an indispensible resource for realising a true development of India. There is a need to create platforms (similar to Nehru Yuva Kendra) wherein the energy of youth can be positively engaged for the development of the society.