To Reach the Unreached Young at Risk Especially in the 18+ age Group
Trivandrum Feb. 5: After successful completion of YaR National Seminar in Chennai for the year 2015, now it is in Trivandrum, Kerala to organize this years’ National Seminar as they are also celebrating Bosco Veedu’s Silver Jubilee. From Don Bosco Navajeevan, Hyderabad Fr. Sudhakar Bellamkonda, Delegate INH Province, Mr. Prabhakar, YaR Commission member, Mr. Raja Reddy and Mrs. Annamani participated in the Seminar on 4th and 5th of February 2016
The registration started at 9am on 4 February 2016, followed by inaugural session. The Chief Guest for the Inaugural session was Sri. R.V Rajesh, Advocate, Chairperson – Kerala Youth Commission. The other dignitaries on the dais were Fr. Koshy, Fr. K D Thomas, Fr. Mathew Thomas and Fr. Vice Provincial. After lighting the lamp, Sri R.V Rajesh, the Chief Guest gave introductory remarks quoting the status of youth in Kerala. They are having particular schemes for the youth and he accepted that some of the 18+ youth are unnoticed and are not taken into consideration as they also move for work to other places. He was very much happy to part of this seminar and he is interested in to take an active part in related topic in near future and said his willingness to collaborate with Bosco Veedu for their activities. After the inaugural session, we had tea break and proceeded to other sessions for the day.
The first session started at 11.30am on Migrant Youth in Unorganized Sectors and the resource person was Mr. Kshithij URS, Regional Manager from Action Aid. He presented an excellent session with his own experiences and how the youth are being exploited by the corporate companies and their construction business. He expressed and delivered maximum his own experiences and might have been happening in all the states. They have been working for the youth since many years and he welcomed to contact him for any legal assistance. Later in the post lunch session, Mr. Vikas Kadam from Prayas, TISS, Mumbai presented on Young Prisoners leading them to Freedom and Dignity. Prayas have been doing a lot of work and providing their services to Young prisoners in Mumbai with support from TISS who initiated. He said that there are many youth are in jails and looking forward for someone to give those bails. He mentioned that they are have been doing many activities regularly and asked all the state representatives to start jail ministry as there are many unnoticed youth and Prayas are willing to provide their support.
Mrs. Arlene Manoharan from Bangalore had taken a session on Social Integration of senior children in Juvenile Homes & Special Homes. She spoke about the issues with regard to the senior children or 18+youth. The explained the conditions that they are living and how they have been exploited. She has presented her research and her experience with the audience and requested to take more care with regard to those youth group. The last session for the day was on Human Rights Education in Schools by Fr. Thomas Pallithanam. He had explained the work that they have done in Andhra Pradesh and how it has reached to the schools. They have had many numbers of orientation programmes and awareness campaigns were organized in different schools and organizations. He has also explained about the importance of the Human Rights Education in Schools.
On the day Two, the day began with a recap of the previous day. Fr. AM Jose, Executive Director from DB Tech, New Delhi has taken a session on Skilling as Strategy to Empower the target group. He shared the experiences of DB Tech and its success. He also explained that how they have reached to this stage training many number of youth who are underprivileged and who are unnoticed in developing sector. They have also taken many campaigns and awareness programmes throughout India to reach out to those who are unreached.
Later the participants were divided as province wise and asked to make an action plan for the future. All provinces have listed out and their plans to take up like jail ministry, new initiatives, employment opportunities to the 18+ youth and starting their own vocational training centres etc. In the post lunch session and after the discussion from all the provinces and regions, the Directors have presented their plan of action in detail.
At 3.30pm, the Valedictory Function started where Fr. Joyce Thonikuzhiyil, Provincial of Bangalore Province was Chief Guest and before that Fr. KD Thomas gave a brief about two day programmes (Seminar) and thanked all the delegates who have participated. Later Fr. Provincial thanked and asked everybody to carry forward the decisions taken in the seminar and the mission that we have taken for the welfare of needed. Later all the participants were proceeded to Bishop Perreira Hall for Silver Jubilee Celebrations of Don Bosco Veedu.
