Leadership training for the child rights clubs at Yadgiri

Don Bosco Centre for Social Action, Yadgiri district conducted the two day leadership training for the leaders of child rights clubs under the CREAM project on 11^th and 12^th September 2018. The programme was inaugurated by Mr. Chandrashekhar Alipur, Member, KSCPCR. The other dignitaries present on the occasion were Fr. George Kollashany, Director, Don Bosco, Yadgiri, Dr. Hanamantraya karaddi, Chairperson, Child Welfare Committee, Fr. K C Mathew, Rector, Don Bosco Yadgiri and Fr. Joshy Puttur, Principal, Don Bosco B.Ed Collage, Yadgiri. Mr. Chandrashekar Alipur in his inaugural address spoke on child rights and functions of Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights. Dr. Hanamantraya Karaddi while addressing the gathering described the functions of Child Welfare Committee, Juvenile Justice Board.

Fr. Anil D’Souza, Director, Don Bosco Youth Service Karnataka, Mr. Rajasekher, Teacher, Government High School, Shahpur,  Mr. Parasappa, teacher, Government High School, Shahpur, Mr. Siddalingappa Coordinator, CREAM project, Raichur district and Mr. Mallappa, Childline, Yadgiri were the resource persons for the training programme. 58 CRC members participated in the training (41 members from old child rights clubs and 17 leaders from newly formed child rights clubs).

After the inaugural session the participants were divided into 5 groups each group consisted of 17 to 18 members. In the group discussions the CRC leaders evaluated and shared the club activities especially how the clubs brought back the school drop outs to main stream education, how they intervened in incidents of child marriage, child labour, collaboration with departments related to children and how they advocated for the improvement of school infrastructures to gram panchayat.

Fr. Anil D’Souza took the session on leadership qualities and encouraged the participants to seek guidance and take action when facing problems and to write letters to the concerned departments when come across with cases of right violations of children. The participants were also motivated and encouraged about effective leadership qualities through audio visual communications.

On the second day the leaders were enthusiastic and discussed more on the possible advocacy actions where the CRCs could intervene. As part of the process and in light of the new panchayati raj act the leaders wrote a request letter to the district collector and chief executive officer insisting on the formation of child protection committee in all the gram panchayat in yadgiri district to safeguard the rights of children.

Mr. Siddalingappa, CREAM Coordinator, Deodurga, has taken a session on child protection mechanisms and also mentioned about all the offices in the district which are associated with child rights protection. It was followed by a quiz competition by Mr. Mallappa accessing the general knowledge of the children and further encouraging everyone to update the knowledge in deep through reading of newspapers and books.