CREAM – State-Level Review cum Staff Training

Bangalore Rural Educational and Development Society (BREADS) Bangalore organised a two-day review cum training for the programme staff of its Child Rights Education and Action Movement (CREAM) programme. The training was held on 16 and 17 April 2021 at the BREADS office. The training was specially designed for 10 district coordinators and 20 social activists from twenty districts of Karnataka, to review programme activities from January to March 2021. It also aimed at bringing about clarity, to ensure that staff intervention is more systematic, impact-oriented and responsive. The sessions focused on equipping the project staff with effective skills to deliver quality and maximum impact through their work.

The review meeting commenced with the lighting of the lamp followed by the inaugural address and official welcome by Fr. Joy Nedumparambil SDB, Executive Director, BREADS. During the inaugural function, Don Bosco Hospet released Service in Data, a resource book on the CREAM programme in Ballari district during 2012 to 2019.

On the first day, the coordinators and social activists presented their activities of the past three months in the twenty districts; namely, Mysuru, Chamarajanagara, Mandya, Ramanagara, Bangalore Urban, Bangalore Rural, Tumakuru, Chitradurga, Ballari, Gadag, Koppal, Davangere, Haveri, Shivamogga, Raichur, Bagalkot, Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Yadgir and Bidar. The activities were critically analysed and evaluated for improvement. The presentations helped the participants review their work, discuss flaws in implementation and share best practices to help them improve their strategies to meet programmatic goals effectively.

On the second day of the training Fr. Joy Nedumparambil explained the objectives and goals of advocacy workshops and meetings with the stakeholders at the state-, district-, and taluk-levels under the CREAM programme. Some of the main goals are that:

• the Government of Karnataka takes ownership of the printing and distribution of BREADS’ modules on child rights, and the handbook on the formation of child rights clubs, to all the government schools
• the formation of child rights clubs (CRCs) in schools
• the appointment of a designated teacher by government order, to supervise the CRCs in schools
• the formation and effective functioning of child protection committees (CPCs) and
• the facilitation of children’s special grama sabhas at the gram panchayat level.

It was followed by a session by Mr. Benny Augustine, Manager-Projects, BREADS, on outcome-level indicators of the programme. The session focused on the activities under CREAM and the concrete impact indicators for the same. Ms. Cheryl Bartholomeusz, Manager-Research and Documentation, BREADS dealt with effective result-oriented advocacy with stakeholders. Based on a group activity, the CREAM staff were facilitated to understand their roles and strategies in advocating with various stakeholders to realise a child-friendly society, thereby effectively achieving the impact envisaged by CREAM. Fr. Regi Jacob SDB, Director, BOSCO Nilaya conducted a brainstorming session about themes for BREADS’ upcoming music album on child rights. Ms. Catherine A., Asst. Manager-Finance, BREADS, explained the finance and accounting aspects of programme activities under CREAM. Towards the close of the two-day meeting, the coordinators and staff felicitated Fr. Joy, the outgoing Executive Director of BREADS for his contribution to the CREAM programme over the last nine years.  At the end of the training, Mr. Manjappa, CREAM District Coordinator, Davangere, thanked all the participants and the effective facilitators of the sessions. The training concluded with a group photo of the CREAM team.