CAP Training

TRAINING
Building Citizen Awareness

While the training programme addresses internal needs in the organization such as time-management, conflict resolution, project management, etc, the focus is on building awareness around aspects of citizenship.

Urban Indians have strong opinions on what ails our country. Each of us has a solution as well. The reality is that the majority of us do not know enough about government to make judgements or to come up with informed solutions. Neither do we at all times sufficiently understand our role in it as citizens in a democracy

Through the extensive advocacy, research and grassroots activities, Janaagraha has gained a relatively intimate understanding of government, democracy and citizenship. Many of our experiences are documented, so that they serve as a foundation to developing training content. Since we believe that the solutions do not lie in simplistic interventions, our training modules are appropriately rigorous.

Part of Janaagraha's roadmap for scalable change is to create a repository of information and experiences translated into training modules. One of our key objectives is to strengthen citizen leaders. Based on the premise that we play our roles as citizens more effectively and fully when we are better informed, Janaagraha is focused on developing high quality awareness programmes that can equip citizens to proactively engage with issues that concern them. These programmes link evolving global theory and experiences on governance, with Janaagraha's own grassroots experiences.

The Citizen Awareness Programme (CAP) is the first of the training modules that Janaagraha has developed. The focus of this programme is on three specific citizen groups: company employees, college students and communities.

The emerging voices of corporate India in demanding better infrastructure for economic growth, are not only building pressure on the system, but are also opening up space for more meaningful questions to be asked: what is the legitimacy of these voices, who should be making decisions in public institutions, how is this linked to urban politics, and what exactly does public governance mean? These questions are not immediately apparent, but as more and more people start agitating, either in their minds or on the streets, about the state of urban affairs, this energy can perhaps be harnessed effectively. It could be directed towards constructive solutions that strengthen democratic processes. Janaagraha maintains a continuous dialogue with the business community on these issues in an effort to bring greater awareness and consensus on the deeper reforms that are required in how our public institutions function.

Organisations in India are increasingly looking to participate meaningfully through their Corporate Social Responsibility activities. A greater emphasis has emerged on performance measurements along a triple bottom line of contribution to the companies' financial performance, towards society and to the environment. Companies are striving to include a substantial focus on issues of societal benefit and the role of the Corporate Citizen.

The CAP provides a different approach in building leadership. Whether it is employees, youth or citizen leaders, they are exposed to issues and situations unlike anything they would experience in the course of their regular routine- working with heterogeneous groups, building teams and leadership, an exposure to processes of bargain consensus, working at the grassroots, understanding government machinery, and nurturing a genuine sense of ownership for their cities. Most importantly, it promotes a mindset of participating in decision-making, which can begin with their workplace, institution, or neighbourhood.