Programme Design

"We are the future of our country. BJ encourages us to share our passion and convictions. This will help us to take the lead in becoming proud and responsible citizens."

Programme Outline:

Bala Janaagraha citizenship course is conducted in the schools. The course will run between July and February and consist of 8-12 sessions. 2-3 teachers from each school will be trained by professionals and the teachers will then conduct the classroom sessions for the children. A detailed time-table will be worked out with each school depending upon the convenience of the students, teachers, and the schools. The calendar will be finalized separately for each school. The ward level community representatives and Janaagraha ward coordinators will support the teacher during the classroom sessions. Teachers will be given training, lesson plans, and teaching kits for each session. There will be periodic evaluations to monitor the progress of the programme in each school. Janaagraha is responsible for the design, overall planning and execution of the programme.

Orientation session

Orientation is crucial for delivering a successful programme. Bala Janaagraha orientation focuses on equipping the teachers and volunteers with the knowledge and understanding of the concepts and learner centric delivery methodologies that are used to conduct the programme. It is also intended to motivate and inspire the teachers and volunteers to involve themselves in shaping the citizens of tomorrow. Orientation is a full day professional session conducted in the month of June during weekends.

The Orientation session for parents and children is held in June or early July to inform them about the objectives of the programme.It also introduces them to the concept of active citizenship and encourages them to take responsibility and participate in the community development activities.

Class room sessions

Eight to eleven classroom sessions are conducted in each school by trained teachers who are assisted by community volunteers. These are interactive sessions which provide an opportunity for the children to participate through group discussion, case studies, interesting activities and interaction with the teacher and community members. The goals of the classroom sessions are:

• To demystify the functioning of the Urban Local Government and to make the children understand the roles and responsibilities of both the government and the citizen in a democracy at the local level

• To develop an interest in the local community activities through classroom discussions and interaction with the community volunteers

• To inculcate the values and skills in children for active citizenship

Civic Project

Civic Project is a group activity that all children can actively participate in.Children carry out hands on community development projects, study/research civic issues that impact the community through survey’s and suggest possible solutions. They may also engage in awareness drives in their communities through ward walks, posters etc. The objective is to inculcate:

• Values of service
• Integrity and respect through practice
• Sensitization to important civic issues
• Awareness and responsibility towards participating in the development of their community

Civic Exhibition

Bala Janaagraha Annual Civic Festival is conducted at the ward level where children get an opportunity to come together, interact, discuss, debate and compete creatively with each other. These activities give them confidence, an opportunity to work in a team, develop communication skills and more importantly develop leadership skills.

All schools in the ward participate in making creative presentations of their civic projects. They also participate in debates, quizzes, the young citizen’s vision programme, and group discussions on topics that are of concern or relevance to their communities.