THE INSPIRATION
Most people, at some level, understand the need for social change. But it is rarely that empathy translates into concrete action. The root cause behind this is the fervently held belief that, their ‘individual action’ is inconsequential in bringing about a larger social change. We believe that, to make the individual actions meaningful, they have to be channelized in an organized way. We derive our inspiration from the famous quote of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
The Youth Development Foundation is a youth-led and youth-run nonprofit organization. It was conceived long back in the year 2005 but was legally registered as a trust on 15th of May, 2008. The Youth Development Foundation acts as the base for the Association of Youth for Social Action, an umbrella organization of youth organizations and activists in India who envision the youth as agents for positive social change.
YDF is registered under the India Trust Act and the registration number is 919 dated 15 May 2008, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
NATURE OF ORGANISATION
• A facilitating platform and consortium of civil society organizations, individuals working on issues of youth and development.
• A research and consultancy initiative of young development professionals, committed towards the cause of bringing sustainable solutions to concerns of humanity.
OUR VISION
Empowered Youth as Change Agents.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to work towards a society where youth can achieve their fullest potential. We want to create an environment where young people are involved, valued, respected and listened to. We want them to be agents of positive social change and the torchbearers for a better tomorrow.
OUR APPROACH
INFORM (Aware)……EMPOWER……..INVOLVE
• To INFORM young people about the issues and concerns those affect their everyday living.
• To EMPOWER young people by imparting required skills and exposures and also provide them opportunities to develop to achieve their fullest potential.
• To INVOLVE young people in all the stages of their own personal development and that of their communities.
OUR PRIORITIZED WORKING ISSUES/ AREAS
• Supporting emerging social movements on social equity, livelihood and youth issues.
• Life Skills Development
• Young in Education, Health & Governance
• Environment and Sustainable Development
• Employment and Entrepreneurship Development
• Peace and Human Rights
• Voluntarism
• Humanitarian Service
• Network with Youth Organizations
• Youth and Agriculture
• Research and Development
CORE THEMATIC AREAS
o Youth and Development
o Sustainable Livelihood
o Entrepreneurship
o Good Governance
o Policy and Advocacy on Rights and Issues related to child and youth
o Action research on child and youth related issues
o Capacity building of Civil Soc iety Organisations
INITIATIVES SO FAR
1. Youth Development Foundation started a campaign on “Yuva Abhiyan” on National Youth Day in 2009 to reach out to the young change agents working in the state.
2. Members of YDF led the campaign on Right to Quality Education (School Choice Campaign) in Bhubaneswar.
3. In a major drive for bringing solidarity for the flood victims of Odisha, YDF mobilized volunteers and relief materials for the flood striken people in Balasore and Jajpur districts in July, 2008.
4. In a major collaboration with youth organizations of Odisha, YDF became part of policy advocacy for bringing a youth policy in the state.
5. YDF Volunteers reached out to victims of Kandhamal violence as part of “Odisha Shanti O Sadbhavana Abhiyan” in 2008. Volunteers worked in the relief camps with the children in the camps.
6. YDF is working with groups of drug addicts, homeless, street children and transgender to fight for their rights.
7. YDF conducted 7 sport meets in 18 villages of Mayurbhanj district.
8. YDF formed 5 youth clubs in Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts of Odisha.
9. YDF launched its ‘youth in governance’ program called “Mo Sahar, Mo Dayitwa”, to bring in youth participation in the urban issues with the initial focus on education and sanitation in Saliasahi slum of Bhubaneswar.
10. YDF launched Friends of Youth (FoY) clubs in schools, colleges and universities with an aim to ensure engagement of youth in the development aspects of their locality as part of the solidarity for their community people.
11. YDF organized seminars on “Role of Youth in Development” in 7 social work colleges in the state.
PEOPLE BEHIND THE INITIATIVE
OUR CORE TEAM
1. Gobinda Ballava Dalai- Gobinda is founder secretary of a Youth Organisation called Youth Development Foundation. Mostly led by young people, YDF has been able to bring in voluntarism and social action among the college and university students of Orissa.
He has led the group with exemplary leadership in Right to Information, Right to Education, Right to Food and has a tremendous network among grass root civil society organisations of Orissa. He is a key member of Odisha RTI Coalition, Odisha Social Watch and leads the Association of Youth for Social Action- a forum comprising of young development professionals, activists, students and lawyers.
He believes in community based holistic development approach and youth as the change agent in effecting the same. He has been mobilising people and institutions from various walks of life to converge their social change ideas to bring in positive social change.
• Research Associate, “Institutions of Food Security: Global Lessons from Rural India” – A study jointly conducted by Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai and University of Sydney and supported by Australian Research Council.
• Research Consultant, White Paper on Adoption Prospects in Odisha, a study sponsored by Catalyst for Social Action, Pune, India.
• Researcher, “Incidence of Child Migration in Western Orissa: Issues of Distressed Migration and Scope for Action”, Migration information and Resource Centre (MiRC), Aide et Action, South Asia.
• Research Consultant, “Governance of Sanitation-A Study of Bhubaneswar city of Orissa”, sponsored by IIM, Ahmedabad.
• Research on “Impact of Micro Project on Primitive tribes and its Relevance in case of Lodha tribe of Orissa”, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.
• A qualitative Research on “Developing theory of social movement from the ground: a case study of Kashipur Movement in Orissa”.
• A short project on “Problems of migration and its psycho-social implications at source: a study on Oriya Migrants in Mumbai”.
• Research on “Resolution of conflict in a tribal society: A case study of Kanpur village in Mayurbhanj district of Orissa”.
2. VAIBHAV CHOUDHARY
By profession, he is a software engineer working with Oracle from last 5 years. He has been the main stay of information management and portal based development initiatives of quite a number of organisations. He is the board member of YDF and looks after the education and techno applications verticals—
Some of the initiatives, he has started or a part of:
1. Pankhudi Foundation (http://www.pankhudifoundation.org/ ): He is the representative of Pankhudi Foundation, Bangalore from last 3 and half year.
2. Educate to Empower (E2E – http://educatetoempower.org): Founder member of the initiative for providing education at an affordable price. Under E2E, schools are started at various locations in our country. Mayurbhanj Public School (MPS) is the first implementation of E2E idea.
3. VINIT KUMAR
A perfect blend of technology and social development. A Software Engineer by profession, but passionate about the issues of women, children and education. One of the prolific young thinkers of the state, he has inspired many young leaders of the state by his critical analysis of development issues and often termed as "Gyana Baba" among the youngsters.
He has been the mainstay for the IT application in governance initiatives and a concept consultant for various development consultancies across the country.
Apart from this, we constantly take support from the youth collective equally capable and experienced in their respective fields and founder of youth based organisations in the state and outside. They come together whenever youth based programmes are initiated or executed by YDF.
4. PRASANT
A glaring example who can be determined and bring about complete transformation through self contemplation. He is working for the cause of drug deaddicts who are discarded by the society even after setting out their journey to lead positive life.
He has been a mainstay for YDF’s field based activities and has been responsible to set up Prof. Tathagata Datta Centre for Drug Deaddiction and Rehabilitation Centre.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE INSPIRED US
1. Dr Bhagban Prakash
2. Late Prof. Tathagata Datta
3. Sri Prafulla Kumar Sahu
4. Sudarsan Das
5. Dr Dhanada Kanta Mishra
6. Manas Ranjan Dalai
GOVERNANCE
Youth Development Foundation believes in decentralized democratic governance, with sincerity, commitment and responsibility as our founding principles. The major policy decisions on broad thematic areas and partnerships are taken in its annual general body meeting, attended by the representatives of the Youth Collective from Association of Youth for Social Action, Board of Advisors and Board of Trustees. The day to day activities are looked after by a dedicated young team led by Sri Gobinda Ballava Dalai, the Managing Trustee of the Foundation. Apart from that, the above entities, the member organizations that are part of CCDA are also part of the general body in their individual capacity. We are committed to comply with the transparency profile that is proposed by Credibility Alliance.
OPERATIONAL STRATEGY
YDF believes in partnership and shared leadership as part of its core principle. We have always worked in collaboration of grass root institutions while implementing any ideas. It serves two purposes- one is institutional strengthening of organizations and another is vitality and more efficient management of programmes. We have two types of association:
• AYSA (For Young Individuals)
• CCDA (For Civil Society Organisations)
Constitution of AYSA
All interested youth or youth groups should undergo an orientation camp to be eligible to apply for the membership. All membership applications are decided in meeting convened by the Youth Collective.
Constitution of CCDA
Consortium of CSOs for Development Action is constituted as part of YDF's commitment to work with civil society organizations of Odisha and India as part of partners in change. We prefer to work in collaboration with the organizations with similar mandate. There are a number of organizations with whom YDF has partnered with for our programmes all over the state. YDF is also partnering with committed youth organizations in India and abroad as part of its programmes.
|
