Deadline: January 4, 2016
VSO India and Society for Development Alternatives in India are now accepting applications for the 2016 Youth Citizen Service (YCS) Leadership Challenge. YCS is an action learning programme for young Indians. YCS creates an opportunity for India’s youth to actively work towards addressing development issues while they themselves build a deeper understanding of the dynamics of poverty and development.
As a part of the full time, six weeks long programme (1st February – 14th March 2016), 24 young people in the age group of 22-29 will volunteer with Society for Development Alternatives in India. In this engagement, they will discover themselves, learn interpersonal, leadership and other skills and gain valuable experience in the development sector. They will get to learn about various livelihood interventions in the target community and also get a chance to contribute to related issues in the specific community.
Features
The programme has the following features.
- Trainings – The volunteers go through three days pre-departure training, one day mid-project review, one day debrief volunteer workshop and one day volunteer dialogue.
- Host communities – Groups of volunteers live and work in a rural Indian community that is new to all of them.
- Teams – All volunteers will be split into team of three with whom they will work closely on a specific project.
- Host homes – Each group of volunteers will stay with a host family in the host community with limited resources.
- Work placements – Work placements are structured such that the volunteers are able to learn about a specific issue and have maximum take away about the community and its issues and at the same time make a positive and practical contribution to community initiatives.
- Active Citizenship Days (ACDs) – Usually held once a week, ACDs provide the volunteers with an opportunity to come together and engage in active learning about community development issues affecting India as a country.
- Team Building Events (TBEs) – Usually held once a week, each volunteer team will get an opportunity to organise and host a social initiative in their own community. This is an opportunity for the volunteers engage in initiatives/activities beyond their own projects.
The programme can only create opportunities for up to 24 volunteers (12 per cycle). Placements will take place for both cycles in Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh.
Benefits
The programme supports the travel, accommodation, food, medical insurance and training costs of the volunteers. Basic daily living allowance will also be provided to the volunteers.
Eligibility
- Open to Indian citizens between 22 to 29 years
- Applicants should be Indian nationals
- Applicants should be able to speak and understand English and Hindi Languages
- Applicants must be able to join the programme from February 1st to March 14th, 2016
How to Apply
- Apply for the YCS 2016 Leadership Challenge at bit.ly/ycslcapp
For more information, visit YCS Leadership Challenge.
