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Culture Shock – Non-formal education ICL module Session 3

Culture Shock – Non-formal education ICL module Session 3

On the 18th of January 2014, the Youth Development Programme (YDP) of FSL-India hosted its third and final session  of its three-part series on culture. This time, the session took place at Cubbon Park in Bangalore, Karnataka. It was a perfect Saturday afternoon for a gathering of 22 individuals (college students, young professionals and FSL-India staff), along with Shalini Menon and Bopanna (Educators Collective) and Shreya Talwar (YDP).   Again, using methods of experiential learning, participants were taken on an…

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“India – Multiple Ethnicities (Dis)order” – Non-formal education ICL module Session 2

“India – Multiple Ethnicities (Dis)order” – Non-formal education ICL module Session 2

On the 11th of January, the Youth Development Programme (YDP) of FSL-India hosted the second part of its three-part non-formal educational series on culture at our head office in Bangalore, Karnataka. Being in a country that consists of paradoxes, both ends of any extreme, contrast and differences, the YDP realised the significance of exploring this further. Shalini Menon (founder of Educators Collective and facilitator of the session) joined us again, along with Shreya Talwar (YDP), to present participants with an…

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“Keeping an “I” on Culture” – Non-formal education ICL module Session 1

“Keeping an “I” on Culture” – Non-formal education ICL module Session 1

On the 21st of December, the Youth Development Programme (YDP) of FSL-India hosted its first non-formal education session at our head office in Bangalore, Karnataka. The 13 participants consisted of college students and one of our very own FSL-India staff members. The YDP decided to launch non-formal education sessions because we truly believe that significant learning takes place outside the classroom, and off the desks and chairs.  Through activity based methods of experiential learning, 13 participants were invited to begin…

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Your first week in India

Your first week in India

The month of November saw another set of 18 mid- to long-term volunteers (MLTV) join us in India. Their first few days were carefully planned out for a week-long orientation session that discussed various aspects of what their stay in India would entail. The volunteers joined us from 9 different nationalities and the orientations took place at both our Bengaluru (Head Office) and Kundapura offices. Here is what you can expect from an orientation week:

Keeping an ‘I’ on Culture

Keeping an ‘I’ on Culture

What does culture mean to you? How much are you governed by your culture in everyday life? How do your cultural ties or cultural expectations affect you in your everyday life?  The Youth Development Programme (YDP) of FSL-India wants to explore exactly that. Cultural relativity is key! In a country that is constantly evolving and changing, understanding the self in relation to culture, and understanding the self’s culture in relation to India, and the rest of the world is an…

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What does volunteering mean to you?

What does volunteering mean to you?

“Founded on the values of solidarity and mutual trust, volunteerism transcends all cultural, linguistic and geographic boundaries. By giving their time and skills without expectation of material reward, volunteers themselves are uplifted by a singular sense of purpose.”                                                                                                                 – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, A movement that was born 93 years ago,…

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Winter camps

Winter camps

As winter sets in at Bangalore, we, at FSL, begin the new season with a series of winter camps. Planned for long-term volunteers who are involved in teaching, these camps are conducted during school holidays. Take a look at what we did recently: Makkala Mitra Sparsha Trust Our winter camp in Bangalore took place at the Sparsha Trust from 7th to 18th October. Sparsha Trust works to ensure children are not deprived of their constitutional rights and are provided a…

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Indian experiences of a volunteer

Indian experiences of a volunteer

Joining us from Poland for close to 7 months, Anna Pacześ, one of our long-term volunteers writes about what it was like to work with physically and mentally challenged children in Arani, Tamil Nadu. She gives an insider’s perpective to what volunteering in India is all about, talking of her own personal journey through the months, from first impressions to final goodbyes. We hope you visit us again Anna! ‘May: Here I am!  My dream came true – I’m in…

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Conserving Sea Turtles

Conserving Sea Turtles

In the year 2011-12, nearly 720 hatchlings* of the Olive Ridley sea turtle were released through sea turtle conservation initiatives mobilized by FSL India. For close to 8 years, our volunteers, local community members and conservation organizations in the area have been working together on the coastline of Udupi District, in the State of Karnataka, which forms the sporadic nesting grounds of these turtles. It is one of FSL’s oldest home based, self-funded projects. While there has been much progress,…

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Summer camps

Summer camps

On school days Shanthi (meaning peace in Hindi) Ashram is bustling with the sound of children going about their day-to-day activities. Located in Vijayadka village, Mangalore (State of Karnataka)* and home to some 65 students who reside there, the ashram works to provide children from disadvantaged backgrounds with a safe, nurturing environment that enables their education and future development.  The summer holidays in April provided an excellent opportunity for the ashram community to work on child-friendly infrastructural improvements. A group…

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