Leadership skills from Singapore STAR Academy

A three-day leadership training was organized for young adolescents by the STAR academy based in Singapore at Buds of Christ office, India. The programme has been organized in evolving leaders among young people to be future leaders of hope and courage to other children and young people like them.

The three day workshop focused on three major areas, first “Knowing oneself”;
“When they started the day and told us to write our special skill or talent that would be self encouraging, I felt very funny as we have always thought self praise will result in pride. But at the end of the third day it helped me realise that this step has boosted my self esteem and made me feel more confident about myself” said an orphan boy  living with HIV

The second area on “YOU and others “;
“I used to be very depressed because my mother often complains and scolds me. On the second day on coping with your thoughts, I learnt how important it is to ignore the negative thoughts and holding on to it will make you more depressed” expressed an adolescent girl living with her widowed mother
Team Game facilitated by Marion STAR Academy Singapore

The Third was “We”, where the members focus on a common goal and working together in realizing the goal as a team.
“When we had game, I just got involved completely in the game and tried to focus on winning as a team. Later during reflections, I could learn how much this game made me realise the potential that I had as a leader which I had not realized earlier” said an orphan adolescent boy

The exercises included self assessment of themselves using DISC profiling, followed by team building exercise under stress conditions that brought in the various characteristics of who takes the lead and who is supportive and who is an encourager and who remains silent.
On the final day, the adolescents were also able to evolve short-term projects to help people like them. The two major projects that the adolescents have evolved is leadership training for new young people who are in the neighboring taluk and life skills for adolescents through peer-based strategy.

At the end of the workshop the participants were awarded certificates acknowledging their participation.

Popular posts from this blog

Confidence Building Camp for Orphan Adolescents

Image
What is Buds N Colors Camp? Buds N Colors camp is for adolescent children orphaned and affected by HIV and AIDS in the HIV high prevalent Namakkal district in Tamilnadu. The aim of this camp is to share love, build hope and strengthen faith to live life with dignity and courage. Why this camp? Adolescents living with HIV find it hard to set higher goals due to the fear that dominates their emotions. HIV has affected their self –image causing a severe low self esteem. Our experiences from the previous camp have shown, given a space for the adolescents, they emerge as leaders of hope and change for others like them. Who are the participants at Buds N Colors Camp? This camp is exclusively for adolescent children who have lost one or both parents to HIV and AIDS in the age group of 12 to 18 years. Around 40 adolescent children will participate in this camp What is the uniqueness of the camp? This camp provides opportunity for creating peer buddies among
Read more

Nothing is impossible for those that BELIEVE – Bharathi has scored 408 in 10th public exams amidst difficult circumstances

Image
It is another joyous moment to share that our children have excelled in their 10 th public exams and going beyond the limitations and challenges once again. The experiences of these children, especially widow headed households face the pressures of early marriages; or stopping education and sent for work to support the family income. In addition if they are the most backward caste in the community, they are often discriminated by other members in the community. Bharathi has put her dream path, possible challenges and how she would overcome them  Bharathi is from the most backward community and living with her widowed mother. She has one elder sister who eloped and got married to a boy from the neighbouring village. Bearing the stigma of run-away sister, widowed mother’s daughter and the caste discrimination, along with severe power cuts that lasted up to 12 hours in a day, Bharathi as young as 14 years took these obstacles as milestones to prove her capacity and bring a grea
Read more

Educating Children Enabling Independence

Image
“Education is for improving the lives of other and for leaving our community and world better than we found it.” Buds of Christ organised Education support program for boys and girls on 7 October 2021. 16 children from class 9 th to 12 th participated and received school bags and notebooks.   The event started with a moral story on Being Focussed on the Vision for life shared by Mr. Jeyapaul Director of Buds of Christ. Following that Communication skill was taught to children as part of Life Skills Education.   The reason for Buds of Christ to enhance the skills of children on Life skills goes with the quote that “Education is not just about going to school and getting a degree. It’s about widening our knowledge and absorbing the truth about life".   This was followed by life experience sharing by the Program Chief Guest Ms. Kaleeswari, Commercial Assistant from TamilNadu Electricity Board.   She shared her life history and motivated the children to be eager for studies. She also
Read more