|
 Six-month
and three-month duration Rural Development Management Programmes are being
conducted every year since the year 2001. The genesis of the programme lies in
the moving experience of working with educated rural youth as potential change
agents. Most of them have little understanding of the process of development.
Initially for most of the
participants even living together is a new experience. At
the beginning of the programme, their ability to communicate
is disturbingly low. Reading habits and writing abilities
are also generally poor. In view of these, considerable time
is spent in overall personality development. This implies
enabling them to speak during classes and after class in
group discussions, especially during morning hours.
Cleanliness, discipline and punctuality are introduced as
essential elements of the programme.
A major effort during the
training course is to put into sharing the belief that
development begins with people in raising their awareness
and abilities to tackle issues collectively. It is not about
implementing government programmes only. for many, this
comes as a revelation. In the beginning most participants do
not believe that the can actually work with people
successfully. In fact, the first field programme was a
nightmare to some. The whole idea of starting a dialogue
with the poor without offering them aid in some form is
alien to them. After experiencing the process directly in
the field they develop a new confidence that 'they can do
it'. Close guidance from experience workers is essential for
the purpose. Such building up of experience is one of the
high points of the programme. |
