Education> Cultural and Education support of 1000 youth from slums in Delhi

Supporting cultural and educational needs of ~1000 youth and children in slums to address the impact of displacement
State: New Delhi
NGO: Partner in Justice Concerns (PJC)

Summary:
Migrant laborers in New Delhi have faced forced displacement and resettlement due to development and beautification projects. The children of these migrant laborers do not have access to facilities to study and play, and are pushed into rag-picking. PJC and Centre for Community Support and Social Development (CCSSD) has been using the medium of theater, art and educational strategies to engage and enable these youth to cope with the impacts of displacement.

Highlights:

• PJC and CCSSD work with the children in the Delhi region so that they gain access to schools, avail after-school tutoring and older children appear for board exams through National Institute of Open Schooling. More importantly, these young girls and boys empower themselves through art and theater to engage with the community on the issues of health, sanitation, road safety and social inequalities. This medium of expression through theater, literature and art allows the youth to become aware of the social issues around them and the regular discussions in the centers helps them step up and collectively lead.
• CCSSD has set up over 10 such centers in the New Delhi area, such as Bhalswa, Bawana, Khanpur and Rohini where these programs and skill development workshops are organized and impacts over 1000 youth and children.
• CCSSD also brings together the youth from the different centers by organizing the Delhi Young Artists Forum (DYAF) which allows them to interact and learn from the other communities. This has helped mobilize youth through the medium of art, culture, sports activities, education and informative visits to historical monuments to bring the stark social reality of the society before the youth. These children, primarily girls, range from the age of 8 to 24 years, and it is apparent that they have gone through a huge change in attitude, awareness, confidence and all round development over the past 6 years.

Short Term Outcomes:

1. More boys and girls of the settlement enrolled in school and started studying regularly.
   
2. ​Young women should develop creative abilities such as art, writing and performing arts. 
   
3. Awareness on issues of education, child marriage, gender discrimination and superstition increased in the community. 
   
4. Students of 10th and 12th should get financial support and help in continuing their studies. 
   
5. Develop a sense of teamwork, self-confidence and social responsibility among the youth. 
   
6. Increase responsibility and participation in the community towards the environment and sanitation.
   
7. Increased interest and understanding among youth and parents for higher education.

Long Term Outcomes:

1. The youth of the settlement should become self-reliant and get higher education or employment opportunities on their own. 
2. ​Positive thinking about education and equality should be developed in the community.
   
3. Social evils like child marriage, gender discrimination and superstitions should be reduced. 
   
4. Social development and community cohesion should be strengthened in the settlement under the leadership of youth.
   
5. ​A strong,  educated and sensitive society should be built through art, education and social initiatives.