In a society as complex and diverse as India, the challenge is to ensure that this huge cohort becomes a vibrant, constructive force that realises its full social, economic and human potential. To facilitate the process, it is imperative that youth participate actively in all relevant levels of decision-making processes because it affects their lives today and has implications for their future.

Youth involvement in achieving the sustainable development goals is also very crucial. Young people are the leaders of today and pivotal players in tackling global development issues and playing a key role in the decision making processes, at all levels of society. Involving youth for designing and implementing the goals is essential for the success of the SDGs. Young people have been deemed as the torch bearers of the SDGs. UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon has in his synthesis report – ‘The Road to Dignity to 2030: Ending Poverty, Transforming All lives and Protecting the Planet’ pointed to the fact that the ‘realities of 1.8 billion youth and adolescents represent a dynamic, informed and globally connected engines of change. Integrating their needs, right to choice and their voices in the new agenda, will be the key factor for success.’

In order to sensitise young people about development concerns, Youth Citizen Service (YCS) Leadership Challenge was designed. DA (Development Alternatives) has been working in collaboration with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) for the last 2 years to ensure qualitative intervention leading to a lasting impact on both volunteers and the rural spaces. YCS is a platform which allows young people to get hands on experience in addressing development concerns, build perspectives and learn necessary skills. Youth are selected through a competitive process from across India and then they are oriented on volunteering and community work. Special attention is given to the selection process to ensure diversity in terms of geography, gender, caste, religion and disability. Volunteers are expected to stay in the village for 6 weeks and work on projects related to Livelihood and Education in Jhansi, Bundelkhand and Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. Volunteers are divided into teams and each team gets a project which is to be done in a specific geography.

A total of 30 candidates were selected for the interview round at DA Headquarters. The final selection included group exercises and a personal interview. After a group discussion, the candidates were interviewed by a panel composing of senior representatives from Development Alternatives (DA) and Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO), the partner organisation. After the interviews, 20 candidates were selected as the final participants for the YCS programme.

Selected volunteers were divided into groups of 2 and were sent to different locations. When on the field, volunteers were further divided into smaller teams and were allocated host homes and projects. Weekly interventions were planned to do capacity building of the volunteers to think from a larger perspective. Subjects like waste management, self-reflection, mobilisation, planning etc. were covered. Each team was supposed to do a community event during their stay to address the issue at a larger level.

One moment I was just another ‘bahaar se padh kar waapas aayi’ city girl. The highlight of my everyday life was driving down to socialise with friends and family in upscale markets and then returning to my cozy private room to my laptop, surfing on my highspeed internet, mostly looking for jobs or just some direction for life. Another moment, I’m a ‘bahaar-se aayi yahaan service karne waali’ girl. Only, this time ‘bahaar’ meant my own country. My days now include sharing a room, washing my own clothes with no choice or say in setting the menu, practicing yoga at sunrise every morning and on some nights going to bed underneath the starstudded sky.

As a student of policy and development and within my academic horizons, I had a carefully constructed image of the development sector. Six weeks working in the heart of rural India, gave me the opportunity to put theory to practice and helped me fill in the gaps in my understanding of the development sector with real world experiences. The programme is full of interactions, with spaces and people to learn from – experienced professionals as mentors and trainers, ground staff at the implementing agencies, local staff, fellow volunteers and of course the locals themselves.

Living and working in what appear to be ‘rough conditions’ and with limited resources, away from the comfort of home and various distractions (read: the internet), opened up space for self exploration, discovery and rediscovery too! I realise now how I’ve always had access to luxuries, which I believed were necessities – western toilets, microwaves, airconditioners, cars, coffee and even showers or an extra bucket of water for a bath! One definitely learns how to value every rupee much more by observing how those with limited resources value every rupee. Our host family gifted us a ‘gullak’ (a traditional clay piggy bank) to encourage saving money!

Back in the city, now when I am on the streets and when my eyes meet with a stranger, I don’t see a boy or a girl standing in front of me. Instead, I see potential. Everybody is exuberating potential, constrained by circumstances and compulsions. It’s just a matter of creating enabling environments – be it by the state or by private citizens. I have returned home, with a newfound confidence and with bigger dreams. ■