Adolescents: From Beneficiaries to Participants

Rabindranath Tagore, in his book Gora sensitively describes the predicament of its here. He is unlettered, puzzled by the ways of educated people, despaired about his future and steeped in traditional beliefs relating to gender, caste and religion. This is the best way to describe the situation of adolescent persons in rural areas of Rajasthan.

DD programmes have a transformational impact on the personality of adolescent persons. The most important input is made with them residential education, which is integrated and holistic. As a result of living together, not only with other adolescent persons but also with teachers, the trainees of the residential camps overcome the prejudices effecting their behaviour about religion and caste and acquire an attitude of sensitivity towards women. After their residential education these persons have access to programmes of continuing education; younger persons enter school and others can make use of library or science centre or benefit from open middle school.

By actively participating in movement for social justice the adolescent persons associated with DD acquire information about issues such as Right to Information. Moreover, the adolescent persons canvass these causes with their peers and engage in providing learning opportunities to them. Peer education, exposure to issues of people’s rights and entitlements, visits and excursions to other areas etc. bring about a basic change among the adolescent persons. They begin as beneficiaries of an educational programme, over a period of time they become participants not only in the planning and management of DD but indeed also acquire necessary confidence to be harbingers of social change.

The manner the DD processes impact adolescent persons can be best seen in their personal and family life, in their involvement with DD work and as role models. As a result of emphasis on life skills these persons acquire social skills, thinking and analytical skills and negotiation skills. Boys as well as girls are seen discussing with parents about the need for delayed marriage. Much of the work of DD is shouldered by these trained participants. They serve as volunteers in libraries, Gyan Vigyan Kendras and in the micro-planning exercises. Selection of new candidates for residential training programmes is often left to the older participants, who also undertake community contact in villages where DD is to be extended. For their self-confidence, the sensitive style of their behaviour towards women, their willingness to serve the community and for their determination to continue their learning, they serve as role models for other adolescents.

Despite the effort made by block level management, contact is lost with nearly one third of the participants. There are three reasons: first, migration due to marriage; second, migration in search for employment; and third, due to compulsions of work. Thus a sizeable percentage of trained adolescent persons get out of the radar of DD management. Efforts made so far have not been very successful.