The First Formal NYS Orientation

EVENT: FIRST FORMAL NYS ORIENTATION

Date: 31 May 2008
Reporter: Garima Shahi

Venue: Kadambari College, Maitighar
Time duration: Around 3 hours
Objective: To inform volunteers potentially working as NYS volunteers
Organizer: NYS, YI
Organizing committee: Dhruba Lamsal, Garima Shahi, Mona Aditya, Bhaarat Shrestha and Rina K.C. (Core committee, NYS )
Total number of participants: Around 30

DESCRIPTION

This proved to be a grand day for NYS. The program formally started at 11 am. Our guest for the day Mr. Sudhumna Dahal initiated the program with a game. Dhruba Lamsal was the MC for the program. Rina started the formal session by explaining the origin and objectives of NYS. Mr. Sudhumna Dahal then shared his knowledge on volunteerism. He encouraged the participants to volunteer service at a young age so that they would not regret for the wastage of their energy in future. After that, for some fun ‘Trust and fall’ game was conducted by Sunyana. All the participants got actively involved and enjoyed the game. This session was followed by Sunayana’s session where she talked about the importance of volunteerism and its benefits for the young people. In order to provide participants with some perspectives on national and international context of volunteerism, Garima shared her knowledge on the topic. Before we moved on, we had refreshment break with cookies and drinks.

Our session was then continued by Bharat Shrestha who explained the detailed mechanism of NYS functioning. To inform the participants on the available opportunities Mona did a short presentation. The day’s orientation ended with the signing of ‘Volunteer Interest Forms’ by the participants.

YDS: Youth and Volunteerism

EVENT: YDS ON 'YOUTH AND VOLUNTARISM'

Date: 30 May 2008
Reporter: Mona Aditya

Venue: Martin Chautari, Thapathali
Time duration: Around 2 hours
Objective: To discuss the views on voluntary service amongst young people
Organizer: NYS and Smart Club, Youth Initiative
Organizing committee: Rukh Gurung, Rebati Ram Poudel and Mona Aditya
Total number of participants: 33

DESCRIPTION

This discussion was organized as a part of many discussions being held at grassroot level amongst youth leading to the National Youth Volunteers Conference (June 7^th). NYS in collaboration with Smart Club organized the discussion at Martin Chautari as a part of Youth Discussion Series (YDS) that YI organizes every Friday. The discussion started with the general introduction to the context of volunteerism at the national level followed by a general discussion on four questions:

1. What is volunteerism?
2. Who are volunteers?
3. Why are youths involved in volunteerism in majority?
4. What are the areas/fields in which volunteerism should be applied extensively?
5. What could be done (what plans should be executed) to make the process organized and ethics-based?

After this session, groups were divided for discussion on the same questions so that every participant could have a say. The following were the outcomes:

Group 1

1. What is volunteerism?

A service done voluntarily.

2. Who are volunteers?

Those involved in voluntarism.

3. Why are youths involved in volunteerism in majority?

They are in the stage when they don't have to bear the sole responsibility for their families and have energy and time to invest.

4. The areas/fields in which volunteerism could be applied:

Fields like education, health, environment, awareness-raising, and traffic control

5. What could be done (what plans should be executed) to make the process organized and ethics-based?

Supervision, Networking, Training, Sharing, Motivation, Promotion of Practical Education

Group 2

1. Volunteerism: Service/work done for self-satisfaction.

2. Volunteers: Those involved in volunteerism.

3. Why youths: Spare time, less responsibility, readiness to something new, certificates.

4. Work areas: Physical infrastructures, health, environment, education, social and economic sectors.

5. Plans that could be enforced: Those that discourage monetary gain, those that synchronize volunteerism with education.

Group 3

1. Volunteerism: A service done to a person/society.

2. Volunteers: Those involved in volunteerism.

3. Why youths: Readiness for challenges, free time and relatively less responsibility.

4. Work areas: Society/culture/health/economy/politics.

5. Plans that could be enforced: Code of conduct for the organizations promoting volunteerism.

Group 4

1. Volunteerism: Selfless service

2. Volunteers: Those involved in volunteerism

3. Why youths: Readiness to apply theories from about 15 years of education

4. Work Areas: All

5. Plans that could be enforced: Policy for international volunteers

Group 5

1. Volunteerism: Selfless service, networking, personal development, society, learning, not for profit

2. Volunteers: Individuals working for the benefit of the society with minimum monetary gain

3. Why youths: Free time, less responsibility, energy and enthusiasm, craving for change, zeal for learning, positive attitude

4. Work areas: Health and education, Orphanages, Environment, Social sector, Human rights awareness, Conflict Mediation

5. Plans that could be enforced: A central governing body

The First NYS Outing

EVENT: HIKE TO HATTIBAN

Date: 24 May 2008
Reporter: Rina K.C.

Venue: Hattiban, Kathmandu
Time duration: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (8 hours)
Objective: Introduction, bonding and team-building with potential support team members of NYS
Organizer: NYS of YI
Organizing committee: Dhruba Lamsal, Garima Shahi, Mona Aditya, Bhaarat Shrestha and Rina K.C. (Core committee, NYS)
Total number of participants: 20 (including core team)
Names of participants: Bikash Maharjan, Raghu Aditya, Prakash Bhatta, Sanjay Adhikari, Girish, Surat Giri, Shrijan Shrestha, Saurav Sharma, Ishowr Gurung, Dusyanta, Ayush Joshi, Astha Joshi, Sabina Kadaria, Ritham, Bharat Shrestha, Mona Aditya, Sunayana, Dhurba Lamshal, Garima Shahi, Rina K.C.

DESCRIPTION

This was the first outing program launched by National Youth Service to expand its outreach and build a bigger team with fun and open interaction. To be precise, the program was meant for the formation of a support group that could later in future give continuity to NYS’s vision, mission and functioning. Since the program was the first attempt, we tried to include limited number of participants with a nominal fee for food and transport.

The hiking team set to Hattiban in a local bus from Ratna Park. Hattiban is spot fairly close to the city but far from the day to day hassle and chaos. As we reached the spot we started a cleaning campaign after having our first set of snacks. Since it was the ‘Environment Week’ we had planned to contribute something to the place we visited. We cleaned up plastics lying about on the way up to the hill and ended up with around 5 large bags full of plastic waste.

As we reached the top, we had our introduction session done amidst calm natural environment and the grazing cattle. We had fun returning from there after which we had our morning meal in small hotel on the roadside. After our meal we headed towards the Bhaisipati by a different country-side route. We stopped by a reservoir and gathered for an NYS session. We talked about its origin, its vision, and mission, and spent some time talking about the expectations and possible contributions of the participants towards NYS. It was the open introductory program where the group had the open expression of interest and they shared us the ways they could help NYS in near future. The program was informal and we tried our best to make fun and have interaction done so we played games and shared memo – natural gifts among ourselves. Then after the interaction, fun, game and introduction we filled up the interest form and walked down by the Bagmati river. On our way, we happened to cross the river and some fields. We had immense opportunity to share our interests and experiences amongst the participants. Taking tons of pictures along the hike added to the fun and bonding of the participants.

We returned back to the city on a bus that we caught at Bhaisipati. The ride back was as much as the ride to Hattiban. All of us had had a full day but spending so much of time and effort was worth it for all the friends we made for NYS and for all the fun we had. Most of us decided that such hikes and events in natural environment are very effective means to bonding and team-building and that we should do similar things at frequent intervals in future.

Here We Go!

Welcome to the official blogging site of National Youth Service - the volunteers' program of Youth Initiative, Nepal! This is common space for NYS Volunteers and everyone who cares about NYS to post event reports, news, experience sharings and anything relevant around NYS. Anything to be posted out here must be emailed to nysvolunteers@youth.org.np.

Keep blogging and keep sharing!

NYS Core Team