Cycle for the cause of empowerment of children through Life Skills development.
Cyclothon Bengaluru’09 is the largest road cycling event being organized in Bangalore on October 11th, 2009. This is being organized by CNBC Sport18 and BSA Hercules.
The Cyclothon is an event designed to enable everybody to be able to get great leverage and support for the work of an organisation and the cause they stand for. We request you to take this opportunity and choose Dream A Dream as the charity that you support through the cyclothon. So buckle up, spread the message, raise funds, empower children and have fun cycling. We look forward to your enthusiastic participation and your support to Dream A Dream.
There are 3 packages for the Cyclothon available for Individuals and corporates.
Dream Team (DT)
The DT is a select group of individuals who commit to raising at least Rs.1 lac in pledges. Each Dream Teamer cycles for one charity of his/her choice. She /he has to fill the DT Form and make an upfront, non-refundable contribution of Rs10, 000/- in order to join the DT.
Corporate Challenge (CC)
The CC is a select group of companies that contribute a minimum of Rs. 1, 05,000. The company sends a group of upto 20 employees to participate in the event. Each employee is encouraged to raise at least Rs 5,000/- in pledges, which is matched by the Company’s contribution of Rs. 1.05 lacs, thus bringing the total contribution from the team to at least Rs 2.10 lacs.
A company signs up by filling the CC form and making an upfront, non-refundable Contribution of Rs. 1, 05,000/- in order to join the Challenge. Many companies offer to match pledges raised by their employees without a limit, or send multiple teams to participate.
Pledgers’ United (PU)
The PU is for everyone else who would raise pledges of any amount and cycle for a cause. A person joins the PU by filling the Cyclothon Registration Form and obtaining a soft copy of a pledge kit.
Kindly visit this link for more information http://bsaherculescyclothon.in.com/.
We request you to sign-up and cycle for Dream, encourage your companies to sign-up and support Dream A Dream.
Write to us at rao.poo11@gmail.com for more details and the registration forms.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Directors Cut
I have also held the view that social change will only come about when we as a nation rise to this problem and take action in our own way – some by setting up social change projects on their own and some by active citizenship and volunteering. Today, I am extremely honoured and privileged to talk about an Individual who has been able to convert his passion into action and is bringing about tremendous social change through his commitment and determination to promote the sport of Hockey and also use sports as a tool for development.
I remember, Shashank Gupta, from our first meeting at the first Dream A Dream office way back in 2004 as a young software engineer, albeit slightly cynical, but wanting to bring about change nevertheless. Over the next few years, Shashank became an integral part of Dream A Dream volunteering for a variety of programs – Computer education, mentoring, fundraising, strategic advice and his favourite program – The Dream Hockey Program. He managed to build tremendous respect amongst peer volunteers and much love amongst the children. Not someone who is just happy volunteering, Shashank had bigger plans and these finally came to fruition last year when he started his very ambitious – One Thousand Hockey Legs Project. I dedicate this issue of September to Shashank Gupta and his undying spirit to bring about change in the world. He is truly a ChangeMaker.
In Shashank’s own words,
“The sport of Field Hockey, as of today, fails to connect to the youth of today - primarily because very few have ever played or watched a Hockey match in their formative years. Volunteering with Dream a Dream's Hockey Program, I came close to the world of Hockey - a phenomenal sport that has a golden history in India. Hockey has all the life skills well entrenched - Team work, Stamina, Energy, Fitness, Leadership, Conflict Handling, Aggression, Defense, Attack, Respect. I just fell in love with the game over a period of time. As with anything, I came to know the darker side of the game, i.e. not many people fall in love with it anymore. I just wondered where I can make a difference.”
”With this thought in mind, few of us joined hands to form the Hockey Citizen Group and conceived our first project - One Thousand Hockey Legs – with the aim to initiate 500 school children from privileged and/or under-privileged backgrounds in a metro/village/town - to Hockey in 1 year and spread the culture of playing Hockey amongst children. Thus, our vision statement: Give each child of the country an opportunity to play Hockey and learn about it.
They have started their first project in Pondicherry with a few schools. They have provided equipment, coaches and conducted regular festivals to keep the children involved. Started in 2008 end, recently they commenced the Pondicherry School Hockey League with our partner schools.
Shashank is already basking in the many memories he has built through this program and shares a few with me.
“After a match on one day, the next day I went to one of the schools. I had to cross a ground which was over 100 mts. This was the lunch time of the school. Over those 100 mts, 4 children from different directions walked up to me and asked me when and where they can see their match's photograph. Somehow I smelled the "Hockey Culture".
On another occasion, a team lost 2 matches on consecutive days. At the end of match, 2-3 children came up to me and said, "Sir, when you come next time, we will surely win a match in front of you."
The program is already scaling very rapidly. It is about to start in 5 schools in Kolkata. Kanpur in UP is already showing promise and Shashank believes Chennai is just round the corner.
You can write to support Shashank at amitabh.bachchan.bigb@gmail.com and learn more about his unique initiative at http://othl.stick2hockey.com/
Shashank truly lives this quote from Mahatma Gandhi ~ “Be the Change you wish to see in the world”
Vishal Talreja,
Co-founder & Director Ashoka Fellow Dream A Dream
I remember, Shashank Gupta, from our first meeting at the first Dream A Dream office way back in 2004 as a young software engineer, albeit slightly cynical, but wanting to bring about change nevertheless. Over the next few years, Shashank became an integral part of Dream A Dream volunteering for a variety of programs – Computer education, mentoring, fundraising, strategic advice and his favourite program – The Dream Hockey Program. He managed to build tremendous respect amongst peer volunteers and much love amongst the children. Not someone who is just happy volunteering, Shashank had bigger plans and these finally came to fruition last year when he started his very ambitious – One Thousand Hockey Legs Project. I dedicate this issue of September to Shashank Gupta and his undying spirit to bring about change in the world. He is truly a ChangeMaker.
In Shashank’s own words,
“The sport of Field Hockey, as of today, fails to connect to the youth of today - primarily because very few have ever played or watched a Hockey match in their formative years. Volunteering with Dream a Dream's Hockey Program, I came close to the world of Hockey - a phenomenal sport that has a golden history in India. Hockey has all the life skills well entrenched - Team work, Stamina, Energy, Fitness, Leadership, Conflict Handling, Aggression, Defense, Attack, Respect. I just fell in love with the game over a period of time. As with anything, I came to know the darker side of the game, i.e. not many people fall in love with it anymore. I just wondered where I can make a difference.”
”With this thought in mind, few of us joined hands to form the Hockey Citizen Group and conceived our first project - One Thousand Hockey Legs – with the aim to initiate 500 school children from privileged and/or under-privileged backgrounds in a metro/village/town - to Hockey in 1 year and spread the culture of playing Hockey amongst children. Thus, our vision statement: Give each child of the country an opportunity to play Hockey and learn about it.
They have started their first project in Pondicherry with a few schools. They have provided equipment, coaches and conducted regular festivals to keep the children involved. Started in 2008 end, recently they commenced the Pondicherry School Hockey League with our partner schools.
Shashank is already basking in the many memories he has built through this program and shares a few with me.
“After a match on one day, the next day I went to one of the schools. I had to cross a ground which was over 100 mts. This was the lunch time of the school. Over those 100 mts, 4 children from different directions walked up to me and asked me when and where they can see their match's photograph. Somehow I smelled the "Hockey Culture".
On another occasion, a team lost 2 matches on consecutive days. At the end of match, 2-3 children came up to me and said, "Sir, when you come next time, we will surely win a match in front of you."
The program is already scaling very rapidly. It is about to start in 5 schools in Kolkata. Kanpur in UP is already showing promise and Shashank believes Chennai is just round the corner.
You can write to support Shashank at amitabh.bachchan.bigb@gmail.com and learn more about his unique initiative at http://othl.stick2hockey.com/
Shashank truly lives this quote from Mahatma Gandhi ~ “Be the Change you wish to see in the world”
Vishal Talreja,
Co-founder & Director Ashoka Fellow Dream A Dream
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The Power of Individual Choice leads to Empowerment
We all know how hard Michael Jordan used to practice to become the best, and the hours Lance Armstrong rode and the setbacks he overcame to be great. But is this type of dedication and determination something we can teach to our kids?
Sport activities in particular count on having your child present to participate. He may not be the best player on the team, but teaching him to honor his commitments and that results come with effort are valuable life lessons.
Why do children quit? There are many reasons for this. A child may quit because of a feeling of "this isn't fun for me." Sometimes children initially want to do what their peers are doing and then find it is not what they expected. Additionally, in today's fast paced society children are often easily distracted or bored, especially with traditional teaching methods that require a child to be disciplined, where there is no room for fun or laughter. Other times, children who want to quit may feel that they are not good enough after the first training/lesson/activity where other kids were doing better.
Parents who struggle with children about sport activities or music lessons need to know that such a struggle only tends to accelerate. Eventually, it is not possible to force children to participate in a class or sport. Trying to force them may only develop anxiety and even more resistance. This in turn could make them even more reluctant to try other new experiences.
Joanna Jeske
Joanna spent one year volunteering for Ashoka's Youth Venture in Thailand, where she worked with youth passionate about bringing about social change. Now, apart from working as a project manager for a international marketing company, she is actively involved in programs empowering young people from underprivileged backgrounds to lead more meaningful lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Sport activities in particular count on having your child present to participate. He may not be the best player on the team, but teaching him to honor his commitments and that results come with effort are valuable life lessons.
Why do children quit? There are many reasons for this. A child may quit because of a feeling of "this isn't fun for me." Sometimes children initially want to do what their peers are doing and then find it is not what they expected. Additionally, in today's fast paced society children are often easily distracted or bored, especially with traditional teaching methods that require a child to be disciplined, where there is no room for fun or laughter. Other times, children who want to quit may feel that they are not good enough after the first training/lesson/activity where other kids were doing better.
Parents who struggle with children about sport activities or music lessons need to know that such a struggle only tends to accelerate. Eventually, it is not possible to force children to participate in a class or sport. Trying to force them may only develop anxiety and even more resistance. This in turn could make them even more reluctant to try other new experiences.
Here are some tips on what parents could do to help their child make their own individual choices:
- Children are often compared to sponges because they absorb the knowledge you share with them. To fully saturate these sponges, parents should make sure the tools used to help a child understand the lesson that is being taught are fun and exciting. This way children will enthusiastically absorb information and look forward to next activities.
- Before enrolling to any activity, parents should sit down with their child and discuss how much time it will require, and what other activities they might miss out on. It helps kids realize they’re making a commitment. Involving children in decision-making about trying new activities helps - parents should discuss in advance about what would be a reasonable trial period for a new activity. Children get a sense of sharing control that makes the decision theirs and helps them accept the commitment.
- Giving enthusiastic encouragement. Children crave for acknowledgements like “You are doing so great,” “I love listening to you!” or “It’s so much fun to watch you perform”. Parents who maintain a positive attitude and say all the right things help keep their children motivated especially when good results are yet to come.
- Reminding them that results require work. If the child is already good at other activities like soccer, dance or any other activity, it's good to remind him/her how she got from a beginner to a good performer. If the child is younger, parents could try sharing their own story of how they quit too soon or got better at something with practice.
We always must remember that kids mature at their own pace and develop their unique skills at different times. Whatever parents decide for their children, they should consider their child's emotional and physical maturity and finally give the choice to the child to make decisions. Sometimes quitting simply means that the activity is not for him or her. Sometimes children show greater wisdom than their parents about what is good for them. At the end of the day, children will never quit doing what makes them feel happy.
At Dream A Dream, we strongly believe in the “Power of Individual Choice” and work hard towards developing this life skill through our programs and also through our attitude and actions.
Joanna Jeske
Joanna spent one year volunteering for Ashoka's Youth Venture in Thailand, where she worked with youth passionate about bringing about social change. Now, apart from working as a project manager for a international marketing company, she is actively involved in programs empowering young people from underprivileged backgrounds to lead more meaningful lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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