Bhubaneswar: After taking up its unique Socially Smart Project involving youth from 24 slums under Bhubaneswar Town Centre District (BTCD), the next phase of training more youths from 76 more slums started Monday at the Centre for Youth and Social Development. Day-1 saw the presence of 37 young leaders.
In the three-day training programme, the Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will train 80 peer leaders (`Pragati Sathi’) on various skill development techniques. It may be mentioned here that after the stupendous success of Phase-1 training programme under the Socially Smart Project, the number of slums under its ambit has been scaled up from 24 to 100 for more inclusive and holistic development of the city.
The 80 peer leaders will be provided training in three phases over the year. However, unlike last year, when separate training was organised for boys and girls, this year it is being done with both boys and girls making it gender neutral.
BSCL is working in collaboration with UNFPA through its partner NGO Humara Bachpan Trust to strengthen social components of the Smart City proposal. One of the major components of the project is to train young boys and girls as peer leaders. These young leaders are provided nine days of life-skill training in three phases.
The training consists of themes that help them develop their leadership skills besides inculcating confidence in them to handle social issues. During the last two years a total of 92 young peer leaders were created from 24 slums of BTCD area.
In the current year, there is a proposal to train 80 youngsters from 76 slums that have been taken up for community level intervention. These young leaders or `Pragati Sathi’ go back to their community to create groups of girls and boys who discuss the module once in a fortnight and take up slum issues.
