‘You can change your city’-Involve activity

Date - 31^st January,4pm - 6 pm

Location - Janaagraha office, Chittaranjan Road, Chennai

1.0. Introduction

INVOLVE 1, the first event for 2009.While planning the event; we decided that this time the core issue would be civic issues and the Chennai city.

iVolunteer has recently partnered with Janaagraha Chennai and had decided to do this event with them

Involve-is a string of feeler activities which is otherwise called as a one-off event. This event strives to attract volunteers in Chennai and to raise the sprit of volunteering among already volunteering individuals.

Involve objective

• Newly enrolled volunteers get to hear, see, do and feel volunteering activities at this event
• A volunteering opportunity open for volunteers who cannot engage themselves in long committed volunteering works
• To create a database of potential volunteers.
• To celebrate the spirit of volunteerism

Involve – 1 (2009)

This is the sixth Involve for the year 2008.The event objective was quiet simple. This was an awareness building session for the volunteers where we had representatives from Janaagraha to give a 2 hour awareness session. Janaagraha is one of the premier social organizations of Bangalore working towards the concept of "participative democracy".

2.0 Invite Sent

http://av.anusha.googlepages.com/involve1-2009

3.0 The event

Most major cities (Chennai included) are experiencing rapid urbanization. The quality of life for citizens across the socio economic spectrum is in decline. Challenges in provisioning water supply, sanitation, public transport, health, education impacts all citizens, particularly those in the economically weaker sections.

Keeping all this is mind, Janaagraha works towards participative democracy where the people can contribute to the betterment of their own lives within their city.

The session started with mutual introductions followed by a  brief note on Janaagraha and its programmes. This was continued with notes on the pilot project - L.B Road project

The conclusive session was the session on Area Sabaa and Arun an active volunteer also briefed on open street mapping and how volunteers could pitch in.

The session was an open ended session encouraging the volunteers to participate in the way the city works.

5.0 Volunteers Speak

“It’s the first time I am participating in such an event. It was inspiring and fun. It was great to see Arun, a young boy achieve so much. It was great meeting everyone and I understood I could actually contribute in some way.”

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Anuradha

I can only say “my dream come true” when I could be a part of this session.

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Dhanya

I thought that the event was a good start. I basically like Janaagraha and what they are doing. It felt like at last there was a platform that could help people like me who want to do something to change the city but do not know where and how to start.

I learnt that tiny things done by each individual makes a lot of difference. I felt like there were such simple and interesting things that I could do that if channelized for the right cause would make all the difference. Also that there are experts who are ready to lend a hand if you are really willing to invest time and energy.

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Savitha Rengabashyam

 

6.0 NGO Speaks

I start with thanks! for organizing this meeting,  which gives me an opportunity to know people with the fire to do something for the betterment of society.From this meeting we were to able get people from IT side to help us in building the technical side stronger, some architects to help us in the structural change, some accounts people who can help us in finance part &documentation. Still we are in search for people to work in the hard core field. So it would be fine if iVolunteer can provide such ones in future, it would be a great help for us and for the society.

Bala.N

Coordinator,Area Sabha

Janaagraha,Chennai