(02) Session 1: The Icebreaking

This was the first day of AYV program in Akshay Pratishthan. Anuradha, Lipika & Usha (teachers from the school) provided me the opportunity to conduct this first session with 18 selected students from grades 6, 7, & 8. The session started with student’s introduction and brief about the Adobe Youth Voices program and what they are expected to do.

Next, students were asked about the resources required to make a documentary film. Besides names of regular equipments, some other interesting requirements that came from students were Electricity, Special Effects, Reflectors, Title, Funds, Smartness.

Next, each student was asked to give a broad theme/ topic on an issue that affects their life directly or indirectly on which he/ she would like to make their documentary film. The ideas that came up were:

1. Disability – Helping Handicapped people
2. Independence at and from Home – Kids/ Youth
3. Dowry – Say NO to it
4. School – Misuse of funds/ facilities given for the benefit of students
5. Education – For All
6. Discrimination – Specially with girl child
7. Child Labour
8. Cruelty – On poor people (mainly in villages or slums)
9. Cruelty – against animals
10. Smoking – Say no to it
11. Disrespect of parents by children/ youth
12. Negligence – Parents who does not give time to their children
13. Money Power – Admission/ donation in good/ elite private schools
14. Environment protection
15. Environment pollution
16. Poverty – Low income
17. Indifference towards people with diseases like HIV/ AIDS, Leprosy, Cancer
18. Natural Disaster – Rehabilitation

This exercise was done to open up students, to make them think individually and to show them that each student’s ideas are important and respected. After writing down the topics we decided to vote in a democratic style i.e. each student had to vote Yes No for every topic. We zeroed in on 4 topics on which maximum students i.e. 17 would like to make the documentary film: Disability; Child Labour; Education; Smoking.

In the end students were asked to brainstorm among themselves during the week and come up with specific ideas on the selected topics.