Youth for Governance Fellowship

“Tell me, and I forget. Teach me, and I remember. Involve me, and I learn,” resonating with these wise words of Benjamin Franklin, we at GRAAM believe in educating through active participation and first-hand experience. To bring the same philosophy into action, we started the Youth for Governance Fellowship in partnership with Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA) and Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) in Mysuru in 2022. The fellowship intends to increase youth participation in governance and encourages them to be agents of change. It provides them a variety of learning experiences and opportunities to explore the arena of governance.

Embracing this ethos, we conducted different events and exposure visits for fellows. One such event was their interaction with political leaders in light of the International Youth Day on August 21, 2023. <Read here- link to existing blogpost>

We also organized a visit to Karnataka’s State Legislature, Vidhana Soudha, on the 6th of September 2023, for the fellows to help them gain an experience of the world of governance from the powerhouse of Karnataka. The fellows were provided a comprehensive orientation & guided tour of the functioning of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. They were made to understand the legislative proceedings and the working of parliamentary committees. They also got an opportunity to interact with Ms. Vishalakshi, Secretary, Karnataka Legislative Assembly to gather interesting insights into the law-making process.

In their structured interaction with Dr. Shalini Rajneesh, the State Development Commissioner, as a part of the visit, the fellows got a deep insight into various aspects of governance, urban development and development initiatives of the state government. Dr. Shalini showed keen interest in such kind of academic exchange, “one should always be curious to learn more, knowledge has no limit,” she said. To keep the spirit of students’ for participating in governance high, she engaged them in an interactive activity that help them delve deeper into their areas of interest. She subsequently assigned them a task in these areas, attaching them to the respective state departments for having a hands-on & holistic learning experience, e.g State Department of mining, Department of law, KSIC, Women Helpline at SP Office, Child Protection Office, etc.

Apart from the above, a significant global impact of the Y4G fellowship was the participation of our fellow, Dhanalakshmi S Gowda, in a UNESCO Youth Bootcamp for Inclusive & Sustainable Cities. The bootcamp was held in Italy where the International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities gave her an opportunity to engage in action-oriented dialogues to deconstruct racism and discrimination, fostering a more inclusive world.

In the pursuit of empowering youth to be the agents of change, our Youth for Governance Fellowship has proven to be a catalyst for transformation. Through interactions with political leaders, visits to the State Legislature, and insightful engagements with government officials, our fellows are not just learning about governance; they are actively participating in it. Moreover, our fellow's participation in a UNESCO Youth Bootcamp in Italy highlights the global impact of our program. Together, these experiences underscore the vital role played by the youth in shaping the future of governance, leadership, and development. They are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they are the leaders of today, actively driving positive change in our society.

Know more about Y4G fellowship at www.graam.org.in