‘There has to be gradual shift in way of schooling’

It is called ‘Youth conference’ organised by You and Us, a signature event to find solutions designed by school students for various social problems. We were established as an organisation in 2015 after we worked for a relief campaign helping school students during the Cuddalore floods. Now we are a youth-run force working for community development and education.

The conference is not merely an event. During the occasion, we hold various campaigns in which we develop and implement solutions to problems faced in the society. We do not depend on any government resources. Our impact in the neighbourhoods we worked in speaks for itself. It takes us about six months to organise the event.

Initially, we had a tough time convincing schools and the people of the community to enrol in the program. But now we have more than 40 schools supporting various campaigns. Internally, volunteer commitment and finding a proper channel to fund these campaigns are getting difficult as the numbers are going higher.

Stepping into the fourth year of the conference, we are focusing on 25 different themes. We are finding the best schools to become ambassadors of social issues like social media influence, juvenile crime, traffic rules and so on. We are partnering with more NGOs and similar communities who can take these solutions forward and implement it nationwide.

Having worked with various government schools for more than three years, I understand the cause behind each of the social problems. There has to be a gradual shift in our way of schooling. The students have amazing potential and I would be glad to be part of a society where every kid is given a fair chance.