Samvidhn LIVE! The Jagrik Project
Owning my Samvidhan – A game with the young, by the young and for the young!
Even as we celebrate India’s rich diversity and plurality, we need to sit up and take notice of our collective failure to pass the only common task taken by every citizen. It’s the single story we, the people all share; The Constitution.
The ‘Living the Samvidhan Survey’ we conducted with 18,000 people in 16 states revealed as part of our reality check, that the average score of citizens on constitutional awareness and action was a dismally low 36%.
On the other hand, a group of 500 young people, who played a reality game conducted by us fared much better in the same survey scoring 70% at the end of a five week fun filled intervention that took them way beyond their books, turning the world into their classroom.
In a time when identity politics has become a way of life, how does a young person decide what kind of action is suitable? There’s actually an easy answer to that- to follow the Constitution of India. Our Constitution gives us that common narrative or framework within which we can all act as Active Citizens. But because most of us have no clue about the constitution, unfortunately even the schooled know it as the most boring chapter that they study for one year in school to pass an exam and perhaps never referred to again in their lives.
We decided to bridge this crucial gap in our collective consciousness. Samvidhan LIVE! The Jagrik Project is a unique public initiative that aims to help citizens live and experience the fundamental rights and duties enshrined in our Constitution through an interactive game and thereby enshrine them in their minds forever.
In 2016, almost 500 Jagriks (Jargruk Nagriks or aware citizens), undertook this critical task of bringing the Constitution to their city, town, village and streets through this fun-filled game. In a matter of 5 weeks, almost 1500 social and self action tasks, such as spending a night in a homeless shelter, organising a health camp, reversing gender roles to experience the other, spending time with religious leaders to truly understand and experience freedom of religion, and many others, were carried out. The result – these Jagriks passed with distinction the same test on Constitutional awareness and action, than the 18000 respondents had miserably failed.
In a massive culmination at Delhi’s Constitution Club, 40 inspiring Jagriks met senior politicians and stakeholders to share their findings and to urge for much better constitutional literacy in this wonderful diverse country of ours…and in the process, the Jagriks had a (blue) whale of a time exploring themselves and the world around them! A story of their experiences can be viewed in the film, ‘An open letter to the President of India’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?=eZ8byG2wFaY&t=2s . The Jagriks collectively reached out to 30,000 people as they turned the world into their classroom.
Overall, the initiative was such a hit that not only did it win the Special Mention at the 4th edition of Social Media for Empowerment (SM4E) Awards in the Communication, Advocacy & Development Activism category, but there has been an overwhelming response from organisations and institutions across the country who would like to participate and partner in this journey.
So we are back with Samvidhan LIVE. This year, Audacious Dreams Foundation, ComMutiny – The Youth Collective in collaboration with 22 youth led and youth engaging organisations from 14 states will once again use the reality game to develop leadership capacities and ownership for the only story that all citizens must know by heart.
The public initiative will kick off on 26th November 2017, celebrating Constitution Day and will culminate on Republic Day, 26th January, 2018. We believe ownership comes when you act in the real world, when you co-create, when you see the consequences of your actions. Ownership cannot be given in classrooms. It has to be taken in the streets.
It’s not just another reality show – Samvidhan LIVE! The Jagrik Project is, in fact, a reality check.
About Audacious Dreams Foundation:
“Audacious Dreams Foundation”(ADF), India aims to inspire, inform, engage, enable and empower youth for global understanding and sustainable development. We engage youth in various process of development from grassroot to global level including mutual dialogue, education, sports for development and peace, rural development, policy making, adolescent health, civic engagement, social entrepreneurship, volunteerism, environment, women empowerment, vocational training & skill development etc.
ADF is working with many global, regional, national organisations, Inter governmental agencies, International NGOs, governments, for the development of youth, contributing for influential global policies, mainstreaming youth participation to achieve sustainable development goals etc. ADF is having experience of working on diversified projects with United Nations organisation (UNO), Commonwealth networks, SAARC, Rotary International, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Association etc.
Audacious Dreams, a primer youth development organization scheduled its next big training on Youth Leadership & Adventure. We welcome application from interested institutions to organise the Event to benefit your students.
