Workshops on “Promoting Intergenerational Bonding” at 12 Colleges – 2018

Workshops on “Promoting Intergenerational Bonding” at 12 Colleges sponsored by National Institute of Social Defence (NISD), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment held from November 2017 to March 2018.

AIWEFA discovered a growing gap in the outlook of the different generations, leading to conflict situations. Owing to contemporary changing family settings, social structures and processes and socio cultural factors, there has been a growing gap between the generations in attitudes, prejudice, beliefs and values. This has sometimes given way to antisocial behavior, violence and aggression towards individuals and groups. There is, therefore, an urgent need to understand the dynamics of change in the community and sensitize the generations to maintain elements of community organization, harmony, peace and ethical behavior for the development of a happy, healthy and sustainable society. Students as they grow up are in the process of forming social self, self concept, self esteem and identity while peers, family, society, community and others seek to control, discipline, and persuade them to conform in their own vision. Group dynamics breakdown leads to erratic behavioral patterns. For this purpose, AIWEFA organized workshops for school and college students to bring about transformational behavior between the different generations ( two or three).

Each workshop of 3-hour duration mainly had three sessions:

1.Technical Session,2. Legal Session & 3.Evolving Srategies Session.

In the technical session the need to bridge the intergenerational bond is emphasised. All this is done by dialogues, participatory activities , dislay of videos and short films. The suggestions related to bonding through technology of mobile use, email, twitter, whats app. and other social media options capture the interests of the students and are very well received as means of relating to members of the senior generations.

The legal session is meant to create awareness about various laws safeguarding the interests of parents, grand –parents and senior citizens and to discuss more on the special legislation formulated for the same purpose ie. “Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act”. It made youth aware of their duties towards elders and not only their previleges.

Students were explained about the different types of Violence and Abuse which are being committed upon parents and senior citizens and legal actions which can be taken against the offenders.

It was felt that all the three generations need each other and efforts need to be made from all to bend and mend the attitudes for a better understanding amongst themselves. The young generation has to play the most important role and make the maximum efforts to maintain the cordial relationships as they are the most flexible. The youth is still in the process of moulding their personalities and need to learn to give respect to all the elderly people, inculcate a patient hearing habit to the elderly’s slow and rigid ways. Youth must learn to take advantage from rich experiences of the senior generations and need not ever consider them useless. Young generation should understand the time, financial and energy-efficient limitations under which their parents have to discharge their duties towards their wards as well as seniors.It is here that the youth has to play a very vital role to see that in the society seniors are respected, well looked after physically, financially and emotionally.They are not deprived of any of their rights, legal or otherwise ,should be able to spend their old age gracefully with dignity. The youth has to learn well the value and strength of being together ( unity in diversity) and act as volunteers and watchdogs to safeguard the interests and legal rights of all generations. Finally pledge – taking to “ Promote Intergenerational Bonding” is administered.

The twelve colleges where 3 hour long workshops were held are:

1.Shivaji College, University of Delhi

2.Zakir Husain College of Delhi, University of Delhi.

3.Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi.

4. Shri Aurobindo College, University of Delhi.

5. Bharti College, University of Delhi.

6.College of Vocational Studies, University of Delhi.

7.Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi.

8. Lady Irwin College, University of Delhi

9. Ramjas College, University of Delhi.

10.Army Institute of Education, Greater Noida.

11. Arya Bhatta College, University of Delhi.