WE ARE HOPE. WE ARE THE MEANS TO A LIVELIHOOD.
Youth For Change
WHO WE ARE
We are hope. We are the means to a livelihood. We are YFC Rurka Kalan, a progressive social organization. We are partners in a global campaign, which aims to restore the childhood of millions of children by means of care, protection, opportunities, participation and most significantly sports. We are ambitious. We dream of an India where every child goes to school, is made available a decent education, health care and shelter. We wish to share our dreams - join hands with the government, the civil society and the corporate sector. "With India's demographic dividend slated to be its most valuable asset; and YFC, in essence, being an organization dedicated to creating better opportunities for children and the youth (also having been founded and being run by the youth), also stands for “Youth for Change�.
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WHERE IT ALL BEGAN The village of Rurka Kalan is situated in the Jallandhar district of Punjab. Rurka Kalan is centrally located with the borders of the municipality touching another 20 small villages. It has a population of approx. 15,000 and is well connected by good roads to nearby villages. The 8 km hinterland has a population of about 50,000 people. The primary economic activity of the people is agriculture; 70% of the population has very small land holdings: an average of 0.5 hectares per household. These people are agricultural laborers having small annual incomes of around `50,000 (Approx USD $1,000) per annum. Around forty percent of the population of the village is Dalit. Dalits in the area have very low literacy rates and have still lower incomes of `36,000 (Approx. USD $700) per annum. Children from Dalit families do not have access to quality education and other development facilities as adults of these families are mostly illiterate and poor. The majority of the children and adolescents have no access to guidance and counselling which is of the utmost necessity for their development. Dropout rate in schools in the area is very high. It is the belief of YFC that if children and young people have access to timely, supportive counselling and guidance from experts along with the conventional education, then they can have a sustainable lifestyle and can become responsible and productive citizens of our world. Rurka Kalan has been a harbinger of many a social and patriotic movements. The village had been a centre for the 'Gadar' Party movement and has produced 42 freedom fighters. Sports in general and football, hockey, athletics and kabaddi in particular have been a love for the people of Rurka Kalan. The village has produced many International & National level footballers and other sports persons of eminence. Many youngsters have a sustainable future by choosing football as career.
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From A Football Club To An Integrated Community Based Grassroots Organsation - The Journey Continues. With a view to stem the increasing use of drugs amongst the youth of the village and surrounding areas and to provide better livelihood opportunities to the underprivileged children and youth, Gurmangal Dass, a young resident of the village decided to form a football club and thus YFC came into being. The aim was to use football as the means to divert the youth from drugs and to a more active, productive and healthy lifestyle. This team worked hard the fields to win prize money tournaments and away from the field they volunteered in building infrastructure, raising funds and educating children and youth. In this sense, YFC is truly a grassroots and community organization with strong emphasis on overall rural development through community participation. Residents of the village assisted in the setting up of a football ground and two practice pitches by hauling soil from
nearby locations, levelling it, laying an underground irrigation system and laying the turf. The farmers brought 300 trolleys of soil from a place 20 km away in just three days. Volunteers sweated hard to level the field and plant grass on it. From the very beginning, the YFC ensured that the community would play an active role in curbing the problem of drug abuse and since then the community participation has been the hallmark and essence of the initiatives of YFC.
career consciousness and positive competition, lack of role models for adolescents and youth; lack of professional guidance and counselling services; absence of any platform for children to use their energy, enthusiasm and after school free time, YFC has set up a ‘Social Centre of Excellence’. This centre, apart from achieving excellence in sports, also has the all round development of rural underprivileged youth and children as its primary goal and objective.
Now YFC has its chapters in UK, Canada, America and Europe. Taking serious note of youth delinquency and drug addiction; psychological problems such as anger, aggression, depression and insecurity due to non availability of resources and skills required to go through different phases of life; prevalent non availability of productive activities for children, adolescents and youth; lack of positive life skills; lack of
From being a football club to an integrated social service organization with imprints in other sports, education, health, environment, youth development, YFC Rurka Kalan has had a long journey and is making all efforts
to play its part in areas of community betterment and rural development. Also from raising money by winning tournaments, performing bhangra on Lohri (a festival celebrated in India and especially in Punjab with a lot of fervour and enthusiasm) at the homes of the villagers and by putting up cycle stands for fund raising to raising funds from NRIs, corporates and grants distributed by national/international organizations and Government authorities, the fund raising activity has also come a long way. The most interesting part is that the tradition of raising funds on Lohri still continues and has become a part of the village’s folklore.
GOALS, VISION & OBJECTIVES
AFFILIATIONS OF YFC The YFC is registered under Societies Registration Act XXI 1860; The YFC is registered charity under Department of Income Tax, Govt. of India.
Exempted under 80G of income tax act; The YFC is affiliated to Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, Nehru Yuva
Kendra, Govt. of India; Affiliated with Department of Youth and Sports, Government of Punjab; and Affiliated to Punjab Football Association.
GOALS
OBJECTIVES
YFC’S goal is to empower underprivileged children and youth to have a sustainable lifestyle; and to positively channelize the energy of children, youth and disadvantaged strata of society in the direction of livelihood opportunities and healthy lifestyle.
To provide quality education to under privileged children with modern learning
VISION We, at YFC, visualize ourselves as partners in a national and global campaign to restore childhood to millions of children deprived of their basic needs. We are committed to give them back their childhood in terms of care, protection and opportunities for participation and development. We dream of an India where every child goes to school or is provided with decent alternative education and is also provided with health care and shelter. We wish to share our dreams and join hands with the government, civil society, and corporate sector and with all those who wish to give back to society. It is also our vision to produce world class players and athletes and to this end YFC plans to set up a ‘Centre for Sporting Excellence’ where talent would be nurtured, given world class training and trainees will be prepared for excellence in sports at the highest level.
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aids and scientific methods To provide talented children in football and other sports scientific coaching, diet, equipment and all other amenities, thereby enabling them to have careers as a professional sports person To provide health services to disadvantaged strata of society including regular medical checkups; educating adults about child health, dietary habits and child psychology To create awareness, through various activities linked to sporting events and otherwise, regarding infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS and also lifestyle related non infectious diseases To provide atmosphere conducive to positive development of children by arranging regular cultural competitions, seminars, talks and debates which are incidental to their all around development To create awareness on environment protection; forming Eco-clubs with children and youth as members; taking initiatives to save environment by planting trees, arranging seminars, presentations and debates on the subject To provide Vocational education to youth thereby increasing their employability. To provide counselling and guidance services including career counselling to rural youth To implement programs related to women empowerment, health, nutrition and education by working with gender focused community based organizations. To ensure wider dissemination of participatory developmental approaches, methodologies and strategies for improving socio-economic status of disadvantaged strata of society throughout the country To mobilize resources by close coordination, liaison & linkages and establishing partnership with NGOs, INGOs, Government Organizations and other developmental agencies/institutes
INFRA STRUCTURE Mandeep Memorial Health Club
YFC Youth & Sports Complex
YFC Academy Stadium
YFC has constructed ‘Youth & Sports Development’ centre with a cost of Rs.50 lacs. The centre is one of its kinds in the state of Punjab. The building houses a Computer Laboratory, Study Rooms, Multi Activity room with LCD Projector and Theatre System, Excellent Boarding and Lodging facilities 40 trainees. Ultra modern gym and fitness centre with latest fitness equipment has also been set up by YFC with a cost of Rs. 50 lacs. YFC has also constructed a sports stadium in the village. This stadium has a sitting capacity of more than 5000 and has dressing rooms for two teams with washrooms along with rain gun irrigation system and flood lights for the grounds.
Computer Education Centre
The YFC has also set up a Career Counselling & Guidance Centre and a Small Rural Library. In Multi Activity Hall regular presentations, seminars and debates are held with a view to develop career consciousness, uprightness, personality, healthy lifestyle, skill development, sense of identity, and discipline among rural children.
YFC and Dera Baba Bhai Sadhu Ji has jointly set-up BBS Institute of Computer Science and Vocational Education. The building with a cost of Rs 30 Lacs has been constructed at Mehasampur Road, Rurka Kalan. The Centre has air conditioned Hi – tech Computer lab, Conference Hall and Power Back Up (Generator). An Ultra Modern Health Club with a cost of Rs 50 Lacs. This health club has been constructed by S. Piara Singh, Kulwinder Singh Sandhu and their family in the memory of their beloved Mandeep Singh Sandhu who died in a road accident in USA.
With a view to involve all stake holders of society in this movement, the YFC family has adopted a single teacher village Primary school and provided three teachers to the school. Apart from this, 100 students of the school are also provided uniforms, shoes and books etc. Also the infrastructure available with the Youth Centre is also used for the overall development of these children and the aim is to enable them to make right life choices in future.
YFC is active in youth development activities and is affiliated with Nehru Yuva Kendra and Department of Youth affairs and Sports, Government of Punjab. Apart from providing computer education to girls from poor families, YFC also runs a Sewing and Stitching Centre, Beautician Training Centre for girls (BBS Institute of Computer Science and Vocational Education). The trainees of Vocational Training Centre are also given stipend.
INITIATIVES & PROJECTS Punjab Second Division Football League With the help of Punjab Football Association, YFC organized four home matches at Rurka Kalan. YFC won all the home matches and finished third in Punjab. Coca cola inter school tournament YFC hosted Coca cola regional inter school tournament. 12 teams of sub junior category participated and YFC Rurka Kalan team emerged as the winner.
SPORTS 1. Leagues & Tournaments Edu - Football League A unique annual program, amalgamating education and football, was started by YFC in 2011 and through this program YFC reached 600 underprivileged children (U14 & U 12) who were given training to make positive life choices through provision of life skill workshops, football and personal development training. Edu-Football League includes: 90 football matches 90 life skill workshops Scientific football coaching for 200 days a year to all the registered 600 children Free sports kits and other equipment Educational material and stipend to needy children Exposure trips Rurka Kalan Football League With a view to promote football and lure more youngsters in productive activities, YFC started 'seven a side' football league. Six teams participated. A total of 25 matches were played with one match every Saturday and Sunday. A total of 78 players participated.
Punjab State Sub junior football championship With a view to give fillip to sports in general and soccer in particular, YFC organized the Punjab State Sub junior football championship in 2009. In this tournament under 16 teams of twenty districts participated.
2. Future Football Stars (Residential Football Academy) Over the years YFC has realized that some of its trainees can represent the country at the highest level of the game and with a view to nurture such extraordinary talent, YFC runs a Residential Football Academy in Rurka Kalan where these talented players are provided with the highest level of training with coaching sessions by international coaches along with mental training by experts, psychologists etc. Football Academy provides free of cost: Scientific coaching by qualified coaches to 300 children Education to 100 children Extraordinary talented players are provided boarding and lodging with healthy
diet and ultra modern training facilities Kits and equipment to 300 children Computer education to trainees Regular mental training sessions are held by experts, psychologists and coaches Regular medical care and check-ups by qualified doctors and in case of injury to players proper care and medical facilities are provided by YFC free of cost and Sports tours including National & International Visits & Exposure
3. Day
Scholar Progra
YFC also runs a day trainees/scholars' program where children and youth from disadvantaged strata of the society are not only given training in football to channelize their energy into a productive activity but are also given academic coaching. This program provides to the trainees the following facilities: Coaching Kits & other equipment Exposure Trips Academic Coaching & Computer Education Health Check-ups Life Skill workshops and training along with career counseling and guidance
4. Capacity Building of Football Coaches Rural Soccer Coaches Training Program - To update the coaching staff of YFC and other villages, the YFC arranges training programs where licensed coaches from Canada and England deliver lectures and conduct practical sessions.
5. Sports for Change We at YFC understand the role that sports can play in bringing about change in society by influencing and working in close coordination with sectors like education, development, health, youth development and environment. In that sense, sport is being used as an enabler and catalyst for improving health, education and environmental situation in rural areas. This is sought to be done by: Running awareness campaigns regarding health, education etc. on the sidelines of the sporting events being organized by YFC; By organizing workshops on issues like protection of environment, ill effects of drugs, importance of education etc.; Providing positive role models for younger people Girls' Football: With a view to foster and value gender equality in a society where boys are still given much more importance, YFC has started a program for girls' coaching in collaboration with Ish Jhaj (Shooting for Hope), a coach from Canada. Under this program, 60 girls are given training and equipment.
6. Future Projects YFC recognizes the impact that its movement can have on the younger people if it extends its footprints to other sports like hockey, kabaddi and athletics etc. Towards this end, YFC plans to start coaching centers for hockey, volleyball, kabaddi and athletics etc. in other villages. In fact YFC has already started a Kabaddi Centre where 100 Kabaddi players are provided coaching and equipment. And by broad basing its activities both geographically and through other sports, YFC seeks to broaden its impact and the impact of sports in bringing about positive changes in the society. It is the constant endeavor of YFC that the tradition of Rurka Kalan of producing world class sportspersons continues and YFC provides best of the sportsmen to India not only in football but also in other sports like hockey, athletics and Kabaddi. For achieving this objective, in the short run, YFC plans to start coaching centers in villages of the region for these sports as well and in the long run YFC's goal is to have a Centre of Sporting Excellence where talented players in all disciplines of sports are given scientific training and grooming with the sole object of producing world champions, Olympic and Asian Games medalists.
EDUCATION 1. Primary Education Project YFC has adopted government primary school, Rurka Kalan, with a view to provide quality education to the children of very poor families. YFC provides the following facilities: Qualified teachers, motivated and dedicated towards overall personality development of children; Teacher training programs to build their capacity; Free uniforms, study material and transport facility for poor children; Support in mid day meal programs; Promotion of extracurricular activities and access to information technology; Regular parent teacher meetings to involve parents in their children's education; Providing desks and white boards to the school; Non formal education is provided to 200 children; and Round the year tuition classes for children.
2. Computer Center for boys & girls Free computer education for the under privileged boys and girls; Run by qualified staff in a modern, well-equipped lab; Providing computer education to over 200 boys and 100 girls; and 60 girls from poor families are being given stipend @ Rs.250 pm per girl.
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
ENVIRONMENT 1. Environmental Awareness Campaigns YFC organizes tree plantation campaign every year and on an average around
1000 saplings are planted in and around Rurka Kalan; and YFC also organizes environmental awareness campaigns and environmental
education also forms a key component of the workshops, seminars and other events organized by YFC
1. Vocational Training With a view to empower underprivileged girls and boys to have a sustainable future, YFC runs various vocational courses including computer courses in Youth and Sports Complex. The primary objective of this project is to develop skill of youth and the secondary objective is to develop career consciousness, morality and spirit to do voluntary service. Till date these courses have positively impacted many hundreds of girls and boys. It also gives one year diploma accredited by Punjab Technical University.
HEALTH 1. Awareness campaigns: YFC, at regular intervals, launches campaigns to spread awareness and sensitize youth regarding the ill effects of drugs and diseases like AIDS etc. Such campaigns include plays, other cultural activities and contests.
2. Computer Training 2. Health Camps YFC successfully runs two computer centers with an aim to develop computer skills amongst all players and also disadvantaged youth. This program is run for children, youth, players and is a very popular program given the ubiquitous role the computers are playing in today's life.
3. Youth Development Activities
YFC routinely organizes health camps like Breast Cancer Detection and Awareness and Free Eye Check Up and Operation Camps. Such camps witness hundreds of people of Rurka Kalan and nearby villages being checked up and if needed, operated upon. Spectacles, medicines and literature related to various prevalent diseases are also distributed.
With a view to create awareness and ignite the spirit of social responsibility, selfless
service and personal development of youth, YFC arranges, apart from other activities of the organization, different activities like: Youth Awareness Camps: YFC organizes youth counseling camps every week at the YFC Complex. In these camps, every week a new resource person (from different fields of life) interact with the youth; Leadership Training Camps: These camps are residential and generally their duration is five days. During these five days, the youth are provided boarding and lodging and an environment conducive to learning is provided. Eminent People give lectures, presentations and seminars on various topics like the importance of discipline; time management; environment; female foeticide; pollution and child labor etc; and Cultural Programs: With a view to inculcate ethos and values of community development; health; and education etc., cultural programs are organized in the form of debates, declamations, skits and music.
3. Healthy Lifestyle and information on health issues through sports YFC understands the importance that sports can have on issues relating to health. Sport plays this role directly and indirectly; directly by encouraging people to play and do physical exercise and indirectly by running awareness campaigns on the sidelines of the sporting events i.e. by organizing workshops on the ill effects of drugs and issues relating to diseases including diseases which have their genesis in wrong lifestyle choices. YFC has been very actively involved in both the direct as well as indirect components of sport impacting positively the health of the players and the community at large.
EVENTS
ACHIEVEMENTS, RECOGNITIONS & AWARDS
Events form a very significant part of the YFC movement, as it has come to be called lately. YFC organizes a number of events in the region with a focus on community participation in the areas of education, health, environment, sports and youth development.
YFC from time to time has been winning and participating in various
Some of these events are Edu-Football League Rurka Kalan Football League Capacity Building Workshops for rural coaches Youth Awareness Camps Leadership Training Camps Environmental Awareness Workshops Tree plantation drives Health Awareness Camps on HIV/AIDS and ill effects of drug abuse Breast Cancer Detection & Awareness Camp Free Eye Checkup & Operation Camps
tournaments and leagues of state, national and international reput including YFC Rurka Kalan team won the Street Child World Cup, 2010; YFC under 16 team won the Punjab State Football Championship; YFC under 16 team won the National Inter School Football
Championship held at Gurdaspur; YFCs under 15 team was runners-up in the Manchester United premier
Cup held in Goa; YFC's under 14 team was runners-up in the Punjab Grassroots Football
League, 2009 YFC's senior team finished second in the Panjab State Football league
in 2009; YFC's senior team has won rural tournaments held at Bundala,
Noorpur, Kala Sanghian, Rurka Kalan, Shankar, Bilga and Khothran villages; YFC's under 13 team participated in the Danovan Nations Cup Senior Team won State level PD Gupta trophy; And many more.
PARTNERS Anwar Ali - Defender, Indian National Football Team
NATIONAL
& INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIONS
YFC partners with different organizations from diverse parts of the world who are working on similar lines as YFC. YFC understands that working closely with other organizations gives an added impetus to the endeavors being initiated by YFC and such other organizations. Also such collaborations enable organizations like YFC to reach out and understand the issues involved in other parts of the country and the world. Further, YFC has also benefitted from technical collaborations with sports' organizations from different parts of the world. YFC's partners currently include:
Rurka Kalan has a penchant for producing sports persons particularly football players and the tradition still continues in the village. Around 100 persons from village have from time to time represented India, Punjab, Universities, Police and various clubs including JCT, Dempo, and SESA FC Goa. Some of the prominent names include Anwar who currently plays for India and is also a part of Dempo SC Goa; Surjit Singh Sandhu who has represented India in Asian Games in 1978 and 1982 SAFF games; Narinder Kaushal who represented India in SAFF games of 1988 and has played in Santosh trophy 10 times and has also represented Punjab Police and JCT; Narinder Gill was part of the Indian team that went on Tour of Russia in 1972; Prem Kumar was part of the team which represented India in Asia Cup held in Saudi Arabia in 2009; Baljinder Singh who represented India in International Schools Championship, Singapore; Kulwant Singh represented India in International Junior Championship held in Burma in 1988; and the list continues. All these players have been associated with YFC one way or the other and with most of the younger players being products of YFC itself.
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS The services and dedication of YFC and its President have been recognized and on various occasions Gurmangal Das (President YFC) has been felicitated by eminent persons and organizations. Amongst other honors, Gurmangal was awarded by His Excellency the then Governor of Punjab Gen. S. Rodrigues (Retd.) for his commendable contribution to the society. Mr. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa (Former Union Minister and President Punjab Olympic Association) presented an award recognizing YFC's contribution to society and sports. YFC was also named the best Youth and Sports NGO by Punjab Rural Sports Promotion Council. Gurmangal has also been honored by Mayor of Derby and Wolverhampton, UK.
Carolina Rail Hawks FC North Carolina, USA Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club, UK Parmar Sports Training Co Inc. Ottawa, Canada Street Football World, Germany Coventry University, UK Coventry City Football Club Asia UK Nehru Yuva Kendra, Government of India Punjab State Social Welfare Board Department of Sports & Youth Welfare, Government of Punjab H DEGREE - A Strategic Brand Consultancy
OVERSEAS LINK PARTNER SEWA
RURKA KALAN, UK
Sewa Rurka Kalan, UK - 5 Albany Road, Earsldon, Coventry, CV5 6J0 sewauk@gmail.com
We are a Registered Charity, register under the Societies Act 1860. Registered Charity No. DIC/JAL/45/2001; Income Tax Exemption No. CIT/JAL-II/TRUST/206
To Join Us or to Donate, please contact us on the following address: registered office: yfc rurka kalan, rurka kalan, goraya road, youth & sports complex vpo, phillaur, jalandar 144031. tel: +91 1826.271.489 chandigarh office: 1502, sector 43b, chandigarh 160022, india contact@yfcrurkakalan.org www.yfcrurkakalan.org
YFC on