a. Documentation and Publication
Documentation and Publication have been crucial in all the development interventions of AREDS. The publication has greatly helped in soliciting district and state level support on many issues involving mass actions.
b. Training
AREDS as a facilitating Organisation gives training to other NGOs, people’s movements on Micro credit, decentralised people’s plan in relation to Local bodies, Right to information, Budget Analysis, Gender question, rights of unorganized labour, organizational development programmes and capacity building. It also conducts Theatre Workshops on such issue-related themes. AREDS staff, functioning as the faculty for training programmes, has developed the capacity to conduct training on movement building through the federations and unions. AREDS is often chosen as the resource agency to facilitate the trainings organised by the government. It gives training at national and international levels on Dalit which help research students to become conscious of the everyday realities in the country and of the developmental actions. The activists from a number of NGOs and the leaders from various People’s Organizations visit AREDS and meet with the activists of AREDS initiated People’s movements for sharing and learning from each other’s experiences. Many groups from other states and other countries also make frequent visits to AREDS for training in getting exposure to the people’s issues.
AREDS as a grassroots organisation plays multiple roles to enhance and sustain the grass roots initiatives. Training, organising workshops, seminars, conducting studies and evaluations, producing various publications, networking and organising various campaigns in state level are the few supportive roles played by AREDS. The grass roots experiences are the source of strength to carry out the above commitments.
Training
Capacity Building
Project planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Systems (PPMES) - Training on PPMES aims to develop self-monitoring and evaluation system within the organisation. In today's context more and more NGOs are in the process of developing their own systems for monitoring and evaluation, which ensure systematic implementation of projects in the long run. Therefore, there is a high demand from NGOs to enhance their skills and concepts in PPMES. AREDS training on PPMES is designed for the leaders of the organisations and for the senior staff. The impact has been that the groups are able to introduce the scientific approach of project cycle process. Trainers of Training (TOT) - Capacity building within the NGO sector to facilitate the grassroots initiatives is one of the involvement of AREDS, for which training programmes conducted on the methodology of training and on specific themes. This training enhances the efficacy of the organizations concered. It also enriches the responsibility of the trainer as a leader.
Community Organisation
Community Organisation Development Course(CODC) - This training is targeted at the grass root level workers. Training for CODE focus on to understanding the community, the process of community organization, kinds of approaches to development, and about the issue in the community. Field Activist Development Course(FADC) - FADC deals with the ethics of an ACTIVIST, understanding the concepts of development and analysis of different ideologies of development and also on skills to deal with the community issues.
Thematic Training
Training on Micro credit and its management - Promotion of micro credit concept for empowerment is being widely practiced by NGOs and by the government. The practitioners of Micro credit are rural groups and mostly they are illiterate. Different models of credit groups havee emerged and they are area- specific. Gradually as the programme began to grow issues also began to sprout. So handling of the issues of these credit groups call for specific skills and approaches. AREDS with the learning from various group experiences and from the SWATE experience we facilitate the groups to create models of their own. Training on Non Formal Education(NFE) - Non Formal Education is used as a tool to liberate the vulnerable from their ignorance. AREDS history begins with the NFE education approach which resulted in the mass movements like SWATE, OCAM, PDM etc. and the organization is to play the same role for many more years.. We have strong belief in the process of NFE in changing the masses. Therefore the methodology of NFE is being imparted to NGOs. Training on Movement Building - AREDS, with the experience of SWATE felt the need for sharing and learning from other similar movements in the process of empowering the poor. AREDS theorises the experiecnes at the grassroots level and also of the movements initiated by it as well as other movements. For this purpose the activists of the concerned Movements are trained on the theories of empowerment process interactive sessions involving the leaders of the various movements are also held to facilitate them to learn from each other.
Gender Training
Training on Gender and development - The training on gender and development create space for organisations to analyse the gender concepts of the organisations. It provides insights to the individuals(leaders) about their gender sensitivity and its implications on the organisational programmes. It helps to chalk out a clear gender perspective for them as individuals and for the organisation. Women activist development course(WADC) - WADC has special focus on women as persons and their understanding on gender and development. It also assits them to identify their strengths and weaknesses. This training provides space for personal reflection and growth. Through this training women were built as strong persons.
Communication
Training on street theatre - Theatre is the powerful media to politicise the issues and creating awareness. AREDS has strong conviction in the above media. In order to popularise the media of theatre for development AREDS organises theatre workshops regularly for NGOs and for the movements. Training on play back theatre (PBT) - AREDS plays a crucial role in promoting PBT in India. PBT is an original form of theatrical improvisation in which people tell real events from their lives and enact them on the spot. In PBT audience members with assistance form a conductor, share stories, dreams and memories. PBT is an exciting form of creative expression, community building and in therapy. There is considerable interest at present for using PBT to highlight cultural awareness, the politics of different and social action.
Organisational efficiency development programme
Organisational development programme - In the course the participants are facilitated to understand the vision, mission and the structure of the organisation. Identification of organisational / personal strength and weakness are also done in order to enhance the organization to carry out its mission with commitment and clarity. Focus is given to individual organization. Staff development programme - Staff development programmes is suitable for individual organisations to interact freely and to reflect on the issues of constraints. It helps to analyse their role, functions and relationships within the organizations. In a year on an average ten organizations utilise this programme from AREDS. This programme aim to enhance the motivation and capacity of the staff. Emphasis given for efficient team function.
Training on grass root governance
Training on women and governance - This programme aims to enhancing the role of women for the effective participation in the political process. AREDS initiated this programmes after the central government announced the 73rd amendment to the constitution to give 33 percent reservation for women in the local bodies.
Workshops and seminars
AREDS organise workshops and seminars on different themes according to the need for collective consciousness and actions. Workshops and seminars on the following themes have so far been organised: Rural development, Dalit development, Women in development, grass root governance, right to information, child rights etc.
Exposure programme to NGOs and peoples organisations:
Members of staff of many NGOs and the leaders from peoples organisations visit AREDS and it's initiated peoples movement for sharing and learning from experience of each other. Many groups in Tamil Nadu as well as from other states visits AREDS and its peoples organisations.
Publications
Thematic Papers on developmental issues,coops,etc.
Educational Video Films
1."Mouna Olngal" -Silent Cry
2."Namma Ooru Panchayat"- Localself government
3."Ponvidial" - Golden Dawn.
• "Sakkaram and Paravaigal" - Non formal educational link document
• Panchayat Manual
• Panchayat Raj News Letter
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