Student Engagement
Building perspectives towards sustainable change on the ground
The involvement of our students is one of the key objectives of the Community Engagement Initiative at Azim Premji University. We aim to build a sense of community living for our students by creating a harmonious relationship between our University and the neighbourhood.
Through their engagement, students inculcate the practice of working in the Field with their peers and gain insights towards sustainable change on the ground. We help our students link their classroom learnings with everyday realities while involving community youths, students, and other members for various celebrations on campus.
Two modes of engagement for students:
Multiple courses in our academic programmes have Field-related components which involve the students engaging in the nearby areas, like working with Panchayats, schools, and self-help groups (SHGs). This helps us in continuing our interventions further, from one semester to the next.
Many students volunteer to contribute and learn about social issues and opportunities to work at the grassroots level. We offer projects for the students throughout the year.
The projects are planned in such a way that students can volunteer at a dedicated, regular time every week, including weekends, without impacting their academic responsibilities. There is a regular monitoring and mentoring process to facilitate their journey towards becoming thoughtful development practitioners.
Community Learning Centre
The centre is currently inside our campus and provides a space for learning for the children of our support staff and others from nearby villages. A dedicated group of students help these kids in their school subjects and also engage with them after their school hours.
Panchayat Library
Volunteers visit the Panchayat libraries at Yamare, Dommasandra, Handenahalli and Bidaraguppe usually during the weekends, based on their availability and prior consultation with the respective librarians. Here, they engage with the children visiting the library and conduct various activities such as storytelling and book reading sessions, arts and crafts, etc.
Engagement in Schools
Our volunteers visit four schools — at Sarjapura, Dommasandra, TC Halli and Adigara Kallahalli. Volunteers closely work with the teachers to conduct various formal and informal sessions with the children, conduct summer camps and try to activate school clubs.
Social Security Entitlement Survey
This involves conducting drives to enrol eligible people in various government schemes such as E‑shram, Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Raitha Vidya Nidhi,Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMBSY). In the Maddappanahalli village of Mugalur door to door household survey is being conducted to document and identify eligible population for enrollment drives.
Working in Organisations/Centres
Gubbachi works towards the educational inclusion of marginalised children along with community intervention for migrant communities in Bangalore. Two of our students worked with them during the semester break. As part of their engagement they conducted maths and science sessions at the centre.
- CARE-India
CARE is an organisation that builds the capacity of communities to ensure empowerment for marginalised women and girls. They recruit educators from the community to work in the schools. Our students assisted the community educators working in various schools around our campus. They also conducted different sessions along with the educators.
- Curiouscity Science Centre
The center is located in Dommasandra and it offers fun kids’ activities combined with learning. Our students visit the centre during the weekends. They showcase the different science models to the children visiting the centre and assist the members. It’s a paid project.
Volunteering during the vacation
We provide the same work opportunities to students who stay at the University during the breaks. During these periods, their work intensifies further.
