1. Children in Charge of Change
BALSENA
Children in Charge of Change

2. About Shaishav “Shaishav” is a Gujarati word meaning “childhood”
We are a voluntary organisation that seeks to free children from child labour and promote the ideas of sensitivity, solidarity, empathy and collective strength as a path to empowerment and social change
Formed in 1992 to tackle the issue of children’s rights in Bhavnagar
Aim to bring together children, adults, government and other organisations to achieve our goals
Strong focus on the issues of child labour, discrimination and exploitation

3. What is Balsena? Balsena means “Children’s Force” in Gujarati
Independent, child-run collective started on January 12th, 2003
Evolved from on-going process to empower children and enhance participation
Enables children to experience the power of collective strength, take up issues they face, develop empathy for other children and derive support from each other
Unites children regardless of class, caste, gender, religion, or language
By developing these values from a young age, children will grow up to build a more humane, just and peaceful society

4. Shaishav’s Role
Facilitator in the children’s process of governing, planning and problem solving
Objectives:
Develop qualities such as confidence, sensitivity and the ability to express opinions, among children
Develop leadership qualities and enhance life skills
Increase awareness about child rights
Build up links between diverse groups of children
Encourage children’s participation by providing an environment where they can raise issues related to child rights
Provide training in capacity building
Supply relevant information for taking informed decisions

5. History
At each of our community education centres and schools, children began forming Bal Samiti (children's committees) to take on the responsibility of planning, implementing, monitoring, reporting and evaluating activities
Subsequently, a central Bal Samiti was formed out of representatives from each school and community education centre
After running regular leadership camps for Bal Samiti members, the idea for Balsena was formalised. It is the first children’s collective in Gujarat

6. The Basics of Balsena
All structural elements were decided by the children themselves, including:
Team names
Membership rules
‘De Tali’ high-five greeting
Song
Pink scarf uniform
Flag and Logo

7. President and Vice-President
Structure
Teams are organised by centre, school or neighbourhood and each has it’s own name
Leaders from each team form the Balsena Council, the main decision making body
Equal representation of males and females in leadership
President and Vice-President
Executive Committee
Council
Made up of Team Captains, Vice-Captains and Core Team Members
Teams

8. Voting System
Members
2437 children organised into teams
Teams
60 Teams elect 4 leaders
Council
240 Members made up of team leaders
Vice/President
Represent all members
Balsena Point teams elect a Captain, Vice-Captain, and 2 core team members. These team leaders form the Balsena council who elect the President and Vice-President of Balsena.
Change structure for split in Balsena

9. Key Concepts
Enable children to experience the power of collective strength
Satisfy emotional needs, develop empathy for others and derive support from each other
Empower children with the tools to build a better society where rights, equality and solidarity prevail
Children are the owners of Balsena, and demonstrate the values of democracy and free speech while respecting the views of others
Promotes Indian values of sensitivity, co-living, inclusion and tolerance

10. Membership (April 2011) Location Members Teams Schools 994 18
Communities
1443 42
Total Membership
2437 members (1443 boys and 994 girls) 60
Changed numbers?

11. Shaishav Organised Activities
Educational and developmental training, exposure visits and other programmes
Vacation Camp
School enrolment drives
Campaign support
Monthly planning meetings
Cultural celebrations
Life skills
Savings bank
Networking
Adolescent Programme
Leadership camp

12. Balsena Team Activities
Educational and Developmental Activities
Day Trips
Functions and Celebrations
Sports
Cultural Programmes
Play for Peace Games
Balmela

13. Balsena Point Aim to ease community tensions by following the idea
that children who “play together, stay together”
Centres run in underprivileged areas from Tuesday to Friday, at a different site each day during the evening
Conduct developmental activities, life skills and value education to complement the formal education children receive at school
43 of these centres operate in slum areas, and another 17 in schools
Number of children

14. Savings Bank Enables children to save money
independently, and gives them skills
in financial responsibility and decision-making
Children deposit at least Rs. 5 per week and can make withdrawals for necessary purchases such as school supplies
As of May 2011, 1134 members had saved 631,915 rupees (over US$14,000)
Wrong numbers

15. Book Bank
Implemented in response to the lack of appropriate educational material
May be because schools are unable to provide books, are providing mainly textbooks rather than exercise books, or that children are simply unable to afford the books they need
3 Book Banks are operating, allowing Balsena and Balghar members to borrow books for up to a week at a time
Constantly topped up with books donated from Balsena students who have completed their studies

16. Adolescent Programme
Developed out of need to provide girls aged with quality education on the issues they face during adolescence
Kishori Mandal (Adolescent Girls Club) started in 2005 and was originally run by Shaishav, but now Balsena girls are leading activities
Topics include gender, equal rights, child marriage, sexual harassment, personal safety, and information on physical, physiological, and social changes during adolescence
Information given through discussions, films, games, and other activities
Kishor Mandal was established in 2010 to give boys similar support
By mid-2011 over 350 children were taking part in the programme

17. Vacation & Leadership Camps
Annual Vacation Camp keeps children engaged in learning, and out of the workforce during the vacation period
Followed by an enrolment drive to get children into school before the start of term
Senior children play the role of facilitators
Regular Leadership Camps give training on topics like leadership, event planning, team work, and child rights

18. Annual Function Annual function for all Balsena members Includes
Child rights rally
Guest speakers including influential people from Bhavnagar
Educational and creative activities
Presentation about Balsena

19. Children as protagonists for their own rights
Children take up issues in their schools and communities with the local authorities
Children link and network at a wider level with other children’s organisations
State and National Consultations
Child Rights Audit – analysing the situation of children's rights from the perspective of the children themselves
Giving children who have been marginalised, exploited or abused, the help they need to be able to participate fully in society, and enabling children to help each other in the process.

20. Advocacy & Networking
Balsena works with the Girls International Forum, India Social Forum, World Social Forum, Campaign Against Child Labour and Campaign Against Child Labour – Gujarat
Children participate in various state, national and international programmes
Children take issues related to child rights to various government departments and society in general, including child protection, quality education, and health issues
Children provide training to other children about child participation, and share their experiences with adults as well
Children undertake community based work in their own areas and create links within their own communities

21. Future Direction - Programmes
Through the Child Rights Audit, gain a better understanding of the issues affecting children, and use this to better target our programmes
Further increase the role of children in Balsena so that Shaishav can fully embrace its position of facilitator
Encourage participation in Tarunsena, our youth programme, when children leave Balsena at 18

22. Future Direction - Concepts
Encourage future role models in communities, to promote participation and community development from within
Strongly encourage sustainable change from the ground up
Make children more involved in solving the problems they face at home, school, and in the communities themselves
Create an environment in which children can achieve their full potential and become responsible citizens by extending solidarity to all other children