Origin of CMCAChildren are powerful messengers of change... It was on this premise that the Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness was started in the year 2000. Public Affairs Centre, a registered society and Swabhimana, a registered trust, both based in Bangalore launched a pioneering initiative called “Children's Movement for Civic Awareness (CMCA)” in the year 2000 with the belief that nurturing active citizenship amongst children was a sure way of ensuring a vibrant and participatory democracy. Fuelled by PAC's and Swabhimana's committed support and inspired by the undying enthusiasm of children, CMCA has witnessed tremendous growth spreading its wings to 5 cities. What started as a cycle rally in Bangalore when thousands of children cycled for a ‘clean, green and safe city' is today a movement reaching out to tens of thousands of children across hundreds of schools. Today, CMCA is present in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hubli-Dharwad, Mysore and Hosur. CMCA, now an autonomous entityIn order to enable CMCA to respond effectively to the impending challenges and emerge as a unique institution for energizing civic education, both Public Affairs Centre and Swabhimana have resolved to transform CMCA into an autonomous entity by creating a Trust (CMCA).
- Low level of awareness of the meaning of democracy and citizen’s rights & responsibilities
- Rapid urbanisation and erosion of community values
- Living in cities increasingly becoming dehumanising
- Consumeristic and materialistic lifestyles
Active Citizenship is about citizens - going beyond their rights and duties
- discharging their duties responsibly and securing their rights effectively
- engaging with their governments
- cooperate with and if necessary confront governments and officials to secure their rights
- being informed and aware of their civic rights and duties and the role of governments and public in a democracy
CMCA believes that citizens need to be active and engaged in the political process. In these challenging times, the role that CMCA plays is made all the more relevant. Shaping our young citizens to accept the challenge of preserving and nurturing our great Indian democracy and way of life is our focus. VISION
A dynamic society of empowered citizens who are asserting their rights and shouldering their social responsibilities and participating in governance, in pursuit of universal common good, strengthening democracy and celebrating freedom and diversity, striving towards realization of human aspirations. MISSION
Kindle and nurture active citizenship and strengthen democratic values in children and youth, and through them society at large through ripple effect.
Toward this endeavor we,
· Strive to energize the civic curriculum.
· We invoke the sprit of voluntarism.
· Directly interact with the children and youth through civic clubs. OBJECTIVES - To create civic awareness and inculcate civic friendly practices amongst households, communities and others through children, youth and volunteers.
- To energize the civic education curriculum in schools and colleges.
- To develop innovative models of civic education, which can be replicated in any part of the country.
- To be an advocate for child and human rights.
- To be self reliant
- To emerge as a global resource and training centre on civic education and active citizenship.
- To be a leader in education for democracy and active citizenship.
Why Children?- Children have a tremendous potential in influencing people & mediating change.
- Active and responsible children grow up to become active and responsible citizens.
We can influence the present and shape our future! Central to the concept of CMCA is the Civic Club. A civic club is a group of students in each school, who join CMCA. A CMCA volunteer also called a civic tutor, is assigned to the club and interacts with the civic club on a weekly basis. Through sessions, films, flash cards and games and activities, students are sensitised to democratic and civic issues that concern them as citizens. They then spread this awareness through campaigns and acts of active citizenship. Civic consciousness and Active Citizenship moves out of the civics text book and into the daily lives of children under the guidance and inspiration of CMCA. CMCA inspires civic club children to step out and make a difference – in small but significant ways. Complaining to local government agencies on neighbourhood problems, ensuring that classmates keep their classrooms clean, refusing to pay a bribe to local officials, spreading awareness on clean and civic conscious ways of celebrating festivals are some of the ways in which our children have come forward to make that difference. Volunteers – Backbone of CMCACMCA owes this impressive growth to our dedicated band of volunteers who selflessly devote their time and energies to CMCA. Our volunteers are well-trained facilitators who are assigned to a civic club and interact with the members on a weekly basis. They inspire and enable their civic club members to transform themselves and others around them into active citizens. Campaigns, field trips and various CMCA events are part of a civic club's activities and are facilitated by our perseverant and passionate volunteers. They are role models for our members. CMCA Modules are interactive and focuses on what each child and home can do to initiate changes in attitudes,awareness levels and practices in their lives. Games, activites, films and teaching aids like flash cards and posters make CMCA Sessions interactive and interesting. Our well-trained civic tutors or volunteers facilitate these sessions. - Civic Sense
- Active Citizenship
- Indian Constitution
- Democracy
- Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens
- 3 tiers of government with emphasis on local government and public service agencies
- Right to Information Act with emphasis on filing RTI applications
- School Profiling
- Solid Waste Management
- Water
- Urban Greening
- Traffic and Road Safety
- Global Warming
|  "Me, my family, my neighbourhood, my school, my city... Civic clubs are epicenters of change spreading Civic awareness to others around members." >> Watch our Video on YouTube |
