Our Cause

Our Cause - Citizenship and Life Skills Education

We believe that India is only as good as its citizens. Our mission is to empower young people to be the very best they can be, so that India is the very best it can be.

When citizens participate enthusiastically in exercising their rights and engaging with authorities at all levels to solve community problems, more issues are resolved and more is achieved. Our rights exist to give us individual freedoms, but also so we can use them to tackle issues that affect groups of various types, and make well-informed decisions about our country’s future. Further, it is important to promote values of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity, as outlined in the Preamble to the Constitution of India, which are the cornerstone of pluralistic societies like ours.

People who live by these democratic values and engage continuously with communities, authorities, and institutions to bring about change in societies are what we call active citizens.

We aim to instil in young people, critical knowledge, values, attitudes and skills to positively engage and collaborate with authority and community to secure their rights and entitlements and to understand that responsibilities are equally important and go hand in hand with rights. This is done through Citizenship and Life Skills Education.

According to UNESCO, Citizenship Education can be defined as ‘educating children, from early childhood, to become clear-thinking and enlightened citizens who participate in decisions concerning society and the nation.’

Our Mission

To transform the young into concerned, thinking, active citizens for an inclusive and sustainable India.

Our Vision

Empowered young people living by the values of democracy, in harmony with nature, engaged in collective action for equitable development.

Where Are We Today?

Today’s civics education introduces the Constitution and describes the institutions that make up the Government. However, there exists an opportunity to further elevate this learning experience. By embracing a holistic and experiential approach, we can enable young people to understand the real-life applications of what they study and the wider context of civics education as a part of democratic life. We can inspire the young to be responsible citizens who uphold democratic values.

Further, supporting schools in fostering a culture of democracy within the classroom can empower children to confidently express their thoughts, ask questions, determine their activities and, in general, have a say in matters concerning their own lives. Encouraging their involvement in their schools and communities not only enhances their sense of agency but also cultivates a deeper understanding of democratic principles. By connecting the dots between theoretical ideals and real-life experiences, we equip students with the knowledge and skills to become concerned, thinking, and active citizens. This approach not only prepares them to value integrity and community but also nurtures a sense of responsibility and ownership that extends beyond personal success, shaping a better society.

CMCA’s Study ‘Yuva Nagarik Meter’

2016-17 revealed some telling attitudes amongst high school and first-year college students.

Learn More

What Can India Look Forward to if We Embrace Citizenship and Life Skills Education?

Our Citizenship and Life skills Education initiatives are transformative in nature, seeking to address the individual and the citizen with regard to personal development and sustainable development. Some key attributes that we can look forward to are:

Citizens who cherish India’s diversity and respect people from all backgrounds
Citizens who recognise our shared responsibility to collaborate with the government, and know the ways through which we can actively contribute to solving challenges together
Citizens who are aware that as per the Constitution of India, we have a fundamental duty to find out more and develop an understanding of diverse issues and diverse ideas in society
Empowered citizens who know their rights and responsibilities, and exercise them confidently
Citizens who stand up for the rights of other humans, the environment, and animals
Citizens who understand that, for India to thrive, all citizens need to have access to opportunities and actively look for practical solutions to address our challenges

How Do We Spark Change?

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Chinese Proverb

We must encourage and empower young people to grow into active citizens of India, who will identify and solve problems at the local and national levels, and are committed to eradicating discrimination, inequality, and indifference to the issues we all face. This cannot happen without some intervention, and the issue has to be addressed in multiple ways:

1. Begin Citizenship and Life Skills Education early, in school, and carry on through college. We are likely to remember much more if we see, hear, discuss and practice. And thus, we adopt interactive and experiential learning where:

Students obtain critical knowledge of rights and responsibilities, local government, entitlements, and health and hygiene (in aided and government schools).
The focus is on creating a shift in values, simple attitudes, and higher levels of awareness in students, and through a ripple effect, to families and communities.
We place an additional emphasis on taking action by enabling deeper levels of understanding and practice of core civic values.
Discussions, debates, stories, teamwork, surveys, and tasks to do away from the session are key pathways to learning
The activities provide opportunities to understand the underlying concepts and reflect, eliciting responses from the students themselves.

2. Collaborate with schools and colleges to foster a culture of democracy in their campuses. Besides teaching democratic theory, the whole of school/college life could be infused with a culture of democracy, where:

Respect flows in both directions between teachers/administration and pupils
Students are free to express their views
Students play an active role in school/college bodies
Students are consulted in all aspects and on issues that concern them

How Does Citizenship and Life Skills Education Benefit Young People?

Citizenship and Life Skills Education makes young people confident and prepares them for adult life, so that they build a better nation. The importance of life skills and citizenship values cannot be underestimated. We should adopt it for all these good reasons:

They gain a knowledge of their rights, and the confidence and expertise to secure their entitlements, which is empowering.
It gives them a voice in their schools/colleges and in their communities.
Interacting with authorities to address and resolve concerns or serving on school/college committees teaches them how to engage and collaborate with authorities and peers much earlier than they would otherwise learn this.
They develop self-confidence and successfully deal with challenging situations in day-to-day life.
It enables them to make a positive contribution because they understand their responsibilities and prepares them for working life.
They learn to respect others, and accept all as equals, enabling them to befriend anyone across caste, race, gender, economic, and other lines, and be well-adjusted.

What Core Values Do Active Citizens Gain through Citizenship and Life Skills Education?

We see Active Citizenship as a set of underlying beliefs leading to ways of thinking and behaving that improve the quality of life for all. Understanding the role of citizens in a democracy, and acting on these beliefs, will make for better citizens. There are four aspects to this, which we like to call the four Cs of Active Citizenship.

CONCERN

For others in the community
For the environment, birds, insects and animals
Being informed and aware of issues in the community and country

COOPERATE

Understanding the role of government and public in a democracy
Fulfilling responsibilities
Respecting the rule of law & following rules

COEXIST

Practicing equality
Celebrating diversity

CONFRONT

Standing up against injustice to protect our rights and the rights of others, including the poor and marginalised, and the rights of all life forms and our environment.

What Life Skills Do Young People Gain through the CMCA Curriculum?

The CMCA curriculum brings together a bundle of life skills that collectively act as crucial building blocks to Active Citizenship. If young people are Active Citizens, these life skills will be clearly visible in their belief systems and behaviours. The specific life skills that are addressed by our curriculum at CMCA are as follows:

Empathy: The capacity to understand and the ability to imagine what life is like for another person. Empathy can help us to accept others who may be very different from ourselves. This can improve social interactions, especially in situations of cultural diversity and varied backgrounds. In CMCA’s curriculum this falls within the first C – CONCERN.
Critical Thinking: Critical thinking is a process that challenges an individual to use reflective, reasonable, rational thinking to gather, interpret, and evaluate information to arrive at a judgment. The cognitive process of critical thinking highlights and questions ‘accepted’ views and assumptions and can offer alternative perspectives. At CMCA we seek to inculcate critical thinking within all Cs – CONCERN, COOPERATE, CONFRONT and COEXIST.
Creative Thinking, Effective Communication, Problem Solving, and Interpersonal Relationships (including Team Work) are the other life skills the CMCA curriculum seeks to actively develop through the experiential nature and tools of the program.

Empowered citizens take action and make a difference in the way things are done. At CMCA, we are working to deliver Citizenship and Life Skills Education to children and young people, imparting the values of democracy, including justice, equality, and the duties of citizens, through our programmes.

With the goal of creating active citizens who work from the ground up to create a better India for their generation and all the ones to follow, we are making a fundamental change to society, one young person at a time.

Theory of Change

Our Theory of Change articulates a series of changes, both individual and collective, that we believe will take place as a result of our programmes and efforts. It reaffirms our commitment to our work and the strength of our convictions about the importance of democratic values and active citizenship to spark positive change, contributing to an inclusive and sustainable India. It asserts our unwavering belief in young people’s willingness, courage, and agency for change. Have a look at our Theory of Change below.

How Can You Get Involved? Read About the Impact of Our Work

Accreditation by Credibility Alliance

CMCA has been accredited by Credibility Alliance under the category “Desirability Norms” – for good governance, accountability, transparency and continuous improvements. Credibility Alliance is a consortium of voluntary organisations committed to enhancing accountability and transparency in the voluntary sector through good governance.