[URBANTH-L]PUKAR Youth Fellowship Program (India)
Angela Jancius
acjancius at ysu.edu
Tue Apr 11 19:06:04 EDT 2006
From: PUKAR <pukar at pukar.org.in>
PUKAR Youth Fellowship Program
Are you a resident of Mumbai?
Are you interested in research on Mumbai?
Are you a young person or like to work with young people in a
participatory manner?
If your answer to the above questions is YES, then
PUKAR (Partners for Urban Knowledge, Action and Research) HAS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU!
Whether you plan to be a researcher or a teacher, go into a business or
join the stock market, open your own shop or find a job, we believe this
program would add skills that are important for YOU at any workplace. It
would cultivate methodical thinking and critical analysis and encourage
the spirit of questioning established norms. It would add value to your
already existing capabilities by developing your capacity to assert and
negotiate. As author of the research you would have the right to publish
your work with acknowledgement to PUKAR.
PUKAR Invites Proposals for the Youth Fellowship Program
PUKAR (Partners for Urban Knowledge, Action and Research) is an
independent research-action organization that hopes to contribute to the
global debate on urbanization and globalization. Founded in 2001 by
Professor Arjun Appadurai, PUKAR makes constant efforts to create a
common forum for debate over issues that impact the lives of the
citizens. In these debates, PUKAR makes every effort to seek active
participation of Mumbai's citizens in imagining and planning the future
of this vibrant mega-city.
PUKAR develops collaborative projects that initiate new knowledge
production and aims to contribute to the city's dynamism and
sustainability.
With support from the Youth & Civil Society Initiative of the Sir Ratan
Tata Trust (SRTT), PUKAR launched the Youth Fellowship Program in 2005.
This program seeks to:
· Encourage youth in Mumbai Metropolitan Region to explore social,
cultural, economic and political aspects of their neighbourhood
· Develop innovative research techniques with PUKAR's assistance
· Generate research-action projects that in turn, will generate new
methods of inquiry
· Help the youth develop critical analysis and new perspective regarding
their locality and community
· Inculcate values of community participation and generate new ideas for
practice /intervention
· Build confidence in the participating youth to negotiate the city in
more self-assured manner
· Help the youth become actively contributing citizens for the city
The Youth Fellowship Program will essentially consist of groups of eight
to ten youth with one person acting as a "Senior Fellow" in each group.
Each group will work on a research theme over a period of one year.
Specific Responsibilities of the Group:
1 Develop a research question, in a participatory manner: July -
August 2006.
2 Study various methodologies and choose the appropriate one for the
data collection/field work: September 2006
3 Create individual biographies as well as group biography: September 2006
4 Data collection by various methodologies: To be completed from
October 06-January 07
5 Analysis and synthesis of the data collection: February - March 07
6 Preparation of second set of biographies and end product: April - May 07
7 Presentation of the final analysis: June 07
Accountability for the Senior Fellow as well as the Group:
1 Meet once a week for the first three months and later every other
week for every month.
2 Organize meeting of the group with PUKAR Coordinators once every two
months.
3 Submission of regular narrative and financial reports.
4 Attending the workshops organized for the groups, those for the
senior fellows and those for the youth fellows.
5 Organize six community events during the period of the fellowship.
Research Grant:
Each group will receive a research grant of Rs 5000 p.m. payable at
trimester intervals. The Research Grant can be used for:
· Transportation / visits
· Printing and copying costs
· Purchasing materials / equipment for presentations
· Other activities
We would appreciate receiving your proposal by April 30, 2006.
It can be sent via email to:
youthfellowship at pukar.org.in
Or post it to:
PUKAR Youth Fellowship Programme
C/O PUKAR
1-4 Kamanwala Chambers
PM Road, Fort, Mumbai 400 001
Telephone: 56053599
You are welcome to get in touch with us to develop your ideas before
sending in your proposal.
Thank you for your time. We look forward to hearing from you.
Best Regards,
Anita Patil-Deshmukh
Director, PUKAR
Translations of this letter will shortly be available in Marathi. Should
you need one, please write to us with your request.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Research Question?
We define Research as search for new information and understanding by
the youth group on any question about their own life, employment,
locality, social traditions, cultural traditions, livelihood securities
or anything else that they would like.
PUKAR's broad area of concern is Mumbai. Any proposal that engages with
the city is eligible for consideration. You are welcome to get in touch
with us to develop your ideas before sending in your proposal.
Some of the themes that we supported in the first year of the programme
are listed below.
1 Portrayal of handicapped in the media
2 Violence on the screen and in real life
3 Home industries and their impact on lives of families
4 Microfinance and women
5 Alcohol Addiction in the community and role of AA
Who is a Senior Fellow?
1 The Senior fellow is any individual taking on responsibility for the
project and the youth group
2 She/he should have an interest in research. We encourage people from
non-academic as well as academic backgrounds to apply
3 There is no age qualification for the Senior Fellow. She/He can be a
member of the Youth group as well.
Who can apply as a Senior Fellow?
1 Is resident of Mumbai
2 Is connected with youth in some capacity
3 Any youth group with a creative idea is welcome to approach us in
order to develop a research project. Anyone from the group can be
identified as a Senior Fellow for the project
4 Individuals with an aptitude for participatory research and project
idea but without a youth group may apply as long as they are able to form a
youth group by the end of June, 2006
Who Could Be a Youth Group?
1 Students from colleges
2 Members of sports groups
3 Self employed or unemployed youth in the neighbourhood
4 Members of various "mandals"
5 Group of friends who may be interested in a particular theme or a subject
6 Workers from the unorganized sector, from unlettered world.
Anita Patil-Deshmukh
Director, PUKAR
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