Nurturing Leadership Skills in Girls Dr Asha Menon

Nurturing Leadership Skills in Girls Dr. Asha Menon Mrs. Shobha Bharat Dr. Ritu Bhatia Mrs. Neera Jain Dept of Human Development S. P. N. Doshi Women’s College, Ghatkopar Mumbai

• The ongoing longitudinal project was taken up with Girls from V std of our school. Series of workshops, games, and activities were conducted to enhance various leadership skills in the students. The sessions are conducted once a week on saturdays from 9 to 10 am. The TY BSC students and the teachers of the Human Development Department are involved in this project.

• This project was taken up to help economically & socially deprived girls with life skills under the initiative taken by Ms. Jyoti Chander for the Program Shama. Kids. • It was the foresight of Ms. Jyoti Chander which propelled the idea to start leadership program for Shama. Kids because these children lack successful role models in their life so an interaction with the society and a life skill development program would enhance and develop leadership skills in them.

• Therefore keeping the philosophy of SHAMA in mind that is; “Developing Leadership Training For Women” Ms. Jyoti Chander discussed with Prof. Snehal Barai about this program who in turn discussed with our Trustee, Mrs. Meenaben Khetani and the principal of the school to work out the logistics. • The principal of the school had complained of poor attendance of the Gujarati Medium school girls specially on Saturdays as they have to come in the morning and rest of the week it is afternoon school for them. Therefore it was decided to have the sessions on Saturdays.

• The teachers too complained that the girls had low confidence, low self esteem and were not aware how to share their feelings with family, teachers, peers. So keeping these things in mind modules were decided. • Prof. Snehal Barai discussed with Dr. Asha Menon & Mrs. Shobha Bharat (Department of Human Development) if we could do some thing to help the girls. • We took up the challenge and thus this department project was envisaged. The Department of Human Development has taken up this project as Institutional Social Responsibility (ISR)

• The results show vast difference in the students self esteem, their negotiation skills, communication, relationship skills, resilience and group dynamics. • The attendance on Saturdays also improved as girls didn’t want to miss out on the activities.

• The parents & teachers found prominent changes in the girls. To name a few, girls started expressing themselves, were able to control and express their emotions, self esteem improved, relationship with peer & siblings also improved and their confidence level was also high and were able to take responsibilities at home & school.

THE TEAM

Mrs. Neera Jain taking a session on Anger Management

Relationship Skills Mrs. Shobha Bharat taking a session on Relationship Skills Peers Relationships are very important during Middle School Years. Developing healthy relationships with peers is a very important facet of socialization during these years which impact personality development throughout one’s life. This Module focused on benefits of socialization, making friends, Qualities sought in friends, maintaining good friends, developing trusts, influence of friends etc.

Wanted A Friend Students discussing qualities they seek in a friend • The students were asked to create a advertisement seeking a friend. They were asked to write down qualities they sought in a friend.

A session on Introspection

INTROSPECTION A student discussing things she wants to change in herself • My Shield: Children had to write their qualities, what they want to change in themselves? what they want to learn? and what are their favorite things?

Self Awareness Activity on Who am I? • Self awareness is an important factor in achieving success. Developing self-awareness is important for better relationships and for a more fulfilling life, both in the school and at home. • WHO AM I: The students were asked to write three words describing who they are? • Identity Cube: How I view myself?

Masks: What they look like inside and outside • The students were asked to draw two masks: One depicting what they look like outside and the other depicting what they look like inside. • It was easier for the students to depict how they looked outside and difficult to draw what they looked inside.

Parachute Game • Children had to move inside the bed sheet when it is lifted up and shake hands with the girls on the other side. This game teaches them to negotiate, be alert and be self aware.

Children sharing what two things they don’t like about themselves and would like to give up. Students identifying friends and writing qualities of their friends on their back.

Group Dynamics- Activity: Tying Ropes Together • Understanding the group is one of the important functions of individuals in the group. This exercise encourages the participants to understand the role of each individual’s responsibility, cooperation and good planning.

Emotional Literacy • The ability to recognize, understand manage one’s emotions is based on the efficiency to read one’s own feeling. Emotional literacy is the first step to emotional intelligence. • A number of activities were introduced to enhance emotional literacy in students over a period of five sessions.

Resilience: T-Shirt Activity • Resilience is a person's ability to cope with living in spite of stresses. Developing close ties to family and community creates a solid sense of security that helps lead to strong values and prevents alternative destructive paths to love and attention. The following activities were taken up: • T-Shirt Activity, The Truth Be Known, Represent Feelings With Color, Finding Hidden Treasures, The Silver Lining Activity and a Collage Of Hope.

Resilience: Collage Of Hope Dr. Asha Menon taking a session on Resilience

Confidence Building Dr. Ritu Bhatia taking a session on Confidence Building • The module confidence building was undertaken with objective to break hesitation, remove fear, develop communication skills, decision making and critical thinking skills in secondary school girls. Various activities were conducted in group and individual basis like – Prepare a personal shield , Build human models , Make a political party, Self Advertisement and Group discussion.

Parents meet A questionnaire on peer relationship

Activity on Group Dynamism Activity on Understanding one’s emotions

Activity on developing Relationship Skills Labeling Emotions

Activity on Resilience: Their Strengths

Comfort Menu: How to comfort a Friend

A session on Written & Verbal Communication

A session on Group Dynamics

TYBSC & SYBSC STUDENTS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Based on the ongoing project the following research papers were presented and published between 2012 -2015 Mrs. Neera Jain • Presented a paper titled“Nurturing Emotional Intelligence” at the 3 rd International Conference on “Global Trends in Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Peace Education” June 28, 2012 Kathmandu, Nepal. • Published a paper titled “Nurturing Emotional Intelligence, World Without Anger An International Journal. Vol. 3 -4 No 1. December 2012, ISSN – 2091 -0398. • Presented a poster titled “Anger Management in Girls” at the International Conference on Enhancing Health, Wellbeing and Sustainability: Opportunities, Challenges and Future Directions, 10 -12 January 2013, Nirmala Niketan College of Home Science, Mumbai.

Dr Asha Menon: • Presented a paper titled, “Enhancing Self Esteem In Early Adolescent Girls”, at the 4 th International Conference On Cross Cultural Transformation Through Emotional Intelligence on 17 TH Dec 2013, World Without Anger and Global Peace Association, Kathmandu, Nepal. • Presented a paper titled “Enhancing Interpersonal Skills Through Self Awareness” at the National Seminar On Enabling Education: Equipping Students For Life organized by Pillai College of Education & Research, Chembur, Mumbai, sponsored by ICSSR on 18 th & 19 th July 2014. • Published a paper “Enhancing Interpersonal Skills Through Self Awareness” PCER Conference Proceedings, National Seminar On Enabling Education: Equipping Students For Life, MES Publications pg 125 -136, January 2015.

• Presented a paper titled ““Trait Emotional Intelligence And Peer Popularity Among Pre Adolescent Girls” at the International Conference on Public Mental Health and Neurosciences, December 18 -19, 2014, Bengaluru and secured 1 st place in Oral Presentation. • Published a paper titled “Trait Emotional Intelligence And Peer Popularity Among Pre Adolescent Girls”. International Journal Of Public Mental Health and Neurosciences, IJPMN, ISSN 2394 -4668, Volume 1, Issue 1, December -2014, pg- 9 -14. • Presented a paper titled “Role of NGOs In Developing Life Skills in Under Privileged Adolescent Girls: A Case Study” at the One Day National Seminar On “Role of NGOs In Nation Building” held on 28 th February 2015, Adarsh College od Arts and Commerce, Kulgaon, Badlapur.

• Presented a paper titled “Corporate Social Responsibility: An Initiative Towards Developing Leadership Skills In Underprivileged Girls” at the Multidisciplinary National Seminar “Opportunities & Challenges in Emerging Market Economies’ 24 & 25 March, 2015, Maniben Nanavati Women's College, Vile Parle. Mrs. Shobha Bharat • Presented a paper titled, “Enhancing Peer Relationships With Emotional Intelligence In Pre Adolescent Girls" at the 4 th International Conference On Cross Cultural Transformation Through Emotional Intelligence on 17 TH Dec 2013, World Without Anger and Global Peace Association, Kathmandu, Nepal.

• Presented a paper titled “Developing Intrinsic Motivation To Enhance Academic Success And Competence In Pre Adolescent Girls” at the National Seminar On Enabling Education: Equipping Students For Life organized by Pillai College of Education & Research, Chembur, Mumbai, sponsored by ICSSR on 18 th & 19 th July 2014. • Published a paper titled “Developing Intrinsic Motivation To Enhance Academic Success And Competence In Pre Adolescent Girls” PCER Conference Proceedings, National Seminar On Enabling Education: Equipping Students For Life, MES Publications pg 193 -198, January 2015.