Connecting with the Community: Relatedness and
Skill Sharing to Equip and Empower
Service to the community gives students an opportunity to connect with people, understand their needs and helps them uphold and promote a sense of sharing which in turn motivates them to support each other to defend themselves against all challenges that they come across in this competitive world. It also broadens their thinking horizons as well as their perception of the world. They develop a sense of accomplishment and contentment with opportunities to serve people around them.
The aim of St Agnes College is to carry forward the hundred-year legacy of the foundress Mother Aloysia to equip young women as well as men with quality education and life skills that will empower them in all areas of life. In accordance with the mission statement of the college, which is to sensitize students to be socially committed and encourage them to be active agents of social change, the final year students spend a minimum of 30 hours per semester in community activities and other students are engaged in similar service oriented activities through various forums created by the college.
ATC -Agnes Towards Community
ATC -Agnes Towards Community is an outreach programme through which the final year UG students lend their voluntary services to society. It was launched by the college in the year 2014, with a focus on three-fold objectives: Education, Awareness and Service, with the following goals:
- To sensitize students towards community service
- To inculcate values of concern, compassion and commitment
- To equip students with organising and leadership skills
It began with the involvement of students in community service in collaboration with local NGOs – PADI and CODP to sensitise the young minds towards community and its problems. The aim was also to create awareness on social issues so as to build a humane society.
Some of the programmes organised under ATC are
Child Line Awareness
‘Child-line 1098 Awareness Programme’ was organized in collaboration with PADI at 15 circles of Mangalore to educate the public on child abuse and child labour.
Awareness Programmes on Safety of Girls
A training programme on girl-child safety titled ‘Project Angel’ in association with Inchara Foundation was arranged for primary school children. Awareness programmes on girl child abuse and evils of social media were organized in 15 high schools of Mangaluru in association with PADI.
Interaction with Ms. Sampath Pal, a National Social Activist of Gulabi Gang
An interactive session on issues of women abuse, domestic violence, sexual harassment and women illiteracy was held.
Programme on life experiences with Harekala Hajabba and Shridhar Gowda, regional social activists
Harekala Hajabba, who is now a Padma shree awardee in recognition of his endeavour of starting a school irrespective of being a poor illiterate orange seller, in a backward village, inspired the students by his exemplary life. Shridhar Gowda, a social activist and victim of Endosulphan, shared his experiences about the hazards caused by Endosulphan and sensitized students to help the victims of Endosulphan.
Cleanliness Drive
A cleanliness drive was carried out at 15 locations of Mangaluru as part of Swachh Bharath Project.
Service In Adopted Villages
The college has adopted five villages under UBA, MHRD. The members of the ATC group render their services in these villages. The Final Year Degree students under the guidance of their teachers take up Community Service on Saturdays. The practice involves planning, preparation, execution and evaluation. The students have reached out to different villages in the following ways:
- Educating them about the Environment, atrocities against women, schemes and benefits of Gram Panchayat/ Government schemes, exercise of franchise, problems of migrant/construction workers and need for basic literacy.
- Health and Environmental Awareness Programmes and Educative workshops for schoolchildren.
- Other activities like Malaria eradication camps, Electoral literacy, Rice seedlings plantation, visiting old age homes, orphanages, rehabilitation centers and donating food and clothes, assisting in Dental and Medical camps, are some other service activities taken up by the students in the adopted villages.
Reaching out through counselling services
Acceptance of the unaccepted
The Psychology department has been associated with the St Agnes Special School right from its inception, rendering service and guidance. It has provided an opportunity to integrate theoretical knowledge with practice by rendering service to the special educator as well as the mentally challenged. The students visit the special school on a weekly basis, interact with the special children, and take up tasks assigned to them by the teachers. This enhances the level of acceptance of the differently abled and also attachment towards them.
United effort to reach out to the needy
Fee concession/ Scholarships of Rs. 2,731,645 given to 791 students.
Rs.4,83,475 spent on midday meals for 327 students.
Contributions of Rs 9,10,354 made towards social work and charity like flood relief, Corona relief and other social causes.
Rs 5,73,000 given towards building/ repair of houses through the charity show NAVIDAD –Christmas programme
Not resting on its laurels St Agnes continues to strive towards sensitizing their students and the society towards the poor and the needy through the various forums for change created by the college.
