“Don Bosco Veedu Launches U-ACT: A Year-Long Youth-Led Community Development Program”

Empowering Youth, Transforming Communities

“MSW students from Loyola College participating in the orientation session for the U-ACT project at Don Bosco Veedu, Trivandrum.”

Don Bosco Veedu Society successfully hosted an orientation programme on the “Youth-Led Community Development Program: An Experiential Learning Model for Social Work Students” at its Trivandrum centre. The session marked the beginning of a year-long initiative titled “U-ACT” (Youth Action for Community Transformation), a project dedicated to fostering leadership and practical skills among MSW students through hands-on community engagement.

The orientation was exclusively organized for the first-year MSW students of Loyola College, Trivandrum, as part of their experiential learning curriculum.

The day commenced at 9:30 a.m. with an inaugural address by Fr. Thomas Meckaden, Director of Don Bosco Veedu, who emphasized the transformative role of youth-led initiatives in achieving sustainable community change.

An ice-breaking activity facilitated by the coordinators set an interactive and collaborative atmosphere. The resource session was handled by Mr. Akhil Devasia, Project Coordinator, Don Bosco Veedu, who introduced the concept of youth-led community development and highlighted its significance in bridging classroom knowledge with grassroots realities. He underscored the importance of experiential learning as a catalyst for social change.

The program concluded with a vote of thanks by Ms. Parvathy Renjan, expressing gratitude to the Director, the resource person, and the participants. The event was smoothly coordinated by interns Parvathy Renjan, Ayisha Amal E.M., and Vishnu.

Through this initiative, Don Bosco Veedu, in collaboration with Loyola College, aims to empower students to become agents of change by equipping them with practical exposure and leadership opportunities. The U-ACT project will run for one year, offering structured community-based experiences for MSW students.