Leadership skills allow children to have control of their lives and the ability to make things happen. Leadership instils confidence, and helps children solve problems creatively, work in a team, and work collaboratively with others. It gives children many opportunities to develop responsibility.
An important objective of the Foundation is to prepare the rural youth to bridge the gaps of development, especially in rural India, and more specifically in their own villages and blocks. Boys and girls in rural areas, even though they go through the regular schooling, are at serious disadvantage vis-à-vis the boys and girls of cities. Their communications skills are weak; they have limited exposure to the outer world; and are less aware towards their future career options. In view of these findings and for bridging these regional gaps, we have developed Rural Youth Leadership Program (RYLP). This is a dynamic program aimed at transforming the participants by improving their communication skills and leadership quality through language classes, career development sessions, motivational lectures, and the relevant policy information and awareness. These tools would help these young men and women get broader exposure, enhance their confidence, deal with feelings of aggression and give mental clarity and strength. With this training they would be strengthened to be in better control of their own career and health, their villages and their society. The Progressive Foundation intends to adopt a similar model to infuse a comprehensive awareness about personal cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation in the rural as well as urban areas.