Project Disc In Fundraiser for April, 2023 - March, 2024

Just.Play works with adolescents between the ages of 7 to 18 years. This age bracket is a crucial period of transition from childhood to adulthood. Adolescence is also a vulnerable age when children are confused about their self-image, sexuality and relationships with peers! How well they deal with these everyday struggles depends on the choices they make. Just.Play steps in to lend a hand in building competencies to effectively manage internal conflicts and emotions that mark this phase. We do this through the language of play. Play provides children with an environment similar to that of adolescence, which is fun and filled with challenges, uncertainty and making various choices.

The Just.Play model recognises that every child experience distinct struggles during this period. However, some common capabilities that we focus to nurture in the children will shape their ideals, creative thinking processes and civic identity. These will be key factors for children to make informed decisions against destructive elements like substance use, and any illegal behaviour, that can lead to unfavourable outcomes. Apart from the learning avenues of play, we do this by also providing a non-judgemental space to talk about these risks and forming communal values modelled on social-emotional learning and empathy.

At Just.Play we believe that there must be zero gender and social barriers and this is something that we wish to inculcate in the future of our society through our activities. Just.Play works towards creating a sustainable and measurable impact among the youth through long-term interventions. We believe that with dynamic and highly responsive brains, adolescents actively begin to create their own identities that go on to have serious implications on their social and emotional development. By imparting life skills to these young individuals through the art of sports, and bringing together children of all genders, we aim to create this platform to communicate and generate ideas, socialize and upskill themselves.

Three major components/ philosophies of ‘Project Disc In’ are:

●      Mixed-gender, safe play areas

●      Life Skill Education

●      Pay it forward

1.    Mixed-gender, safe play areas

‘Project Disc In’, employs Ultimate Frisbee, a mixed-gender sport to create safe and non-judgmental play areas to bring together all genders to play, interact, and communicate with each other. Apart from acquiring certain motor skills, the space will break many stereotypes in society. Outward exposure through the sport will help children to get to know and be inspired by people around them, fostering team bonding and healthy competition.

Ultimate Frisbee is a self-referred, non-contact sport that is played with a frisbee disc. This team sport includes elements of basketball, football, and rugby. With utmost importance being given to the ‘Spirit of the Game’, the sport imparts life skills such as fairness, active communication, conflict resolution, etc. to the players.

 2.    Life Skill Education

The second component of the project anchors the whole vision of Just.Play. The inherent nature of Ultimate Frisbee and the Just.Play curriculum facilitates life skill education for the citizens of tomorrow. ‘Spirit of the Game’ of Ultimate Frisbee ensures that players inculcate skills like active listening, active communication, conflict resolution, etc. during game time. Just.Play modules based on the Social Emotional Ethical Learning (SEEL) curriculum, developed by contextualizing the Life Skills Framework by UNICEF India and the discussions in and out of spirit circles impart 21st-century life skills to participants. There will be a special focus on Gender, Sex & Relationship Education as well to break the existing barriers to a ‘Just’ society.

3.    Pay it forward

This third component of the project aims to equip children with the resources and skills to initiate changes in their communities. The session approach is designed in such a way that participants gain a sense of responsibility, cultivate skills in citizenship, creative thinking and entrepreneurial skills practically, and develop problem-solving skills. Each session is designed to equip them with skills to take up community projects as well as to showcase exemplary leadership qualities in their lives.

Throughout the project period, participants will be empowered to take up projects to address a pressing social issue that they observe around them through a step-by-step process with mentorship and support to be young changemakers. During the intervention period and after the project, youth leaders will be identified from the participants to impart their learnings and skills to children from other project areas.

We are at present running our program at 4 centres for 350 children. We are fundraising to run the program sustainably at the present centres for the financial year 2023-24

The impact we wish to create is children becoming the changemakers in their society and in their lives.

Impacts we see

·       Reduced chances of destructive behaviour, violence, and drug abuse as children utilize their energy for constructive activities

·       Children from all gender are equal on the field, leading to gender equality in life.

·       Gender, Sex & Relationship Education enables children to pursue gender-sensitive behaviour in life

·       Constructive discussions and critical thinking on social issues make them responsible citizens and leaders

·       Children address communities’ pressing needs by taking up an intervention project, enhancing their life skills and subsequently transforming them into next-generation changemakers

·       Children experience a non-judgemental space to interact with their peers where they share their perspectives and listen to others' opinions

·       Playing games and sports help children develop their motor skills, physical, and mental health

Recently, 11 children(8 girls and 3 boys) from our first center got selected into the Kerala State Team participating in the Bharat Trophy 2023 by UPAI at Hyderabad on June 2-4