Report on LYSA

Prashant Narang

Just came back from liberal youth south Asia (LYSA) seminar on ‘How To Run Successful Liberal Youth Organization?’ held at Katmandu from 29th March-2nd April 2007.

Few highlights:

• Change making! What it takes!! – Success stories from South Asia – Anil Chitrakaar, Ashoka Foundation
  
• Being a liberal youth organisation in South Asia: Our Targets, Prospects and Challenges.
  Working groups followed by presentations and Inputs
  
• Motivating Students to join a liberal organisation' – Manali Shah, Centre for Civil Society
  
• Organisational SWOT analysis
  
• Issue Identification
  
• From Scratch to Impact – Rajendra Mulmi, President YLDA
  • Critical Analysis of Programs/ Activities of each Organisation in relation to Liberalism
    
  • Activities Action Plan development

How did it help?

• Exposure: the best part was exposure.
  1. It helped us to know the liberal youth activities going on in the subcontinent.
     
  2. What are other groups up to?
     
  3. What is their idea of liberalism?
     
  4. What kind of activities they are into?
     
• Explore:
  1. scope of co-operation
     
  2. resource sharing
     
  3. membership of LYSA
     
• exercises in working groups:
  1. did SWOT analysis for Prabodh
     
  2. drew an action plan
     
  3. prioritize issues

What’s in it for us?

After meeting all those organizations from other countries, I strongly feel our FOF’s have immense scope to grow and play a vital role on regional level. Also I heartily appreciate centre for civil society for the work they are doing in India, setting an example for others to follow. Seemingly, in the whole subcontinent only India and Nepal are the two countries where there has been better understanding of liberal perspective relatively. Learning from our experiences, we can help others in their countries with different issues.