ABOUT THE PROJECT

Maitreya Clubs have been initiated by REACHA for mobilising the constructive time and talent of parents in neighbourhoods, to share with each others' children, as a means to spread social harmony, assist in personality development of children, enhance their Social Adaptability and generate constructive synergies in society. Children’s Maitreya Clubs are successfully running at many residential colonies in Delhi, Lucknow & Amritsar.

As part of the Maitreya Clubs week-end "Magical Colours of Maitreya (MCoM)" Workshops are organised to enable every parent and child understand themselves better - through group discussions, brainstorming sessions, creative art and mind-mapping, personality testing, interviews, family quizzes, pranayaam, adoption of a cause, and open forum. These are organized on request from people.

In this Page

About The Project

Stress Management Workshops

Gallery

MAITREYA CLUBS (MC) IN NEIGHBOURHOODS: MC is a forum for initiating children, and through them their parents, into various creative, socio-ecologically relevant, and personality developing activities, through Maitreya (or friendliness). The basic approach here is to guide children, with the active involvement of their parents, through Child Centric Learning By Doing (CCLBD) modules for their integrated development that is in harmony with nature. It has been our experience that when this happens, each child is able to perform and develop along lines of his/her own genius – both in academics as well as extra-curricular activities.

MCs involve children in various activities that interest them, such that during the performance of these activities humane values are inculcated in them in a very subtle manner. In due course, even a stubborn, directionless child begins to exhibit signs of maturity and responsibility, and parents begin to enjoy the whole process of their development. Over a period of time, these children as well as their parents find that career options suiting their potentials begin to emerge. Some of the outcomes of maitreya are:

  • Subtle inculcation of values like honesty, integrity, truthfulness, leadership attributes, cheerfulness, discipline, consideration for others etc that help in developing a strong and integrated personality.
  • Parents share their TIME + TALENT with kids, thereby expanding their domain of parenting, and also get a chance to re-live their childhood passions (apnepan kaa vistaar, or magnification of the ‘self’).
  • Career-options become visible - for the child and their parents to explore, over a period of time.
  • Families come closer to each other through the process of ‘common parenting.’
  • Peer Group Learning (PGL) dynamics are set into play that enable every child to develop a high Social Adaptability Quotient — the capacity to integrate into any social milieu effortlessly.
  • Generation of harmony and integration in society. Parivaar aur Paros (the family and the neighbourhood) begin to merge, leading to social harmony through maitreya.
  • Vasudev Kutumbakum or the whole world is a family becomes a reality.

Stress Management Workshops:

The forum assists parents and children in managing stress. True and unhindered growth of a child occurs only if he/she is equipped with means to handle stress in school/exams/competitions/extra-curricular activities. Parents are provided training in Pranayaam, wherever required, to help them manage the stress of parenting a modern day child better.

Sharing our knowledge:
Parents of children enrolled as members of MC get an opportunity to share their own experiences in parenting their child.

Data-base:
A profile of each child is maintained with the assistance of parents / friends / neighbours to assist in guiding him/her towards a fulfilling life.

MC meetings:
MCs meet twice a month (on Sundays, at the Community Center). During these Sunday workshops, parents share their time/talent by turn. Thus, every child is exposed to a large number of activities. Parents then pursue this development, identify their child’s hidden talents and urges, and assist him/her in nurturing them. It has been REACHA’s experience that when a child is provided this opportunity his/her real development begins. The child then begins to grow in both academics as well as extra-curricular activities. And it is in the process of the ‘revelation’ of this dynamics that the child and his/her parents often discover the best career options that will provide him/her lifelong success and happiness.

Specific Projects:
The MC can design, in association with organisations, specific projects to be campaigned/implemented by the neighbourhood children. These projects could be need-based, and specific to that locality, eg. Waste management, energy conservation, water conservation, security issues, development of cottage industry etc.

Corporates supporting such programmes in low income localities can actually purchase some of the products and services generated by MC’s that it normally buys from the market.

MCOM workshops for children/parents on weekends:
These workshops enable generation of greater bonding between children/parents, besides assisting in overall personality development of every child and parent.

Quarterly Parent's Session:
A parent’s session is held every quarter. During this session, parents discuss and decide about the past quarter, and plan for the future. The parent MC Co-ordinator has to organize and manage this session. She/he needs to be in touch with REACHA for all technical support/guidance. REACHA also provides a ‘Food for Thought’ write-up for all parents. This write-up contains useful information on parenting and child development.

REACHA would be glad to assist and enable any neighbourhood to initiate a Maitreya Club.

REACHA would also be glad to make a comprehensive presentation to any institution/organization interested in the various facets of the Maitreya Club.