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Dimapur, March 15 (EMN): The youth department of the Tuensang Town Baptist Church conducted its 15th life skill education (LSE) programme with the theme “Dexterity” from March 11 to the 13th at Longpang in Tuensang. During the event, youths were given discourses on various life skill essentials encompassing careers and communication, and personal development, among other aspects of growth.
Students of the class-10 boards attended the camp, the organisers stated in a press release that was received here. They were given a discourse about topics such as goal setting, careers, communication, “substance use,” decision-making, coping with emotions, relationships and ‘loving self,’ the press release stated.
The press release quoted a student, Yaong, as having said of the event: “After appearing my HSLC (high school leaving certificate) examination, I had lots of time and secondly I wanted new perspective in my life, guidance before the start of my new journey.
“My elder brother also attended this camp before me and the positive changes that I saw in him after the camp encouraged me even more. Our eldest sister also attended the same camp before and she has always been the spiritual one.”
“I had anger issues before coming here and in one of the session we were told about coping with our emotions and were doing some activities which was amazing. I feel now that I can control my temper. I have learned that there will be challenges in life and the choices that I make will have different consequences. I also know that I have so many things to do and lots to achieve. This camp has been a totally different experience from what I expected and I am so happy that I came,” she added.
There were eight sessions that discussed various issues besides ‘experimental games,’ worship and song practices, and reflections for the campers, Bible study and devotion among others, the organisers stated.
‘From the very beginning, life skill education was introduced by ECS and the church took the initiative and made some changes in the teaching module. It was a challenge from the start for LSE-I. The church was apprehensive about it and I had to raise fund on my own and it was tough as many didn’t understand the concept of it,’ the press release quoted a church leader Rev. Sangkap.
‘But things have changed since then and people are more receptive. They have seen with their own eyes about their children changing and have experienced it. Now, the church sponsors the entire camp,’ the press release quoted Sangkap as having stated.
Emphasising that the teachings of the Bible have been incorporated into the content syllabus of the LSE he said there are individuals who have ‘made a huge turn in their life and have benefitted from it.’
‘Our present associate youth pastor was one of the campers in the LSE-III and our praise and worship leader was a part of the LSE-V. So, yes there’s so many success of the campers,’ the press release quoted him as having said.
Anamong, youth secretary of the CBLT, was stated to have said that the CBLT had passed a resolution for the churches in the association to conduct the LSE since 2019.
“LSE camp is focused towards class 10 appeared students and every year the batch keeps changing. But in the villages there is a practical problem to follow the same pattern since they are all confined to that place and are the same group of people. So, it is advised for them to conduct once in two or three years,” he stressed.
A resource person at the event, O Akum, also was quoted by the organisers as having said that the LSE camps were an “activity oriented camp and so in that way it is more comprehensive than any other camps.”
Much has changed and the world and its technology, syllabus and social setups are different today, the organisers stated. “So, according to the emerging concerns, our syllabus or the content of the LSE will have to get adapted to the present context.”
‘Earlier, it was ‘if you study hard you get a job.’ Today, you study hard but you don’t get a job; graduation is not enough. So, besides getting a job now, there are entrepreneurial skills and we try to impart that. Initially, it was about government jobs and we didn’t focus much towards the private sector but today things have changed,’ the resource person said.
He mentioned that the LSE module, which was developed by Family Health International, is ‘applicable.’
‘It was just a blueprint which they have modified and some of the activities were taken from there. So, it depends from context to context. I mean, in the rural sector maybe some of the content that we take may not be applicable. It depends on the resource person how to modify it and how to contextualise it,’ he added.
The organisers stated that to keep in touch with campers even after the camp, a special service called “POP Square” is being conducted every Friday during which the campers initiate the service.
For campers studying outside, the church organises youth festivals and other ‘experimental camps’ to ‘keep the campers in touch with the things which they learned from the LSE camp.’
The campers were divided into four groups and competed in various activities. On the last service of the camp, two campers from each group shared their experiences. Each group participated in group presentations. Nyimang Naro, of the youth working committee, was the camp’s director, the updates stated.