From preventing boys getting into crime to making slums safer for girls, Pune youth attempt to bring change at grassroot level

The convening witnessed over 100 participants representing skilling organisations, employers, recruitment agencies, academic institutions

Global Opportunity Youth Network (GOYN) Pune and its anchor partner Lighthouse Communities Foundation has brought together multiple stakeholders in the skilling and livelihood ecosystem in Pune along with underserved young people.

The organisation has been working on youth development and young people aspiring to be change-agents. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

The convening witnessed over 100 participants representing skilling organisations, employers, recruitment agencies, academic institutions, organisations working on youth development and young people aspiring to be change-agents.

One such project named “Voice of Boys” is being implemented by four youth in the Yerawada area with the goal of preventing boys under the age of 18 years from turning to crime.

“There is a ‘Bhai’ and ‘Dada’ culture in slum areas and there are chances of young people getting negatively influenced. Community youth tend to idolize gang leaders as their role models. Our motive is to prevent youth from following this path,” said Shalmon Sushma Purushottam Sable who along with Mahesh Ovhal, Tanishq Sunita Nagnath, and Sahil Tupdhar are leading this project.

Jamie McAuliffe, founder director of GOYN, said, “We came to Pune in 2019 as we understood that there are lakhs of city youth who have dropped out of school, are out of training, unemployed or underemployed. We call them “Opportunity Youth” as they can unlock enormous opportunities for the city. We are delighted to witness the growth of this initiative.”