Bal Mela was a student-led, day-long event held on the 25th of February for children from government schools. The children from each school tried different activities that honed their physical and creative skills. I was in charge of the hula hoop race, where the kids had to race while spinning a hula hoop around their waist.
LO-1: Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth
Communication has always been a strength of mine, and I used this skill to help the children enjoy the activity. An area for development was speaking in Gujarati. Another thing I needed to improve on was handling a large group of kids.
LO-2: Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills.
A challenge for me was communicating in Gujarati. Since I am not fluent in Gujarati, addressing a crowd that spoke in the language was a challenge. I had to step out of my comfort zone and talk to the children in Gujarati, but my teammates were supportive and helped me during the experience.
LO-5: Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively.
Teamwork was absolutely fundamental for this experience. With just three volunteers, including myself, it was hard to manage over hundred kids at a time. It got a little chaotic since the kids were very excited to participate, but we were able to successfully manage the event because of the collective effort we made.
LO6 – Engagement with issues of global significance.
The Bal Mela was an event aiming to reduce inequalities that the kids in government schools face due to the economic standards of society. The experience increased inclusivity and helped bring kids from various backgrounds, age groups, and social strata to have a good time together.
Some learner profile attributes I demonstrated were being a communicator and a caring individual. During the event, I was able to effectively communicate with the participants and worked in close collaboration with other volunteers. Moreover, I made a conscious effort to display empathy and kindness toward the participants, ensuring that they felt welcomed and at ease. I believe that these traits are crucial for personal and social growth, and I am pleased that I was able to exhibit them during the event.
