AU-T::NSS

To achieve the objectives of the Special Camping Programme, appropriate planning at State, University and college level is very essential.

The camps under special camping programme should be planned well in advance. Special attention should be paid to the needs of the backward areas.

(i) Socio-economic and health survey : It is expected that the concerned NSS Unit has already conducted the Socio-economic and Health survey of the adopted village / slum. Unless the survey data are utilised for planning the programmes, such surveys would not serve any useful purpose. This data should therefore, be made available to the concerned authorities and followed-up during regular NSS activities. It would be preferable if such surveys in adopted villages / slums (where camps are planned ) are conducted as part of the normal regular programme before start the camps. Departments and authorities who would be in a position to make use of the survey data should also be involved in the conduct of the survey. It would then form part of the pre-camp planning.

(ii) Identification of the problems and needs of the adopted area : The data collected during these surveys would give a clear idea of the needs and potential of the community. Based upon this, the projects for the camps could be planned and programmes arranged so that the projects meet the field needs of the community.

(iii) Discussion with NSS Group Leaders, Volunteers and colleagues regarding camp projects : As the Special Camp is considered to be a joint venture of the teaching community and students, like NSS leaders, volunteers and teachers, the Programme Officer should take necessary initiative to discuss the details of the projects and required arrangements of the Special Camping. Efforts may be made to involve more and more people in the organisation of the camp, so that the Special Camp does not remain only as an activity organised by the Programme Officer but it becomes a programme of the entire Institution.

(iv) Meeting the college / +2 level Advisory Committee : After discussion with NSS volunteers and active colleagues, the Programme Officer should convene the meeting of the Advisory Committee for finalisation of the camp details like time, dates, venue, site, projects, inauguration and the names of the guests to be invited etc.

(v) Submission of projects to the Programme Coordinator and Regional Centre : The Programme Officer should convey the information regarding the proposed Special Camp to the Programme Coordinator, NSS Regional Centre, State Liaison Officer and the concerned TOC / TORC. The information should contain the dates, time, venue and other details of the camp. The nature of the projects to be undertaken may also be intimated to the above authorities.

(a) The Programme Officer will consult the relevant Departments, Panchayats, Local bodies and concerned officials of the other Departments while preparing projects. He / she must have proper assessment of the facilities available from the Departments, so that he / she does not face an untenable situation if promised facilities are not made available to him / her. The Programme Officer should also consult the concerned Departments before undertaking any project on Government land, or based on its resources, so that complications may not arise at a later stage.

(b) The Programme Officer will make necessary arrangements for the broad required for the volunteers during camp. He / she will also ensue that the tools and equipments required for the projects in the camp are available in sufficient number. It has been observed that in many cases, improper supply of food and insufficient quantity of tools and equipments adversely affect the camp.

(c) The Programme officer should make pre-camp visits to the area for making proper board and lodging arrangements. He / She must ensure that sufficient facilities of latrines and bath are available.

(d) Care must be taken to see that necessary facilities are available to girl students to maintain their privacy and meet their needs.

(e) The Programme Officer should impart training to the NSS volunteers in which all the details of the projects should be given. The volunteers should be divided into different groups and committees and the role of each committee and group should be defined to avoid over-lapping.

(a) Selection of proper projects : The selection of proper projects for special camping programme can boost the morale of the campers and develop in them a sense of achievement. Hence, it is essential that suitable projects must be selected with utmost care. While identifying the projects / activities in special camping programmes, the following criteria may be kept in mind :

(i) The needs of the locality ;
(ii) Facilities available in the area ;
(iii) Local participation ;
(iv) Possibility of completing or developing the project in 10 days and
(v) Possibility of follow-up action in Regular activities.

As the NSS aims at developing the personality of student youth, therefore special camps should be designed to achieve this objective. Group-work, team-building, community dynamics. leadership, communication skills and creativity should form part of special camps. If necessary, a few camps may be developed exclusively for the purpose involving key NSS volunteers.

Special camps are considered as training grounds to train the educated citizens of tomorrow to undertake the responsibility of national reconstruction. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that the NSS volunteer who is the main participant in the whole programme draws sufficient strength and experience to play his / her role in the society. Successful camps organised with specific projects and motivation can prove a source of strength and inspiration for him / her and encourage him / her to play a positive role in the emerging society.

(a) The camp should provide an environment conducive for democratic and cooperative way of life. It must encourage the NSS volunteers to participate and cooperate in camp life.

(b) Special camps also aim to promote the spirit of self-reliance and self-disciplined way of life in society. Major emphasis should be on the fact that the NSS volunteers should direct their behavior themselves under the guidance of the Programme Officer. The entire work of organising and running the camp e.g. clearing of the site, pitching of tents (wherever necessary ), provision of sanitary services and recycling of human and vegetable wastes, cooking and serving food etc. ought to rest on the shoulders of the participants. As some of the students who participate in the camps are not trained for these elementary tasks, thee should be a group of trained volunteers which can be shifted from camp to camp to provide this training.

(c) The NSS volunteers should be above to identify themselves with the community. The gap between the poor and rich and educated and illiterate is widespread in the society. Hence, our effort should be to bridge this gap by taking the NSS volunteers to the village to provide with opportunities to understand the community, its problem and possible solutions. An earnest effort should be made so that NSS volunteers relate themselves with the community, and not remain alienated individuals. It should be ensured that there is no discordance with the general standards of living of the areas. The task of developing a feeling of relation with the community for seeking whole-hearted cooperation of local youth, should be understood as the most vital task in the camp.

(a) Each camp will have 1-2 teachers and 2-5 student leaders who will work as camp organisers / work supervisors. Each camp may consist of a minimum of 40 and maximum of 50 participants depending upon local needs.

(b) Active participation of local student and non-student youth ( up to 10 percent of the camp strength ) may be ensured. This can be done through suitable cultural and educational programmes, through dance, drama, music etc. undertaken in the evenings in cooperation with the local peoples.

(c) The NSS Programme Officers should ensure adequate representation of students belonging to SC/ST and minority communities, so that young persons belonging to these communities feel fully involved in the development of the country.

d) Female NSS volunteers should be encouraged to participate in the camps organised by the co-educational Institutions.

(e) Students from foreign counties may also be involved in the NSS camps, if possible.

(a) Maximum number of NSS volunteer leaders and teaching community of the institution may be involved in conducting the camp.

(b) All NSS volunteers participating in the camp should be divided into different groups. Each one will undertake activities according to one's aptitude, educational qualification and skill. For example, one team can take up mass immunisation against preventable diseases, another team can look after environmental sanitation and popularisation of Gobar Gas Plants; yet another team can concentrate its work on provision of potable water or other activities chosen by the institution etc. Each group may have a few local non-student youth so as to ensure local support on voluntary basis, and to ensure proper follow-up to the programmes during the term time.

(c) The management of the camps may be done through Committees which take care of various aspects of camp life. Punctuality and discipline should be emphasized. All the participants including the teachers should strictly abide by the camp rules and stay in the camp. It is suggested that the following Committees may be formed for running the camp :-

i) Mess Committee : It will look after the food arrangements of the camp ;
ii) Programme Committee : To conduct the day-to-day activities of the camp ;
iii) Project Committee : To take care of the project work including supply of tools and equipment.
iv) cultural Programme Committee : To arrange the cultural programmes in the way that all participants get opportunity to show their skill and talent. Group performance may be given preference over individual performance.
v) General Discipline Committee : It will look after the discipline in the camp.
vi) Reception and Guest Committee : It will look after the guests in the camp, and make necessary arrangements for their arrival and departure.

(a) The NSS camp will be of 10 days duration. The NSS volunteers are expected to be in the camp throughout the period including on the inaugural day and depart from the camp only on closing day after valedictory function.

(b) Camps beyond 10 days may be organised by the Institution subject to the condition that no additional finance will be made available. The additional expenditure may be met by exercising economy in the camp expenditure. The camp may be extended by five days over and above the mandatory period of 10 days.

(c) In case an important project ahs been undertaken and it remains incomplete and it is very essential to the community, the NSS units may plan to organise a second camp to complete the project.

(a) The lodging arrangements of the camp should be made in a building of the village or panchayat school.
(b) In case of non-availability, a community building like Panchayat house etc. should be utilised for such purpose., with the consent of the influential peoples of the village.
(c) No camp should be held in the premises of the college / school. The NSS volunteers must reside in the adopted area where the camp is being held.
(d) Generally, slums in metropolitan cities are not convenient for the students to stay overnight during the project. In such cases. the arrangements for stay should be made in the institution itself ( the colleges and schools are expected to adopt nearby slums ). however, where this is not possible, Day camp can be organised. This provision is only for Urban units, who find it extremely difficult to get suitable accommodation for campers. The approval of the Programme Coordinator may be obtained in advance for organising ' Day camps '.

(a) The mess should be managed by Mess Committee. The practice of giving the responsibility of food supply to a contractor should be avoided.
(b) Food in the camps should be simple but balanced. It should be at minimum cost and as far as possible, prepared out of locally available materials. Meals should be carefully planed with the assistance of such institutions and individuals having knowledge of food and nutrition as may be available in the State. The participants should also be explained about meal planning as an educational lesson; and its propagation among the local community should be an important extension activity of the campers.
(c) It should be ensured that the food served in the camp is not very much different from the general standard of the villagers living in the area.

(a) The projects should be selected as per the guidelines, after identifying the needs of the village / slum. No project should be undertaken, which is irrelevant to the needs of the village / slum.
(b) The project should be approved by the competent authority to avoid conflict at later states.
(c) the availability of the materials / equipments and technical advice may be ensured in advance for the success of the project.
(d) All efforts should be made to complete the project during the camp period itself. Every precaution should be taken not to leave the project incomplete.

Every effort should be made to involve the local people in project work. It must be explained that the work is for their benefit and therefore, they should contribute to it. If all the physical effort is done only by the students then the village population may feel that the students are doing it to get a degree or some such benefit. The object of the programme should therefore, be to involve the village population actively in rural welfare programmes and make them see that, by their own coordinated efforts, they could live a better and richer life.

(a) It is very essential to prepare a suitable schedule for the camp, so that it helps to develop a sense of discipline and devotion among the campers. As the camp is an occasion for establishing rapport with the community, it should not be treated as a picnic or excursion.

(b) No uniform schedule of activities can be suggested for a work camp due to considerable variety in the scope and content of the projects, the NSS units should ensure that various activities undertaken during the camp are so planned and organised that it ultimately leads to fulfillment of the objectives of holding a camp. In addition to some manual work, the camp should provide opportunity for community living, discussion in group and cultural activities etc. A good camp can adopt the following daily schedule of important activities :

(i) Manual work for accomplishment of the project like construction of small village complex, sustainable development activities like laying out gardens, tree plantation etc. or any other project depending on local needs and priorities. 5 Hours

(ii) Discussion on topics like freedom struggle, character-building, development of culture, family welfare, health any hygiene, national integration, eradication of social evils like casteism, regionalism, dowry, untouchability, alcoholism, corruption, gambling and superstitions; civil, social and national responsibilities of citizens, small savings, improved agricultural practices etc. - 2 Hours

It is advisable that during the course of discussions on various topics and the cultural programmes - maximum number of villagers / residents ( irrespective of their age ) are provided an opportunity to benefit from such discussion and cultural programmes. If some of them are unable to participate in the manual work, but are interested in discussions and cultural programmes, this may be encouraged. Cultural programmes, may, as far as possible, be of educative value with social message. Efforts should be made to get some documentary films on development issues screened for the benefit of the community.

(d) It has been decided that as a part of the camp, the students should be taken to nearby projects with a rural development content like IRDP, NREP, ICDS, mid-day meals, adult literacy, village roads and sanitation, rural cooperative housing activity, dairying and animal husbandry, social forestry, soil and water conservation projects, and monuments of historical importance, to educate them about the cultural heritage as well as economic and technological advancement of the country. It would be necessary to spend a day for this purpose by economizing on the budget provided for Special Camping Programme and extending the duration of the camps by 1 or 2 days. Effective coordination has to be made with State Government and District Authorities to get all assistance in this regard.

13. Suggestive Model Schedule

i)	Waking up	05:00 Hrs.
ii)	Morning Assembly and Physical Exercises	06:00 Hrs. to 06:30 Hrs.
iii)	Break Fast and Collection of tools etc.	06:30 Hrs. to 07:15 Hrs.
iv)	Project work	07:30 Hrs. to 12:30 Hrs.
v)	Personal hygiene	12:30 Hrs. to 13:00 Hrs.
vi)	Lunch	13:00 Hrs. to 14:00 Hrs.
vii)	Rest	14:00 Hrs. to 15:00 Hrs.
viii)	Talks by eminent visitors followed by discussion	15:00 Hrs. to 17:00 Hrs.
ix)	community visit	17:00 Hrs. to 19:30 Hrs.
x)	Recreation and socio-cultural programme	19:00 Hrs. to 20:00 Hrs.
xi)	Dinner	20:00 Hrs. to 21:00 Hrs.
xiii)	Review of Day's work	21:00 Hrs. to 21:30 Hrs.
xiii)	Light off	22:00 Hrs.

Certain changes have to be made considering the weather conditions and other variables. On certain occasions sociocultural programmes could be organised in the community itself.

In order to promote Inter-faith, Inter-community and Interpersonal understanding, some universities and NSS Units have experimented with the concept of Home Stay by placing NSS volunteers for a few days, volunteer (s) of one religion or community in a local family belonging to a different faiths and communities. This experiment has worked out well and has great educational value. During each special camp. certain number of willing student may be encouraged to undergo this experience for 2/3 day in a host family and share their experiences with the rest of the campers.