LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION TOOLKIT FOR ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN INDIA 1•
Knowing Myself ’ is the first step in learning life
skills. It is based on the premise that if we do not
know who we are, we will not know what we want
to change and what we want to build on.
In this module, children will:
- Understand their abilities, skills and qualities
and what it means to be a girl or a boy; - Explore their own beliefs and values; and
- Understand their life and plan for a better future.
By doing these exercises the children will learn of
their strengths, recognize what they would like to
change and will be able to communicate their
feelings to their friends and family. Many children
in vulnerable and marginalized situations suffer
from low self-esteem. Low self-esteem in girls is
also caused by the existing social and cultural
gender bias. Good self-esteem is necessary for the
children if they are to feel that they are in control of
their emotions and have control over what they can
do. Only then can any meaningful behavior change
take place. This session is the first building block in
developing self-esteem and self-confidence in the
children and so should be seen as preparatory to
the other sessions. These sessions may also be
repeated later in other modules to reinforce
self-esteem.
Module Two consists of the following three sessions,
which in turn include a number of activities:SESSION ONE
I Am Special – My Abilities And Skills
In this session the children identify positive
qualities, receive positive thoughts from their team
members, make a ‘shield’ to protect their feelings
and celebrate being a boy or a girl. This session
includes three activities.SESSION TWO
My Beliefs and Values
In this session the children understand that their
values shape their behavior and that values for
material things may not bring what they desire.
This session includes three activities.SESSION THREE
My Life
In this session the children help each other to plot
their lifeline, good and bad events, and look into
their future. This session includes one activity.MODULE TWO: Knowing Myself