LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION TOOLKIT FOR ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN INDIA 3•
Directions:
ACTIVITY ONE
Whom Do I Admire- Discuss with the children the fact that we all have some people whom we admire. Some of
them are admired more than others. Ask them to think of one person they admire the most and
would aspire to be. The children must focus on the qualities of the person chosen. Help them
decide by offering a number of choices including a sportsperson, a famous person in history, a
public figure, someone whom they know or even someone in their family. The person could be
alive or dead or even someone from another country. If there are girls in the group, ask them to
think of a woman they admire and want to be like in the future. - Explain that such a person is called a role model. Discuss how a role model can help young
people to lead more positive lives. - Give the children a minute or so to think quietly. Then ask them to share the identity of the
person selected with their buddy or anyone else in the group. Remind them that they should
discuss the qualities that they admire and why they selected those qualities. The qualities could
be personality traits of this person, or how he or she relates with family and friends. It is
important that boys discuss qualities related to gender, how to be a person who cares for their
sister, mother, girlfriend and wife. With the girls, the qualities should include assertiveness and
taking charge of one’s own life. Each may have different persons that they admire. The children
select one role model and share it with the next pair. The other pair also shares the role model
they have selected. - At the end of these rounds, you should have at least three role models for discussion in the
wider group. Let each group present one role model and tell the rest why the role model was
selected and what discussions took place in the group. Make sure that points related to good
work ethic, caring husband and father (for boys), respect and caring, helping others, a good
education, a healthy lifestyle (may include not smoking, drinking excessively, fit body) are
pointed out and discussed irrespective of the role model. For girls, qualities of assertiveness
and achievement in role models provide examples of working through social and cultural
stereotypes. - After discussion, the important qualities can be placed on the flipchart. Give a minute or two for
the children to reflect. Give each one a card and ask them to write their role model and three to
five important qualities they like about the person. This card will later go into their “Magic Box”
(see last activity). Ask them to mark the card a few of the qualities with a dot or a tick mark.
They will start working on these and share with them with the group over the next two weeks.
(This task will help them to set goals in the next session).