Goal

As a member of a larger community, VIT recognizes its societal responsibilities and the importance of mobilizing its youth towards volunteering in social service to make the world a better place for all citizens, regardless of differences.

The Vidyalankar Volunteering Committee shall motivate students to willingly participate in ‘on-the field’ social service activities, build partnerships with NGO’s to address common goals and raise awareness of volunteering as it is also an important part of the role of educators.

National Service Scheme (NSS) is the programme run by the ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports in Central Government and Department of Higher & Technical Education in State government. The primary objective of this scheme is the personality development of students through the community service. At present around 232 colleges of Mumbai University are implementing this scheme through 320 units with student strength of 36,000.

Vidyalankar Volunteering Committee of VIT initiated the process of establishing NSS Unit in VIT & successfully got this done in September 2009. The Motto of NSS is “Not Me But You”.

Under the NSS Programme any student studying in a village or in a university who opts for and is selected for NSS is expected to continue for the period of two years and is required to render social service for a minimum 120 hours per year and he is also required to participate in 7 day special camping programme.

Scope

• Initiate programmes such as Blood Donation Camps, Anti-Pollution drives, Voting Registrations etc.
• Ensure student participation in community service
• Enter into understandings with NGO’s to work for the benefit of society
• Arrange guest lectures and seminars by eminent philanthropists to enhance awareness on Volunteering
• Initiate NSS and NCC, after obtaining the necessary permissions,  to build a student base of volunteers
• Observe special days like World AIDS day
• Organize events to increase awareness among community members and involve them in social work  so that they can work hand-in-glove with students
• Establish NSS Unit and engage in its activities

The various programs organized by Vidyalankar Volunteering Committee/ NSS unit are:-

1. Blood Donation Drive & Thalassemia Minor Screening

   The event took place during 14th-16th ‘09 with the help of Metropolitan Blood Bank, the state’s largest blood bank & a collaborative effort of the State Blood Transfusion Committee (SBTC) and the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER). The Blood bank team was also joined by an NGO- Think Foundation, responsible for the collection of blood samples into the bulbs for Thalassemia Minor screening. VIT Volunteers apart from creating the awareness helped the staff in making the arrangements, collection of blood samples, looking after the donors as well as registration, refreshment & appreciation desks. 286 units of blood were collected during this drive.

2. Diwali celebration with Leprosy patients
   Diwali Festival becomes more meaningful when we celebrate it with the deprived sections of society. The Festival of Lights gives us an opportunity to brighten the lives of people by spreading the message of togetherness. And hence, some of the VIT students, visited Vimala Dermatological Centre at Versova, on 15h Oct ‘09 to celebrate Diwali with the inmates there. The event was organized by the Indian Development Foundation (IDF) and supported by Rotary Club of Mumbai North End. “The human touch helps in healing the Leprosy patients much faster and the child patients deserve our care and attention in a far greater measure,” observed Dr. A.R.K.Pillai, Founder President, IDF.

3. Diwali celebration with underprivileged girls
   More than 1700 Children from over 68 socio-economically backward areas of Mumbai (under the guidance of some NGO’s) gathered together for the ‘Diwali Dhamaka’ event at St. Auxillium Convent school, Wadala on 24th Oct ’09. VIT volunteers were given the responsibility of managing the Game stalls, wherein its volunteers set up five games and two creative art stalls. The event also saw the participation of celebrities like Dia Mirza, Vinod Kambli and Genelia D’Souza. Apart from the stalls, volunteers also ensured the smother functioning of the other activities like Lunch, Discipline, Safety, Photography, etc. “We felt honored and overwhelmed that we got an opportunity to make their day special and unforgettable. It was a pleasure to bring a smile on the faces of these innocent girls”, said one of the event volunteers.

4. Education & Health of the children from the surrounding slum communities
   Most of the children from the surrounding socio-economically backward areas of Sangam Nagar go to the nearby Municipal schools and hence they need another support/guidance system that will not only try to keep them at par with the children from the privileged backgrounds but will also try to prevent their early dropout from the educational system. NSS Volunteers of VIT regularly go into these communities & encourage them in their studies especially Mathematics & English. These remedial sessions take place either in the children’s homes of in the temples located within these areas.
   
   VIT NSS Volunteers also participate in the Pulse Polio Drive programs organized on Sundays by the BMC Health posts - Korba Mithagar & Antop Hill - for the children of these communities.

5. Formation of Red-Ribbon Club (RRC) for HIV/AIDS awareness
   Red Ribbon Club (RRC), part of the NSS Unit of Vidyalankar Institute of Technology(VIT) organized a week long event from 15th to 19th March 2010 on 'HIV/AIDS Awareness' in its campus coinciding with its Fervor and Verve- the college Festivals for the wider outreach and stronger impact.
   The event began with an interactive session about HIV/AIDS by MDACS (Mumbai District AIDS Control Society). The volunteers, well-equipped with the relevant knowledge, then geared up for the action oriented events like Poster Competition, Essay Writing Competition, Rally (at VIT and its surrounding communities of Sangam Nagar), Exhibition and Quiz Competition. The RRC believes that the responsibility of the students is to educate and sensitize the underprivileged communities about this issue. We need to make them realize that HIV/AIDS is not a stigma and together, we can fight against its wide-spread. ‘Hum Jawaan Hai, Naadaan Nahi’ voices out the views of the empowered volunteers of the Red Ribbon Club.

Other events/activities include:

• Interactive session on Energy Conservation by PCRA, Govt. of India
• RTI Workshops
• Cleanliness Drive
• ‘No Drink & Drive’ program by Mumbai Traffic Control
• Voter Registration Drive
• Earth Hour (Save Electricity)

Besides these activities, NSS Unit also organizes VIT Assembly every Wednesday from 8.30 to 9 am wherein the students assemble together to begin with a prayer, discuss about the essential values like honesty, integrity, humility, discipline, etc & finally end the session with our National Anthem.

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