By Rohit Salunkhe, CRC Coordinator
“Every adolescent deserves a chance to discover what they are capable of—not only in the classroom, but also on a stage, a playground, an art canvas, or in front of an audience.”
Adolescence is a period of immense change. It is the stage where dreams begin to take shape, identities are formed, and young people develop the confidence and skills that influence the rest of their lives. While schools play a vital role in academic learning, adolescents also need opportunities to express themselves, build friendships, strengthen life skills, and discover talents that often remain hidden inside classrooms. However, many adolescents from underserved communities have limited access to such experiences.
To provide adolescents with equal opportunities to learn, grow and showcase their abilities, Centre for Youth Development and Activities, in collaboration with Atlas Copco and Coforge, established Community Resource Centres for adolescents. This year, an Adolescent Festival was organised as a week-long celebration that transformed learning into an exciting and engaging experience. Through competitions, performances, sports and creative activities, all 262 participants had the opportunity to explore their talents, build confidence, and experience the values of healthy competition and teamwork.
Students enjoyed a vibrant mix of academic, cultural, creative, and sports events, including Carrom, Chess, Drawing, Essay Writing, Quiz, Musical Chairs, Cricket, Tug-of-War, Singing & Dance. Every activity was carefully designed to nurture confidence, communication, critical thinking, leadership, creativity, discipline, and collaboration.
An adolescent festival is much more than a series of competitions. It created a safe and inclusive space where young people learn by doing. Throughout the week, adolescents enthusiastically participated in a diverse range of activities. Whether solving problems in a quiz, planning strategies in chess, expressing emotions through art or working together during sports, adolescents develop practical life skills that cannot be taught through textbooks alone. They learn to respect others, celebrate diversity, accept success with humility and support one another as teammates and friends.
Beyond the competitions, the festival created something far more valuable—a sense of belonging. The festival also strengthened social inclusion by bringing together adolescents from different communities to interact, exchange ideas and build friendships. Stage performances encouraged even the shyest participants to overcome hesitation. Many participants who were initially quiet gradually began to volunteer, lead teams, encourage peers, and confidently express their ideas.
They learnt that success is not measured only by winning but also by participation, effort, and mutual respect. Together, these experiences complemented classroom education by developing the life skills essential for the twenty-first century.
Parents played an equally valuable partners throughout the celebration. Their encouragement motivated adolescents to participate enthusiastically, while their presence during the concluding ceremony created moments of pride and joy. For many parents, it was the first time they witnessed their children being recognised for talents beyond academics. The festival strengthened trust between families and the Community Resource Centres, reinforcing the belief that holistic development requires collaboration among educators, parents, and communities. The week-long festival concluded with a felicitation ceremony, during which outstanding performers from various competitions were honoured with prizes and certificates. Recognition boosted the confidence of award-winning adolescents and also inspired every participant to continue learning, competing, and striving for excellence.
The impact of the Adolescent Festival extended well beyond the closing ceremony. Adolescents demonstrated improvements in communication, leadership, teamwork, creativity, logical reasoning, problem-solving, and self-confidence. Many participants who had previously hesitated to speak publicly confidently addressed audiences, while others discovered leadership abilities they had never recognised before. The festival became a stepping stone for personal growth, empowering adolescents to believe in themselves and actively participate in future educational, cultural, and community initiatives.
Voices from the ground
“I always loved drawing but never had a chance to showcase my talent. This competition made me believe that my creativity has value.”– Participant, Dapodi CRC.
Earlier, I was afraid to speak in front of others. After participating in the quiz and essay competition, I feel more confident to express my ideas.” — Participant, Jai Jawan Nagar CRC.
“Playing cricket taught us that winning is important, but supporting our teammates is even more valuable.” — Participant, Salve Nagar CRC.
“Standing on the stage during the singing competition helped me overcome my fear. Now I feel confident speaking in front of people.”– Participant, Jai Jawan Nagar CRC.
“Receiving a certificate in front of my parents was one of the happiest moments of my life. It motivated me to participate in many more activities.”– Participant, Tadiwala CRC.
