(DFC) Design for Change
'Design for Change' is the largest Global Movement of children across 66 countries through which children are driving change in their own communities by unleashing their ‘I CAN’ superpower. DFC is an initiative by the Riverside Education Foundation and MGM Clover Dale School is a partner school in this initiative since 2014. This ‘I Can’ spirit empowers children and gives them an opportunity to express their own ideas for a better world and put them into action. Children become change-agents by using a simple design process of Feel-Imagine-Do-Share (FIDS).
With this conviction, our Superhero kids did many activities under the guidance of DFC Mentor like, Transmute Entrance, Cleanliness Drive, Visit to NGO, Theme Assembly on Respect, Putting Stalls to Raise Funds and many more.
We are happy to share that the DFC project (‘CAN’ teen) by our students was nominated in the 100 most inspiring stories of the year – 2017 (out of 1700 entries). Click this link to view the project :
While participating in this activity our students accepted the challenge to improvise our Canteen Management System and aimed for making the school food environment much healthier, disciplined & energy efficient.
In this initiative, students identified the improvement areas in our current canteen management practices through observing the operations & by administering structured questionnaires to the students, teaching & non – teaching staff and parents.
The major challenges were identified as:
- Reducing the wastage of food & water
- Improving the Discipline & reducing the noise level
- Finding an alternate to plastic plates
- Improving seating arrangements
- Re-imagining the food menu
As a result of various brain storming sessions & various interactions, the students came up with following solutions, which have been implemented to evolve the current practices.
- Forming students dining committee
- Changing the seating arrangement & adding more chairs
- Gratitude Bell – “EAT With Gratitude”
- Changing the food menu & plates
- Appointing food monitors for discipline & reducing wastage
- Increasing food counters
Also they have proposed the use of bio gas for energy saving.
The above activity has resulted in better canteen management practices in the school. It also encouraged the students to take up new challenges & helped them to sharpen their problem solving skills.
In November 2017, MGM Clover Dale School was the host and partner for the local DFC event ‘Be The Change’ (BTC) conference in Aurangabad, in which more than 200 schools participated.
‘Be The Change’ showcased some amazing stories of transformation and courage, which were completely driven by children. The conference honoured and recognized these young agents of change for their ‘I CAN Spirit’ and determination to change the world around them.
MGM Clover Dale School Students actively volunteered to make this day special and memorable for the Zilla Parishad School students. CDS students not only did the anchoring for the event but also presented a welcome song and a dance performance for the guests. They made sure that all the participants were engaged and entertained through one minute games, face painting, spinning the wheel and other fun activities.
DFC- DESIGN FOR CHANGE -CDS STORY ' CAN-TEEN' which is shortlisted in Top 100 stories was shared in the event along with other 6 other inspiring stories of change.
