Derabassi, August 3:- A seven-day Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme (YAMS) Training Programme commenced today at Sri Sukhmani College, Derabassi, with enthusiastic participation of NSS volunteers. Sponsored by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Punjab State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), the programme is being organised by the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA), Punjab, with the support of the District Administration.
The first day of the training programme began with the registration of volunteers followed by a pre-training assessment to evaluate their existing understanding of disaster management. The registration process was coordinated by Programme Officer Manish Arya.
Addressing the participants, Prof Yog Bhatia, Course Director and Senior Consultant, MGSIPA, highlighted the objectives of the Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme and emphasised the need to build a cadre of trained youth volunteers capable of strengthening disaster preparedness and resilience at the grassroots level. He said the initiative is aimed at equipping young volunteers with the knowledge, skills and confidence required to support local administrations and communities during emergencies and natural disasters.
The technical sessions were conducted under the supervision of Course Coordinator Mr. Ankur Sharma along with the MGSIPA training team comprising Mr. Sachin, Mr. Ayush, Ms. Babita Rani, Ms. Preeti Devi, Mr. Shanu and Ms. Etisha Parmar. Through interactive classroom sessions and practical demonstrations, the volunteers were introduced to the fundamentals of disaster management.
The participants received training on disaster preparedness, emergency response planning, emergency response kits, disaster risk reduction, personal safety measures, safe lifting and casualty handling techniques, crowd management, mitigation strategies and the classification of various types of disasters. The sessions underscored the importance of preparedness, awareness and coordinated community action in minimising disaster risks and enhancing public safety.
The volunteers actively participated in the practical exercises and gained valuable insights into their role as Yuva Aapda Mitras in promoting disaster resilience and supporting emergency response mechanisms within their communities.
The successful conduct of the training programme was made possible through the cooperation of the District Administration, the management and faculty of Sri Sukhmani College, the Principal, Tehsildar Mr. Birkaran Singh, Kanungo Mr. Kamal Saini, and other officials who extended full support for the smooth organisation of the programme.