Mangalore : The week-long Life Skills Education Camp, intended to equip youth with skills to face the challenges of future being organised Nehru Yuva Kendra Sanghatan under the Ministry of Sports and youth Affairs, got off to a start at St Aloysius College in the city on Saturday.

The camp is being conducted in association with the Deen Dayal Upadyaya Kaushal Kendra of St Aloysius College with the resource group from Centre for Integrated Learning.

Inaugurating the camp, Dr. K V Malini, Principal, Canara First Grade College exhorted the participants to imbibe life skills in order to excel in life and be beneficial to the society. While academics provide technical skills, Soft Skills are acquired through extra curricular exposure and the combination of the two results in developing the life skills which is pivotal to one’s overall growth, she mentioned.

Presiding over the inaugural session, Principal of St. Aloysius College, Fr Praveen Martis lamented that the advent of technology and the accessibility to gadgets, the social equations have changed and thus family values are corroding. He urged the youth to take the responsibility of Strengthening such values and become sociable so as to engage in activities that are beyond self.

The District Youth Coordinator of NKYS, Raghuveer Souterpet highlighted the themes and activities to be held during this Camp which was being held for the first time targeting youth between the ages of ten to eighteen.

Executive Director of Centre for Integrated Learning, Sachitha Nandagopal interacted with the participants during her session on group cohesiveness.

40 hand picked students from various schools and colleges are participating in the camp.