Training Manual for Psycho-Social Support

May 17, 2015 selvam Current Activity, Youth Research

festa-mamma-albero-della-vita1 The Institute of Youth Studies (IYS) has networked with an Italian NGO (Fondazione L’Albero della Vita – FADV) in order to develop a training manual for use in the 26 Kenyan government run statutory children institutions. The training will target over 120 staff who are employed in the juvenile remand and rehabilitation institutions, so as to build staff capacity in offering psycho-social support to their wards.

FADV approached IYS to carry out a needs assessment in collaboration with the University of Padova, and to develop the training manual. The NGO has offered a sum of Ksh.250,000 to IYS for this consultancy service.

The trainings will be also carried out by IYS, funded by CEFA – another Italian NGO that works with the Kenya government in the Children Services.

I have the been key person in […]

Youth Development in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities

March 13, 2015 selvam Current Activity, Talks & Presentations, Varia, Youth Research

DSC_0008_4 Youth Development in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities
My presentation on 9 March 2015, at a joint teleconference between Institute of Youth Studies at Tangaza University College, Kenya and the Institute of Family Studies at the Catholic University of Lublin, Poland.
The purpose of the paper was to provoke some discussion among the students of both the institutions.
Preliminary Remarks
0.1. It could come as a surprise to some of my listeners that the speaker this afternoon is not an African. This is the advantage that scientific method offers us. A person from anywhere could scientifically look at a global or local phenomenon anywhere using the methodology of science. This said, having lived in two countries in the African continent for the past 23 years, and having travelled across the continent visiting at least 10 other countries, I dare […]

Psychology of Religion: Insights for Education in India

October 26, 2011December 17, 2011 selvam Articles/Chapters, Youth Research

Selvam, S.G. (2011). “Psychology of Religion: Insights for education in India”. In Pudumai et al (eds.) Education of the Young in Today’s India (pp.139-165). Chennai: Don Bosco Publications.
Click Link to Download article in Pdf : ” Sel PsychRel Education in India“
Abstract
Psychology of Religion is a well acknowledged branch of psychology that employs the theoretical framework and methodology of general psychology to examine the influence of religious phenomena on human mind and behaviour. Generally, cognitive psychology and developmental psychology have played an important role in shaping educational policy and practice. In this chapter, the author argues that psychology of religion also can contribute a great deal to educational practice. If education is understood, particularly in the Indian tradition, as not merely acquiring knowledge but as shaping of the individual, then the […]

Capabilities Approach to Youth Rights in East Africa

August 11, 2011August 6, 2015 selvam Leave a comment Articles/Chapters, Youth Research

ChosenLogo_V02 ABSTRACT:
Early physical maturity and delayed social maturity, contributed by the Industrial Revolution, make youth a vulnerable group. Governments, including those of East Africa, attempt to respond to this situation in their National Youth Policies. However, these policies remain weak and uncommitted to youth rights. Capabilities approach, pioneered by Amartya Sen and developed by Martha Nussbaum, challenges the naivety of debates on human rights, by calling for affirmative action. In the light of Capabilities approach, this article critically examines the existing National Youth Policies of the three countries of East Africa – Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. It suggests certain elements that need to be added to youth capabilities in the African context.
Find below the electronic version of
Selvam, S.G. (2008). “Capabilities Approach to Youth Rights in East Africa”, International Journal of Human Rights, Vol. […]

Religious Experience in Childhood and Adolescence

February 13, 2011June 29, 2011 selvam Youth Research

A Summary of:
Tamminen, K. (1994). Religious Experiences in Childhood and Adolescence: A viewpoint of Religious Development Between the Ages of 7 and 20. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 4(2), 61-85.
Introduction
Kalevi Tamminen, the author of the present article was a professor at the University of Helsinki. He received the William James Award (Div 36/APA), in 1995. He has authored several articles and his major works include, Tamminen, K. (1991). Religious Development in Childhood and Youth: an Empirical Study.
This article, that reports only one aspect of a larger research project, is similar to other works that have been carried out elsewhere in the world. A few salient ones among them are,
Elkind, D. & Elkind, S.F. (1962). Varieties of religious experience in young adolescents.
Goldman, R. (1964). Religious Thinking from Childhood to Adolescence.
Cavalletti, S. (1992). Religious potential of the Child.
Hay, D. & Nye, R. (2006). The spirit of the child.
Tamminen […]