More than 70 young volunteers attended the UK Bal-Balika Karyakar Training & Induction Day, held on Saturday 27 December 2008 at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London. The event was organised to train new Bal and Balika Mandal volunteers and provide them with a valuable insight of their roles and responsibilities.

Manoharmurti Swami began the day by introducing the importance of working with and for children and the profound benefit it holds both personally and for the larger community.

Lead volunteers then conducted team-based activities to demonstrate the importance of working together at all levels and to emphasise that each volunteer is valuable. In addition to motivational video presentations, the volunteers also received an induction pack containing core information regarding Bal-Balika Mandal and various tools for running an enjoyable and inspiring Bal Sabha. They were also introduced to the overall structure of UK & Europe Bal-Balika Mandal, whereby they had an opportunity to appreciate the scope of BAPS’s commitment to children’s activities.

Following lunch, a short quiz conveyed a valuable message: working with children is as much an opportunity to learn from them as it is to teach them. Volunteers were urged to continuously expand and enhance their Satsang knowledge and personal development skills.

Various group training sessions helped the volunteers learn about their specific roles in a more applied way. Yagnatilak Swami then emphasised the need and importance of striking a balance between Satsang, studies and social life, wherein he especially stressed the value of education.

The final comments of the day were offered by Yogvivek Swami, who elaborated on the spiritual significance of this seva.