I am Vins. I am 29 years of age. I am from Pacode, a village in the district of Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India. I worked as an auto rickshaw driver, construction worker and brickline worker. Now I am the National team member and full-timer of YCW India. Lawrence and I from India participated in the Asia Pacific regional exchange and Full-timers training from 25th August to 4th September 2007 held in Manila, Philippines.

Delegates from Australia, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka also participated. I am happy to share with you my experiences and what I learned from these programs.

During this program, we celebrated the 50th Anniversary of IYCW. I presented the reality of workers in the informal sector in India, their working and living conditions, the issues they face, the actions of YCW India for the informal workers and the results and achievement through power point presentation in English for 20 minutes. It was my first experience to present such a report in English at ASPAC level and this helped me to develop my confidence.

I participated actively in the training session. I was the chairperson in one of the working groups. I animated that group well and motivated every one to participate and contribute. In the plenary sessions I shared my experiences in planning, Task of education and Review of life and worker action as full-timer. I highlighted that through the practice of Task of Education and ROLWA method we could develop action leaders in YCW.

I could also learn the culture, situation and life of people in Philippines. I could see one side towering buildings and very rich people and the other side small huts and very poor people. I could see informal workers waiting for jobs in the streets, pedi cab drivers, street vendors and children begging in front of the churches. I could see the economic division in Philippines. This I think is the impact of globalisation. However, the people I met there were very friendly and social.

I could learn the following through the program:
• That the situation of young workers is very precarious in all countries
• The means and methods to organise the young workers through the exchange
• The role of the full-timers in YCW
• The importance of having one militant, one base group and one action and means to over come the challenges in practising this
• To use Task of Education and ROLWA in YCW and the importance of these to train leaders
• To develop questions based on See – Judge – Act method
• To organise a meeting using ROWLA method
• To speak in English with other delegates

I will try to implement one militant, one base group and one action at all levels of YCW India. I will put into practice in my work as a full-timer the above elements that I learnt

Robert Vins
National Team member and Full-timer
YCW India