Aspiring to stand out

By Marisa de Silva

Do you aspire to be different, to be out of the ordinary and serve the community while learning something from the whole experience? Then the ‘Aspirations Youth Club’ (AYC) is just the thing you’re looking for.

Deputy Director of the Maharagama Cancer Hospital,Dr.Neelamani Paranagama and members of AYC at the health camp

Be it to bring out the best in you by encouraging you to serve the society via the implementation of numerous community projects, educational and career advancement, personality and skills development, various opportunities to further and perfect your talents or a forum for some fun and entertainment, the AYC is an all-inclusive package!

The brainchild of Ajith Abeysekera and his daughter Deepamala, the Chairman and Director of Aspirations Education, respectively, the AYC was initially created to fulfill the vision of making productive and socially responsible members of society. The Club was made a reality, essentially due to the joint efforts of Deepamala, Nadeen Kumarasinghe and Sasith Bambaradeniya.

With the support of its parent organisation– Aspirations Education Pvt Ltd, The AYC is keen to explore the possibilities and avenues of how it could serve the youth of Sri Lanka and improve their quality of life. Aspirations Education, making use of their extensive network of over 90 universities and institutes worldwide, will serve young people who may or may not be able to travel abroad to realise their aspirations, said Deepamala.

One of the main objectives of this club, is to extract whatever knowledge and resources they can from this large network of universities and put them to good use here, via community service projects etc., For instance various international universities have shown keen interest supporting such a venture as the AYC, and have thus even volunteered to act as part of a panel of advisors comprising a pool of vice chancellors, professors, doctors, lecturers, experts, practitioners, students, societies and associations from these prestigious universities/institutions, who have agreed to work with the AYC in their respective capacities.

The AYC steering committee will establish links with a variety of associations, clubs, societies etc., and bring a variety of opportunities such as debates, writers’ workshops, music, drama, sports, parties, get-togethers, trips, meditation, availability of scholarships to study abroad, wldlife awareness campaigns, internships etc., What’s more these institutions abroad are also willing to send down certain members of their faculty to Sri Lanka, to act as judges for the competitions and are also willing to sponsor the trophies for the event, said Deepamala. These international universities are even enthusiastic about donating nearly new computers and books to be distributed amidst rural schools, said Deepamala.

If the Club does well, they might even be able to arrange youth exchange programmes between countries or organise summer camps here so foreign students could come over and experience the splendors of Sri Lanka. AYC members will also be informed of study opportunities and scholarships abroad so they can meet representatives from the various universities as well.

Youth Club Steering Committee will maintain a database of a range of vacancies, available in the job market to suit different expectations of all members. Youth who are interested in jobs can send in resumés. Under skills development, interested youth will be given the opportunity to do hands on projects in the fields of marketing, public speaking etc.

These projects will enable them to interact with esteemed persons, corporate bodies, make decisions at strategic and grassroots level etc.

Groups will be formed based on their common interests, passion and talents. They will have the opportunity to get-together and come up with creative ideas. They will also organise International Youth Conferences where youth from other foreign universities would be invited to participate.

Special parties, discounts at latest movie releases, out-bound training, trips, camps, workshops on personality development, public speaking and marketing free career and education seminars, are also on the cards for the AYC members.  

“There is no hierarchy in the Club, the contribution of all its members is essential for it to function properly,” said Deepamala.

To register online access http://www.aspirations.edu.lk or call Nadeen or Deepamala on 2816951.