The college strives to create social consciousness and prepare students who would be socially responsible young Women leaders responding to the need of the society. Keeping with the vision and mission of the College, a useful extension programme RESCAPES was adopted by the college.

1.RESCAPES:

Rural Enrichment through Students Community Action and Participation for Environmental Sustainability (RESCAPES) - a well-structured programme, integrated into the curriculum, running for all the 3 academic years of UG programme, with specific evaluation system carrying credits. The RESCAPES activity has been made mandatory for PG.

The programme is built in, to provide skills and opportunities for students to do things differently and achieve optimum benefits for their own development and for the welfare of the rural community. This Community Development course is designed not to be a standalone programme but is also integrated into the academic programme for personal development of the students.

2.ORIGIN:

The Community Extension Programme RESCAPES emerged out of an interaction with experts in the International Conference on Sustainable Development and Management of Natural Resources held from 15th - 17th March 2003 at Holy Cross College (Autonomous) Tiruchirappalli. Experts’ recommendations were focused on the conservation of ecosystem and their sustainability in India. This spark ignited the launching of the RESCAPES programme in 2004 (06.07.2004).

The primary stakeholders of this extension activity are the entire UG student community.  The secondary stakeholders are the 16 (increased to 24 villages) selected village communities. To assist students, teaching faculty were provided with input on how to make benchmark survey, problem identification, and micro level planning by experts from different NGO’s. Each department is allotted one village and action plan for the respective villages is carried out and recorded. Having environmental sustainability, the bench mark survey and need analysis in mind, a set of projects are identified and categorized as core projects, non-core projects and discipline oriented specific projects. Since 2004, various kinds of activities have been carried out in all the adopted villages.

Through RESCAPES Training Programmes for Self Help Groups members in vermicompost, Panchakaviya and mushroom cultivation were arranged in selected villages. Awareness cum skill training programmes for students and teaching faculty on the above mentioned projects for the effective implementation of the projects were also arranged.

The Department of Science & Technology funded one major Research project for Rs.5,25,000/- and three UGC Minor Research Projects for Rs.1,00,000/- , Rs.90,000/- & Rs.60,000/- respectively, which was attributed to the Incorporation of Research into RESCAPES programme.

3.FUNCTIONAL ORGANIZATION:

The RESCAPES programme is co-ordinated by a full time co-coordinator who bridges among the villagers, authorities and the college. A core committee constituted by selected faculty members with external expert co-ordinates the whole process.

RESCAPES converges with NGOs and Government Organizations that plays a complementary role for the effective implementation of the projects for the benefit of the village community.

4.SPECIFIC OUTCOME OF RESCAPES PROGRAMME

Students

    are made aware of Self and have an opportunity to improve Self esteem and Emotional Intelligence

    develop project specific knowledge and skills

    are sensitized about sustainable development

    are exposed to rural community and the problem faced by them

    are enriched with creativity in planning execution and documentation

    develop leadership skills and team spirit.

Village community becomes

    Self –reliant

    Economically developed

    Environmentally & Socially improved

5.UNIQUENESS:

The RESCAPES programme is

    institutionalized and inbuilt in the academic curriculum.

    involves the entire UG & PG student community and teaching faculty.

    has periodical reviewing & updating of the entire programme

    integrates the activities of Service Oriented Courses viz., NSS, NCC, RED CROSS to UGC funded

     major and minor research Project.

     exhibits improved self awareness, self esteem and Emotional Intelligence.

6.NEED and SCOPE:

    One of the major goals of our college is “To awaken social consciousness and prepare socially responsible citizens”.

    The College is continuously undertaking innovative and sustained activities to achieve this goal.

    The College has several service wings which provide the students hands on information which has highlighted the fact that there has been an overall decline in the quality of the environment in the villages, making them unsustainable for the livelihood of the common rural mass.

    To remedy this situation, the College has planned the RESCAPES project to rejuvenate the rural environment and create sustainable livelihood for the people residing in the villages. Several recommendations were made for the conservation of the ecosystem particularly in India.

    In order to equip the students to achieve this goal, the College had invited experts to conduct field visits, workshops and seminars to develop a comprehensive and sustained Action Plan to address a variety of issues relating to Students, Civil society and Community Service.

    Following this effort, a comprehensive package for Capacity Building and Community Development of the Students in their 3 year Under Graduate Programme was developed.

7.OBJECTVES:

    To awaken Social Consciousness and prepare socially responsible citizens

    To impart skills and knowledge

    To encourage creativity in students bringing out their latent talents

    To build genuine human relationships

    To inculcate concern and respect for persons and nature

    To enable the students to get exposed to rural community

     To be a link between the Government authority and village community

    To enable the village community to become self-reliant

    To enable the village community to sustain their eco system.

8.MAP OF THE RESCAPES ADOPTED VILLAGES AND PANCHYAT:

9.LIST OF ADOPTED VILLAGES:

The list of 24 villages in Manachanallur Block adopted by the College and the departments allotted are listed below:

10.TARGET GROUP:

The target group for the project covers rural communities in general but will focus more on vulnerable marginalized groups such as literate youth and children, women, subsistence farmers, unorganized labourers and Dalits.

11. PROJECT:

Keeping in view the need for sustained efforts to enhance the quality of life of the people in the target villages, the College proposed to undertake the following projects which are categorized as Core and Optional Projects.

I. Core Projects

Water and soil Conservation

a.Water Harvesting

b.Bund formation

c.Percolation pond construction

d.Desilting

2.Tree plantation

3.Kitchen gardening

4.Sustainable agricultural practices

a.Vermi- compost

b.Panchagavya

c.Azolla cultivation

5. Health, hygiene and Sanitation.

II. Optional Projects(Based on the need of the village community)

a.Herbal Plants cultivation

b.Strengthening of SHGs

c.Mushroom cultivation

III. Department Specific Projects

Strategy :

The strategy for village rejuvenation involves and mainly addresses issues relating to soil, water and energy and thus rejuvenation of green village is attained by

1.adoption of strategies for watershed and soil

2.promotion of sustainable and eco-friendly agricultural practices like organic farming and tree plantation

3.use of non-conventional energy

4.promotion of food security

5.development of infrastructure and easy access to markets through information technology enabled service

The package involves 3 stages :

1.Orientation, learning and training

2.Field application and reaching out to the communities

3.Impact study, documentation, research and publication

12.METHODOLOGY:

   Stage I: UG - First Year

      During the I year, the students acquire skills for personal, interpersonal and group effectiveness through SBE-I. There are specific Training programmes to acquire skills on Environmental sustainability projects through SBE-II.

   Stage II: UG - Second Year

      Every student spends a specified number of hours in fixed work in the adopted villages. The activities include exposure to the realities of rural environment, sensitization to special needs of the local communities, problem identification through survey and resource mapping, designing and executing appropriate project through interaction and participation of the communities and local government officers, elected leaders of Panchayat and other bodies.

   Stage III: UG - Third Year

      Every student undertakes an impact study and prepares a report on the outcomes of the projects implemented in the village. PG Students extend their service to the marginalized in the rural community.

13.CONCLUSION

RESCAPES programme develops ecologically sustainable model village and develops rural community which realizes the importance of sustainable development. Above all, the programme facilitates the students to become socially and environmentally conscious sleaders who can build the nation and the society at large.

The co-ordinator :

    is a bridge between students and village for the RESCAPES programme.

    co-ordinates the programme of all department in an effective manner.

    plans and co-ordinates the village visits.

    collaborates with departments and service oriented courses for Rescapes programme.