Vayo SAATHI Volunteer Registration Opens for Citizens 18+

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has invited citizens aged 18 years and above to enrol as Vayo SAATHI volunteers. The drive forms part of the newly launched Vayo Samman Rashtriya Abhiyan, a national intergenerational bonding campaign run under the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY).

What the name stands for

Vayo SAATHI is an acronym for Support, Awareness, Assistance, Training, Health and Inclusion. A volunteer on the rolls is expected to serve as friend, facilitator and connector for older people, helping them reach digital services, find information about welfare entitlements and take part in community life. Those who enrol are given a Vayo SAATHI Certificate recognising their work. Registration is open on the Senior Citizens Welfare (SCW) SAMAVESH portal, whose full form is Single Access Mechanism For All Verticals of Empowerment And Social Harmony, and also through the JEEVAN mobile application, short for Joint Elderly Empowerment and Virtual Assistance Network.

The campaign and its 5C model

Dr. Virendra Kumar, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, launched the Vayo Samman Rashtriya Abhiyan in the national capital. The idea is to put the experience, wisdom and knowledge of older citizens alongside the energy and skills of the young. The campaign rests on a 5C model, standing for Connect, Converse, Co-create, Contribute and Continue, which is meant to turn contact between generations into a steady community practice instead of a one-off event.

Twelve thematic areas

The Abhiyan spreads across twelve themes. Among those named are '30 Minutes Together', 'Teach Me - I'll Teach You', 'My Story, My India', 'Digital Dada-Dadi / Digital Saathi', 'Generation Health and Wellness' and 'Silver Skills - Seniors as Mentors'. Between them the themes aim at companionship, preserving oral histories, digital literacy, alertness to cyber fraud, health and wellness, and recognition of older people as mentors who still have skills to pass on.

How it reaches the ground

The Ministry wants the campaign carried into every village and neighbourhood through panchayats, local bodies, educational institutions and community institutions. Families, youth organisations, universities, non-governmental organisations, resident welfare associations and corporate social responsibility partners have all been asked to take part and bring volunteers in. A handbook on the Abhiyan has been released as a guiding framework, covering its objectives, how it is to be put into practice, its thematic activities and the roles of states, districts and community institutions. Volunteers are also expected to spread awareness of cyber fraud and of health and wellness among older persons. The Ministry's stated position is that senior citizens are not simply beneficiaries of welfare programmes but active contributors, mentors and holders of knowledge, culture and social experience.