Employability Programme for youth in slums

Employability Programme for Youth in Slums

Unemployment is one of the major problems faced by youth in India. Saath noticed that there are many youngsters in Gujarat who have dropped out of schools to earn livelihood. But they don’t have enough skills, so to get the solution for this issue Saath started employability programs, not only in Gujarat but also in Rajasthan. 

Objectives of the Programme:

1. To train disadvantaged youth, aged 18-30 years, between 180 - 300 hours and ensure they are placed and try to support of them in relevant jobs with assurance of minimum wages and opportunity for career advancement
2. To introduce minimum three innovations that would directly impact retention, skill enhancement, and program sustainability

 Report Duration: April 2017 – June 2017

Introduction about Programs:

The sector has been divided into formal and non-formal trainings:

1. Formal training program:
2. Informal training program:
3. Informal training program for Women:

• Udaan

• Nirman

• Women at Work

 Udaan:

Udaan program provides livelihood training to youth from vulnerable backgrounds and give them an equal opportunity to employability. The courses selected for the programs are also a result of market research and need assessment program from the community itself. The courses that are currently offered in this program are as follows:

• Beauty Parlour
• Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES)
• Bed Side Patient Assistant (BSPA)
• Retail Management
• Tally
• Career and Workplace Skills

The entire above mentioned program is for entry level jobs. Placement assistance is also provided to the trainees.

Nirman:

Nirman program addresses the training needs of people in the informal sector. Practical and theoretical training is provided which moulds their skills and capabilities to get better incomes. The courses that are currently offered in this program are as follows:

• Plumbing
• Electrician
• Carpentry
• Masonry
• Mobile Repairing

 We are also running women batches for electrician and masonry course. For informal trainings, SAATH has collaborated with Bosch India Foundation, American India Foundation and Shivia Micro finance as they both are well known for their qualitative and effective work. They use their expertise in providing opportunity to impart training about safety standards.

Women @ Work:

Saath started new skill development and enhancement program to empower young women and focus on non-traditional job options which will have an inclusion of micro-entrepreneurship, life skills and technology components to aid them in setting up their own businesses if they choose. In the case of young girls below 18 years, there will be a work readiness module and sessions on how they can re-enroll in school if they would like to. Sew machine Repairing

• Sew machine Repairing
• Women Drivers
• Plumbing
• Electrician
• Carpentry
• Masonry
• Mobile Repairing

Activities:

Udaan programme that trains and prepares youth from slum for formal sector jobs organized a session by Urban Resource Centre (URC). Total 51 students from trades such as beauty parlour, retail management and Tally participated and understood the importance of identification and legal documents. They also understood how important it is to open a bank account and maintain savings. They were made aware that these documents can help them avail many other government benefits for them as well as their families.

• A life skill session was carried out on gender issues at one of the vocational training centres. 25 trainees and 18 alumni participated in the session. Social status of the trainees is such that quite a few gender stereotypical practices are practiced. The major sufferers are usually women and girls having restrictions on them to education, nutrition, employment, liberty, etc. women were guided to be independent and not to be submissive when it comes to their own rights.

• Saath facilitators of vocational training were mentored under ‘Empowerment Coaching for Facilitators at Mithapur’. These facilitators would then mentor their trainee participants for career guidance.

• Area awareness event was conducted on the 17th and 19th of March. Interns of Gujarat University took part in the event. Labour nakas of Bapunagar, Thakkarbapa Nagar and railways station area of Sarkhej was targeted. Information about the material used in various trades was shared and the workers were made aware of the safety aspects. Livelihood Resource Centre (LRC) team of Saath also joined and registered name of workers who showed interested to get more work opportunities.

• Art and craft activity was done for the students at Nadiad Centre.

• Training was conducted in Vadodara for selection of surveyors for one of the Griha Pravesh events. 15 out of 22 trainees were selected and conducted survey on housing.

• The faculty of women electrician’s batch explained how voltmeter works and conveyed the complete understanding in a way that would help them in their practicals.

Guest Lectures & Visitors at Centre

• 36 women of beauty parlour course attended a guest lecture by Amway Company’s demonstration. The company discussed the opportunities women have to sell their products and earn commission while they work as beauticians.

• Yet another guest lecture was organized by Vivi mobile company and other recruiters. They also spoke about the opportunities on site and in stores.

• Youth of different programs were addressed on tobacco prohibition on the World Tobacco Day. Ms. Dipti Gajjar discussed the larger health, social, and familial impact of tobacco addiction. They also urged the women to take small steps to help their husband quit addiction. 25 students participated and asked questions to demystify the myths associated with it. Most importantly, they learnt the ill effects of passive smoking, which will motivate them to put their foot down before their addicted husbands.

• KPMG, one of the supporters of Saath, visited the training centre. One of the team members addressed the trainees and motivated them to work hard towards their bright career. He also guided them about the opportunities they can have after completing the retail management course.

• Mr. Hitesh demonstrated a haircut to 35 trainees of beautician’s batch in Ahmedabad. He also talked about various types of cuts and what techniques to use.

• 20 trainees participated in a session that focused on how to start one’s own enterprise. This was the initiative by another programme of Saath called Business Gym.

Celebration

• International Women’s Day was celebrated at all the vocational training centres of Saath. This was for the participants and by the participants. Activities include a skit on probibition on dowry, and love marriage, a dance performance on a motivating song of women empowerment. Yet participants from another centre visited an old age home and donated clothes to the residents. A message of ‘Save the Girl Child’ was also promoted through various activities.

• Saath believes in participation at every level; let it be suggestions for curriculum or centre management. The vocational training centre in Vadodara celebrates a week with different activities, organized by the trainees themselves. One such celebration was cleaning day, the centre was cleaned by the staff and trainees, followed by decoration. Similarly, during the same week, the teacher’s day celebration was conducted. 14 out of 40 role played as teachers and managed the class for the entire day.

• Trainees of batches 6, 7 & 8 received their certificates during the certificate distribution ceremony conducted on the 3rdof March. The ceremony was attended by Mr. Jagdeep Singh from American India Foundation, Ms. Chinmayi Desai (Urban programs director), Ms. Kruti Javeri (livelihood program manager) and Mr. Mahesh Mehariya (project coordinator). All the trainees shared their experiences on what new skills they have acquired and by what proportion their income has increased.

Exposure Visits

• All the batches of informal sector workers are taken to sites for exposure visit to broaden their perspective on the field of work they are in. They were taken to a residential construction site named ‘Yogeshwari’ in the vicinity.

Success Story:

Dhaval Ugharejiya (Name Changed) is a 19-year-old boy with full of aspirations. He stays with three more family members (parents and a brother) in Isanpur. His father and brother are into loading rickshaw driving, which earns the family an uncertain fluctuating income.

When Dhaval failed the class 10th board exams, he did not lose hope and wanted to reappear for the exam the coming year. However, that was not possible owing to family’s financial condition and he had to join a factory as welding labourer in a nearby area. He used to work on a meager salary of Rs. 3500 per month. In addition, since he was new to this work, he would often fall sick due to the smoke. He said with despair, “I had dreamt of pursuing higher studies, but earning was a must considering my father’s income being approximately Rs. 7,000.”

Dhaval got the information about the course from the field mobilisers. When he learnt that he would also learn computers and English, and would get a job on completion of the course, he immediately enrolled for the Retail Management course. He thought to himself that he wanted to make his life meaningful. When he first came to the centre he looked apprehensive that he had no skills. But when he met other students of the batch, he was relieved and confident that he could also learn and improve. His confidence boosted subsequently with regular life skills sessions. Towards the end of course, he seemed worried and approached the faculty whether he would get a new job. He was then directed for the interview with DBS, partner with Saath for the project on affordable housing. He was excited that he would be doing office work as against labour work earlier.

With contentment he says, “I am thankful to Saath for giving me an opportunity to fulfil my dreams and giving a new meaning to my seemingly insignificant existence. I used to earn Rs. 3500, but now I am earning Rs. 8000. My father is also very happy that he would no more feel guilty for my incomplete education. I have become optimistic and hopeful for my future. I will work hard and keep moving forward.”

• YEP Progress Report April - June, 2017 (PDF)