By Mohd. Faheem Khan | Assistant Director
Udayan Shalini Fellowship
Udayan Shalini Fellowship programme of Udayan Care is a unique academic excellence and personality development programme for deserving and talented girls from weak socio-economic background aiming to turn them into empowered and dignified women or Shalinis. It is unique because it goes beyond being a usual scholarship programme by not only supporting higher education but also providing regular mentoring and leadership development and inculcating a sense of social responsibility to them.
Udayan Shalini Fellowship Programme were also able to introduce ‘Employability and Placement section’ for our shalinis to help them get placements in various fields.
In 2018-19, USF has moved to 4 new cities – Pune & Thane (Maharashtra), Vadodara (Gujarat), Bengaluru (Karnataka)taking the count of chapters to 20. We have inducted around 1100 new girls in 13 states.
Key Highlights
The social awareness campaign was conducted with Shalinis of different batches on the topic ‘Say No to Plastic’. The areas that were covered by them were Lalbagh and Model town market where they performed a beautifully prepared Role-play and distributed pamphlets to the masses.
Mock Interview- 2nd Dec 2018
Mock Interviews were held to give exposure to shalinis with regard to the interview process. Our main aim was to connect to the alumnae as they needed to be grinned the most and also the third year girls who are yet to face the interview process. Alumnae and third-year girls were contacted and 23 girls agreed to come. There were four panelists which consist of HR’s from different firms in order to conduct the interview. The batch of girls was then divided into different panels; each panel consisted of 4-5 girls. Two segments were designed for the mock interview, first was one-on-one interaction and second was Group Discussion to give them the insight of the overall process. For the first round, there was an evaluation sheet which consisted of certain parameters on which the assessment of girls was supposed to be done. Each segment was of 5 marks and total 20 parameters were there. They were able to assess their performance on their own through the guidelines listed on the other sheet category wise e.g the girls who scored between 80-90% has different guidelines stating scope of improvement than the other percentage category. And now, for the second round, some topics were given to the panelist to conduct group discussion. This consisted total of 50 marks on set parameters. The panels conducted an interview in two halves and later discussed the individual’s performance in the group so that each gets the opportunity to learn from mistakes of others as well. The panels did a one-on-one interview with girls and then moved to group discussion and accordingly marking was done. Some girls did exceptionally well whereas some requires little improvement to be able to excel in interviews. Overall the session was impactful, informative and interesting.
Assessment of Speech for Silver Jubilee Celebration-2nd Dec 2018
Assessment of Speech was held with regard to second step towards choosing the top 10 shalinis for the 25th Silver Jubilee Year Celebration. The competition comprised of three panels; one resource person for each panel. The judges marked the girls on the basis of their speaking skill, Pitch/ tone Confidence, Interest and Enthusiasm. One by one girl came and delivered their speech with the best of their ability. They all performed well and were being evaluated on the same lines as stated above.
Interactive sessions by: Archna (USF Alumna) & Sapna (USF Alumna)- 2nd Dec 2018
Archna (USF-Alumna) took the session with Batch-17th (Class-XIth) It was an interactive session, telling them about a common thing and differences between passion and career. Being an Alumna, she shared her journey of Udayan Shalini and how she became a young dignified woman. She also conveyed the importance of Giving Back to the Society. Ms. Archna is a Special Educator and she involved in many social activities, therefore she suggested Shalinis to come forward for the Nobel causes.
The second interactive session was taken by Sapna (USF-Alumna) with Batch-16th (Class-XIIth). The session was a combination of career orientation and mentoring. She conveyed the importance of a Mentor who guides you throughout life to see you at great heights. She also conveyed about various career options available for each field. Since Shalinis are little tensed about their pre-board exams, Ms. Sapna suggested them methods to avoid stress and prepare well for the exam.
Token of gift by Ms. Rashmi (USF Alumna) -2nd Dec 2018
Rashmi (USF Alumna)came to meet with newly inducted Shalinis (Batch-17th). She carried beautiful earrings for them as a ‘Token of Gift.’ She came along with her friend (Ms. Babita) to give a glimpse of USF-Program. She was highly impressed with the Shalinis and ready to contribute towards the program. Ms. Rashmi shared how USF made her journey easy and successful. Ms. Rashmi also conveyed that mentors, workshops, exposure visit everything played a vital role in enhancing her confidence and taught to be a responsible citizen. Shalinis promised her to keep everything in their mind to become a dignified Shalini.
Mentor Allotment and Mentor-Mentee Meet (Batch-17th) 2nd Dec 2018
Udayan Shalini Fellowship program has one of the important components~ Mentoring. USF is privileged to have robust Alumnae Network. Every year, there is a selection process to identify new mentors/didi for the newly inducted batch. Only selected mentors are called for allocation and mentor-mentee meet. A Mentor Allotment and Mentor-Mentee Meet was conducted with Shalinis. There was an introductory round and then assigned appropriate mentor didi to Shalinis as per USF Mentorship Structure.
In the first meeting, first, they both exchanged their personal number to get in touch with each other for future meetings. Also, general discussion creates a familiar environment. Moreover, it was instructed that mentor didis has to be regular in future meetings including working on Shalinis overall personality, academic performance and career counseling.
Mentor-Mentee Meet with Batch-16th - 2nd Dec 2018
Mentor-Mentee Meet was conducted with Batch-16th. First Sunday of every month is scheduled for Mentor-Mentee Meet. During the meet, Mentor Didis assess the quarterly performance of the mentees, learnings of the workshops and the gap areas.
The purpose of this meet is to help Shalinis getting proper guidance from Mentor Didi and work upon their improvement area with effective action. Through mentoring, shalinis get individual attention which helps them to perform better. Overall, frequent meetings are being effective.
JANUARY 2019
Quarterly Workshop on Motivational Talk by Pradeep, NM – 13th Jan 2019
By gracing the invitation from Udayan Care, Pradeep who is a Commodore by profession accepted the invitation and came to talk to our Shalinis about his journey and to motivate our Shalinis. He focused on drawing strength from all the difficult and adverse situations of life and to believe in yourself. The lecture was started by him showing all the Shalinis a video on Indian Navy. He talked about his projects and his journey as the captain of the Indian Naval Ship INS Tarkash in 2015. He talked about the changes, bad times can bring into your life and how it changes your perspective to deal with it Another point which was discussed and was focused was to have the ability to give back to society because you can never be a taker always. You should have the courage to give back in whatever way you can. The session further moved on to a discussion on Job, Career and Service. Further Shalinis were told about the importance of Decision Making and a decision made should be for the betterment of mass number of people. The session came to an end with the conclusion that Courage is not a trait of humans, we feel it and exhibit it when we step out of our comfort zone. The session ended with a question answer round.
Small Group Workshop on Positive Language Ms. Garima Singh (Sr. Manager-Training & Development) – 6th Jan 2019
The workshop on Positive Language was conducted by Dr. Garima Singh. The objective of the workshop was to make Shalinis understand the meaning and means of communication, recognize the need for effective communication and apply ideas on internal and external communication. Interaction with the Shalinis on what do they understand from ‘communication’ was also done. Also, the focus was paid on ‘Interpersonal Communication’ which is diminishing nowadays because of the increase in the use of social media. Also, different activities were conducted where Shalinis were told about the importance and effectiveness of listening. Another activity was done to make the Shalinis understand interpersonal and intrapersonal communication. The session came to an end with the facilitator talking about positive thinking. It was further said that thoughts are automatic, deeply ingrained and suddenly one can’t change negative thoughts overnight but can change them slowly. With the end of the session, our Shalinis had an idea of understanding the importance of developing communication skills for personal and professional growth.
Financial Management by Ms. Pooja Tripathi (USF Delhi-Program Coordinator) – 6th Jan 2019
The workshop was conducted at North Delhi Chapter on ‘Financial Management’ with Batch-15th. It was designed to make Shalinis understand about the importance of saving. Which was included information about the various tools available at the bank and how to become aware of the working of these tools. Also, our lifestyle requirements and in absence of budget we become unable to save money out of our earnings.
The session was started with a simple question on ‘What do you understand by Saving? and what are the various tools which build financial strength? Responses of Shalinis were quit relevant but they were not much familiar with the financial tools. The session gave them insight regarding various financial tools and it's used. Shalinis found the session very informative.
Small Group workshop on Communication 3: Verbal Communication by Ms. Sapna & Ms. Dimpika (USF Delhi –Alumnae) – 6th Jan 2019
The workshop on Positive Language was organized at Model Town in Delhi. It was attended by batch 17. The objective of the workshop was to make Shalinis understand the importance of English in the business world, practice active listening, learn about some basics of grammar, review pronunciation styles and incorporate and practice the new learning in speech.
At the beginning of the session, an activity was taken up where the class was divided into four groups. Each one was to present speech to their group with to aim to seek vote for themselves in student council elections. While speaking they were to refer to the points and not read from page. Facilitator explained this happens because you try to operate from fear. It was conveyed that FEAR stands for False Evidence Appearing Real which they should change into Face Everything And Rise. Emphasis was laid on listening skills. In debrief of the activities it was conveyed that communication skill to be mastered is the ability to listen. This followed by activities on English Grammar. By end of the session, Shalinis acquired clear knowledge of the importance of verbal communication. They understood that their verbal communication skills will increase the ability of them to share ideas, thoughts, and concerns with each other.
8thAlumnae Meet – 27th Jan 2019
The event witnessed the coming up of all the beautiful people in a room together. The event started with the lighting up of lamp by our guest of honor accompanied by some of our alumnae. Our very talented Shalinis performed a Role Play to show us and re-live the moments that led to the foundation of this programme. There were two types of activities planned for the Alumnae so that they can have more fun and enjoy more. Then the complete crowd witnessed a wonderful Flash Mob performance by our Shalinis on Hindi songs ‘Bekhaufazadhairehnahume’ and ‘aj se apniaanmerimaitumkonachunedungi’. Then we asked the alumnae to come up on the stage and share their memories with all of us. The Role-play ended with a beautiful poem written by our existing Shalini which was praised by all and it also made Kiran's eyes wet with tears as thousand emotions passed through her. Later certificates were distributed and the gift of appreciation was handed over to the dignitaries. In the end, they all clicked beautiful pictures in the selfie booth made for them. Also, a signing board was prepared for them to write their views and feelings which we can cherish forever. It was a beautiful experience to get together for all the people present there.
FEBRUARY 2019
Employability Workshop on Adaptability and Learning by Garima – 3rd Feb 2019
The workshop on Adaptability and Learning was conducted by Garima . The objective of the session was to make the Shalinis aware about the fact that change is an unavoidable event and how to adjust ourselves with a positive attitude to our changed situation in order to not to lose our self in a state of sorrow and restlessness. The facilitator also explained the shalinis about Adaptability. It was stressed that their ability to adapt to changes and become comfortable with ever-changing circumstances in their life will influence their happiness, health, stress, and well-being.Different coping mechanisms to adjust to the change were also discussed. Some videos on adaptability were also shown to the Shalinis and it made them feel highly motivated. By end of the session, Shalinis was clear that to manage change they need to modify their thinking & attitude to suit to current or future environments. Feedback given by a Shalini is “I enjoyed the workshop. I know change is constant and is a way of life. I will try to adapt to these situations with a positive attitude and will focus on the benefits of the inevitable change.”
Workshop on Problem Solving and Conflict Management by Bhaskar (Vice-president at contract advertising) – 3rd Feb 2019
The session was conducted with the Shalinis of Batch 14. The objective of the session was to make the Shalinis understand the significance and importance of problem-solving. Different activities were done with them to see their approach towards problems. 7 steps of problem-solving were discussed in the session. Also, it was discussed if having poor problem-solving skills one can have a lot of problems in personal and professional life. Constructive and destructive conflict management was also discussed. Different activities were also performed with the Shalinis to make them learn from each other’s different point of view. A Shalini gave feedback “The workshop was very informative, I learned not to leave a problem in hand and run away from it but to recognize it and resolve it with utmost care.”
Social Campaign on ‘Say No to Plastic’ – 9th Feb 2019
The camp was conducted with Shalinis of different batches on the topic ‘Say No to Plastic’. The areas that were covered by them were Lalbagh and Model town market where they performed a beautifully prepared Role-play. Also, they raised their slogans and showcased handmade posters and banners. Also they were divided into groups to talk to the local people and make a video of their opinions and ideas to change this situation. Pamphlets in English and Hindi language were also distributed to everyone. Refreshment boxes were distributed to the girls. At the end of the campaign, a lot of appreciation of the Shalinis were done by the facilitators. One of the shopkeepers gave the feedback ‘It is so nice to see the youth talking about serious issues and taking steps against it and also wants more and more people like us to make people understand and aware about this important issue and also I will mention, if the use of this hazardous product will not come to an end it will be deadly for our more generations to come.’
SUCCEESS STORY
“When everything feels like an uphill battle, just think about the view from the top”
Kamini belongs to a family of five people where the financial condition of the family was not very good as her father has gone through three major surgeries and now he is on complete bed rest. To support the home, her mother is currently working in a medical shop. It’s tough for her mother to take care of all the expenses single-handedly including her husband’s treatment as well as her children’s education expenses.
Kamini Joined the Program in 2012 with an aim to support her higher education. She has learned a lot from personality development workshops of Udayan Shalini Fellowship Programme. She has beautifully incorporated the component of Udayan Shalini Fellowship Programme which is ‘giving back to society’.
“I was extremely shy and reserved by nature. But through the workshops organized by Udayan Shalini Fellowship Programme, I was able to come out of my shell. I learned a lot and even shared my opinions and struggles with my mentors. Today, I feel more confident and I consider myself as a public speaker”
She really gets a lot of motivation from all the people associated with the programme including the mentors, the coordinators, the facilitators, the speakers and the complete team of Udayan Shalini Fellowship Programme.
Currently, she is working in Genpact as a Process Associate but aspires to become a government employee in Food Corporation of India for which she is working hard.
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
