Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah

Sarve Santu Nir-Aamayaah |

Sarve Bhadraanni Pashyantu

Maa Kashcid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet |

Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Meaning:

1: Om, May All become Happy,

2: May All be Free from Illness.

3: May All See what is Auspicious,

4: May no one Suffer.

5: Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

-Mantra from Upanishad

A blog on an intervention: Linking economically weaker section youth to sustainable livelihood through customized interventions.

About (Bridging The Gap Together) BTGT:

Bridging the Gap Together Foundation is working in skill and livelihood space from the last 6 years. The passionate team is dedicated to make the needy youth of urban slums market ready and their long term sustenance in employment through counseling, tracking, training, and handholding. BTGT is research oriented organization and make the interventions after in-depth analysis of the need of the region and youth.

Prime focal point:

During our journey, we realized that main focus of every organization, department and stakeholder working for livelihood linkage for EWS youth should be sustenance rather than mere giving an immediate relief by giving an employment. Even Indian Government is considerably focusing on sustainability through its various livelihood linkages schemes under skill India Mission. As Economically weaker section (EWS) youth is trapped in multiple factors due to their environmental settings (social, economical and psychological barriers etc), so they need special interventions for their sustainability in employment viz : continuous counseling, handholding, tracking, training, education, orientation, awareness etc.

The Compelling Need: Sustainability of employment:

We found that the sustainability of income and employment is the compelling need of the youth of EWS of society.

The youth in the rehabilitated colonies or peripheral areas of city or villages bordering city are compelled to take up or find livelihood for their families from their very early teenage due to several social, economic and psychological pressures. If we talk about beautiful city Chandigarh, it is blessed with planned urbanization and low cost basic education access, whereby, EWS youth is able to attain at least Senior Secondary and even higher education via distance education mode. So, a considerable volume of needy youth in such colonies seeking livelihood support as they lack market ready skills even after basic education.

Various organizations and departments are working for the livelihood linkages for these needy youth by imparting necessary skills. Youth around Chandigarh region has the good opportunity to get livelihood due to emerging organized sectors jobs. The real need is to make them ready for the market for long term sustenance. To fill this real challenge, there is a need to fill the gaps pertaining in market ready skills through continuous counseling, training, effective placements and tracking of placed candidates.

During our research, we realized that there is a gap, as employers say that they cannot scale due to non-availability of effective manpower and youth says, we are not able to get good jobs and salaries despite of having skills .The need is to match the expectations of the employer and skills of the youth to make them rightly fit in market settings.

Project undertaken:

BTGT Education Foundation, through its Chandigarh chapter started an initiative to provide Sustainable Livelihood Linked customized interventions with the objectives:

To find the real needy youth who may or may not be Skill trained but looking or in need for employment
Orient them on market needed competencies rather than just theories, livelihood facilitation support or other customized support such as market skills, self entrepreneurship guidance, financial inclusion, career counseling etc.
Link them to large to medium size commercial entities where they can sustain.
Hand-hold them till they are settled in a regular employment.
Nurture them to be the torch bearers for their colony fellows or area dwellers.

Project Beneficiaries:

BTGT selected 25 beneficiaries from the urban slums, and most of the targeted beneficiaries have completed their senior secondary education and skilled to an extent but lagging behind in livelihood linkage due to various factors viz; low confidence, poor networking, lacking market skills like interview skills, communication skills etc.
.

This group is taken under ‘Training cum placement Cell ‘(TCPC) of BTGT to fill necessary skill gaps to make the students market ready. TCPC facilitate them and remain with them till the time they get and properly sustain in targeted jobs. TCPC fills the necessary gaps in terms of training and facilitate for employment and handhold to make them properly adjusted at the work place by guiding and counseling them about world of work ethics, culture and values and other interventions as per the need.

Most of the selected beneficiaries have undergone with some skill training but didn’t do or get job, due to

The willingness to continue their studies or higher studies and joined livelihood skill training by falsely showing the intention to join employment but didn’t join. But now they want to take employment. Continuous tracking helped to find these beneficiaries are in need and keen to work for their sustained livelihood.
. Family didn’t allow but agreeing to do job now. (Girls having major proportion under this category)
. Joined a job for some time and left it due to some uncontrollable circumstances and not been able to regain the confidence to take the job again.
. Lacked the skills even after training may be due to irregular attendance, non –interest, low understanding due to baggage of poor learning attainments in past, fear for job, reluctance to do hard work etc.

Age Group and Family Income:

These beneficiaries are between 18 to 25 years of age and their family total income is less than 8000 rupees per month.

Target Area:

The target area is Peripheral urban slums or rehabilitated colonies of Chandigarh municipality.

Project Activities:

Started from December 2016 to will be completed in June 2017

Activity Name	Stated on	Implementation status
Identification of Beneficiaries	Mid of December 2016	Completed
Final Selection for Training batch of 25	January 2017	Completed
Customized interventions: Refresher Trainings, Personalized counseling, Resume building etc	Customized interventions in the end of January 2017 Training batch started in February 2017	Continue… Will finish on 7^th March, 2017
Placement and Livelihood Linkage	March 2017	Continue…
Hand-holding of Trained and Placed Beneficiaries	Start from April 2017 onwards on weekly basis and will be recorded till June 2017

Pre-assessment and its objective:

The beneficiaries identified have been pre-assessed on the gaps of the necessary skills for the market viz: interview skills, competencies of sales or customer service skills, IT skills etc.

In the counseling session, BTGT team attempted to find out the reasons for their non-joining and non-sustainability status in job. We tried to find out major obstacles or challenges in sustaining their jobs. We also tried to judge their willingness and neediness for the job. The assessment has been done on standardized questionnaire, personal interaction and one on one counseling sessions.

The objective of the assessment was to find out the skill gaps, major issues and willingness and neediness of the beneficiaries to join employment.

Brief on Skill Training Curriculum:

The focus of the curriculum remains on making the beneficiaries ready for market .Following are the prime focus area of training and placement facilitation:

How to manage a customer.

Knowledge of products
Showcasing product/service
Understanding customer needs.
How to close an easy sale &Suggestive selling

Communication skills, English, and confidence building. (To make them able to give interview and find employment.)

Knowledge of technology (basic Computer skills and its usage in world of world )

Excel they should know (basic spreadsheet operations)
Basic internet: Google search, email basic.
Should be able to utilize YouTube for learning

Scope of career
How to sustain jobs and why it is important
Self-assessment on competencies
Behavioral training

Contributive attitude and building trust, discipline etc
Learning attitude
Taking responsibility, working without supervision
10X contribution
Life-skills - Initiative, fear/insecure, failure

Customer experience—customer perception points. Delight customers.
How to manage money.

Account opening. Financial inclusion.

Journaling – Introspection

The Action Plan on each beneficiary

S. No.	Name	Customized Activities conducting for each beneficiary by BTGT	Planned Dates
1.	Gagandeep Kaur	· She has already taken Retail training · Short term training completed · Physical constraint –polio in both legs · Mode of employment -Engaged her in social work viz; mobilization of beneficiaries for skill training from urban slums. · Guiding her on how to identify, record data , select needy beneficiaries for Skill Training (She has collected Data of 400 Families and adding more everyday) · Tele calling potential is building as it is most suitable as per her physical condition. · Getting ready to conduct - Community Awareness Camp on weekly basis –which enhances her confidence, self esteem and communication skills. · She has connected 75 beneficiaries for final skill training.	1^st Camp on 10^th March 2017
2.	Ashwani	· He was working with a chemist shop but was underpaid as per his capability. · Polished his skills with short term training · Arranging interviews in organized sectors for him specifically for Office Assistant job or Field Job in Direct Sales for better job prospects.	Interviews planned after 15^th March
3.	Suraj Singh	· Short term training completed by 7^th March, 2017 · Arranging Interview in Supermarkets or mid size retailers. · Skills are fine but undergoing short term skill gap fulfillment training.	Interviews second week of March
4.	Meenakshi Sethi	· Short term training completed by 7^th March, 2017 · She needs part time job due to time constraint and family responsibilities. · Arranging Interview in Quick Service Restaurants /Offices	Interviews second and third week of March
5.	Anu	· Short term training completed by 7^th March, 2017 · She is interested in office work :Arranged Interviews at various Offices · Office Assistant job applied online also. · Short term training interventions are already made.	Interview on 7^th March at ICICI Lombard More interviews planned in second week of March
6.	Roopa	· Counseling and training sessions on her job roles have given. · Training on IT Skills has also been given · She needs job near the house. · Interview in Office in vicinity of Sector 40, 41, 38, 37, 15, Chandigarh.	Counseling Friday 10^th March and Saturday 11^th March & Interviews after 15^th March
7.	Babli	· Short training completed · Interested in tele- calling or office job · Next set of Interviews in Retail Store or QSR or Automobile store, Back office tele-calling in the vicinity of Manimajra, Industrial Area, Madya Marg, Chandigarh.	More Interviews in second week of March planned
8.	Rita Kumari	· All the four beneficiaries from 8 to 11 to be placed in manufacturing unit. · Short term training completed · Trying for the Choice of company but does not have requirements for now around their location, so arranging interviews in other sectors. · But handhold till the time they will get the job in chosen sector.	New search next week 6^th March onwards and Interviews in Second week of March 2017
9.	Nutan Kumari
10.	Roopa
11.	Suman Kumari
12.	Rajesh Kumar	· Short term training completed · To be placed as Office Assistant (non-technical), couldn’t clear medical for QSR retail placement. · Arranging other set of interviews.	Interviews from 10^th March onwards planned
13.	Vikram Singh	· Short term training completed · Placed in McDonalds, Elante Mall Chandigarh · Handholding for sustainability	Joining 7^th March 2017 Hand holding from 20^th March 2017
14.	Madhu	· Short term training completed by 7^th March, 2017 · Arranging Interviews at retail stores in the vicinity of Manimajra, Industrial Area, Sector 26 to Sector 17 Madhya Marg in Chandigarh	Interviews second and third week of March
15.	Aradhana	· Short term training completed by 7^th March, 2017 · Arranging Interviews at retail stores in the vicinity of Manimajra, Industrial Area, Sector 26 to Sector 17 Madhya Marg in Chandigarh	Interviews second and third week of March
16.	Rajat	· Short term training completed · Wants driver job · Re-interviews at good Local retail stores and as a driver in good firms	Interviews planned from 10^th March 2017
17.	Ekta	· Short term training completed · Counseling done · Re- Counseling for sustainability assurance and parent support.	Friday 10^th March
18.	Deepak Kumar	· Placed in SMART fashions Sector 17, Chandigarh as a Salesman. · He is still looking for Apprenticeship and need our support in getting apprenticeship in industry. · Will facilitate him in getting apprenticeship and employment in the area of interest.	Weekly Follow up started .
19.	Kamta Prasad	· Self entrepreneur –vegetable selling · Guiding on growing his business · Counseling session are going on · Short term training will be given on self-entrepreneurship and financial management. · Guiding him on how to do business and satisfy customers with trust, honesty, quality and integrity for long term relation and business to become a good brand even in small ventures.	Continuous follow up is going on and will be done till the time his business is established and sustained.
20.	Talib	· Short term training completed · Counseling done · Arranging interviews in mid size restaurant or fast food joint, as they are just matriculate. · Guiding them on how to get learner’s license as this is the requirement for the job of quick service restaurants	Interview date Thursday 9^th March
21.	Chand Mohd.		Interview date Thursday 9^th March
22.	Shyam Chander	· Short term training completed · Arranged Interview at various location	Sunday 5^th March Tanishq Monday 6^th March AXIS Bank Wednesday 8^th March ICICI Lombard
23.	Shilpa	· Short term training completed · Interviews at QSR or Front Office in Clinics (Part Time due to time constraint )	Interviews second and third week of March
24.	Kiran	· Short term training completed · Interviews at retail stores in the vicinity of Manimajra, Industrial Area, Sector 26 to Sector 17 Madhya Marg in Chandigarh	Interviews second and third week of March
25.	Shivani	· Short term training completed · Counseling Re-counseling done · Has location issues –geographical distance · Arranging interviews at various places	Wednesday 8^th March at ICICI Lombard
26.	Rahul	· Short term training completed · Counseling and re-counseling done · Placed in McDonalds, Elante Mall Chandigarh · Handholding for sustainability	Joining 7^th March 2017 Hand holding from 20^th March 2017

The Team on interventions

Full time Project team
Name	Profile	Responsible for
Mrs. Reena Raheja	· 6 years experience in Livelihood linked Skill Training, Capacity building, Community Linkage, Heading Training projects outreach programs and scaling of services · An Educationist and Economist with 10 years+ experience in Education at University level.	Overall management of interventions
Mr. Ashwani Kumar	· insightful experience of 20 years in customer relations · Leads the customer relationship team which mostly focuses on Industrial relations and has done research on growth paths too.	Mentor for network linkages
Mr. Ripudaman	· 5 years experience in Livelihood linked Skill Training and Community Linkage · MBA from University of Nicosia, Cyprus, EU · 16years of total works experience	Community linkage, Training, Counseling, and Livelihood Linkage
Mr. Mandeep	· Sociology Graduate with working experience of 5 years · 2+years in livelihood linked skill training, community mobilization · Worked in govt. departments and vast experience in data processing, multimedia and graphics	IT Skills, Data & Multimedia Management, Field Work

List of mentors for current interventions
Name of Contributor	Profile	Contributing In
Mr. Vivek Raheja	· Lead Architect of innovative workshops for core team BTGT (Bridging The Gap Together) · Core group member of CII Northern Region Committee on Skills & Education · Working in the area of education, skill and livelihood space for the last 6 years. · 16 years of professional experience in the field of software development	Mentor for strengthening intervention for unlocking potential
Dr. Jagat Jerath	· A doctorate in psychology, with total experience of 39 years in teaching and research · He has awarded and guided 11 Ph.D.s and 11 M Phil theses · Published 32 Research Publications in National and International Journals	Unlocking potential related interventions

Saturday, 11 March 2017

"Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramayah"