Description
Launched on March 1, 2023, The Ladli Foundation’s unique action research based Social Internship Program has successfully enrolled an impressive total of 116,000 students from both government and private educational institutions. This Social Innovation is designed to cultivate a deeper understanding and knowledge base among students regarding pressing daily lifestyle issues. Through a combination of extracurricular activities, nearest filed/slum visits, specialized training sessions, and self-educating models, the program is dedicated to enhancing life skills and cognitive abilities.
The primary objective of this internship program is to empower students through practical learning experiences, encouraging them to actively participate in volunteer opportunities. By immersing them in real-world scenarios, the program aims to foster an appreciation for grassroots realities and develop sustainable solutions to critical social issues for advancement of united nations sustainable development goals.
Focused on students population, the program not only equips them with a comprehensive understanding of various societal challenges but also awards them a completion certificate jointly signed by the government and Ladli Foundation. This certification enhances their profile credentials for future career opportunities while nurturing an interest in initiating their own social initiatives and seeing them through implementation.
Beyond academic development, the program places a strong emphasis on inner growth and leadership qualities. By actively involving students in volunteering work, it seeks to instill a sense of humanity and joy derived from contributing to the greater good. The ultimate vision is to create a community of young social reformers, forming a chain of changemakers poised to bring transformative change to society.
Plan of Action
In a strategic and empowering approach, our monthly action plan guides students through a comprehensive journey of social learning and active community engagement. This thoughtfully designed plan comprises five key steps, ensuring that students not only gain valuable insights into critical topics but also actively contribute to societal betterment.
- Step 1: Knowledge Acquisition and Content Creation: Students initiate their monthly tasks by delving into the intricacies of a selected topic. Armed with guidance from their mentors and parents, supplemented by online research, they are instructed to compile their findings into a well-crafted article.
- Step 2: Presentation Development: Building on their newfound knowledge, students are tasked with creating a captivating PowerPoint presentation. This presentation delves into the topic's relevance, current societal situations, familial impacts, existing challenges, and proposed solutions or social innovations. Emphasizing collaboration, students involve their parents and siblings in this creative process.
- Step 3: Workshop , Community Engagement & Development of Social Innovations. The student journey extends to the organization of workshops within their institution and neighboring slums. Here, they present their carefully curated presentations to fellow students and beneficiaries, fostering awareness on the chosen topic. Conducting the baseline survey, need based assessment for developing their own social innovation to address the problems. Also the students actively collect inputs through a Q&A survey, enriching their understanding of community perspectives.
- Step 4: Comprehensive Reporting and Social Media Outreach: Following the workshops, students embark on the meticulous task of preparing individual reports for each session and a consolidated report summarizing best practices, case studies, and overall outcomes. To amplify the impact, highlights of these activities are shared on various social media platforms, inspiring others to join the cause.
- Step 5: Assignment Submission and Evaluation: The culmination of each monthly cycle involves students submitting their well-documented assignments to their designated internship teacher coordinators. This comprehensive submission includes articles, presentations, workshop reports, and social media contributions. Evaluation by coordinators leads to the issuance of marks and recommendations, paving the way for the much-deserved certificates.This monthly cycle, carefully crafted to fit seamlessly into students' lives as an extracurricular activity, allows them to dedicate 20-30 hours per month to a chosen topic. Importantly, this commitment is designed to complement rather than distract from their ongoing academic pursuits. Through this adopted plan of action, students not only enrich their own understanding but actively contribute to creating informed, aware, and socially responsible communities.
RECOGNITION AND REWARDS FOR EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS FOR PARTICIPANTS:
In acknowledgment of the exemplary efforts demonstrated by our student interns and dedicated teacher coordinators, the program incorporates a robust system of performance awards and rewards. These incentives are strategically designed to not only celebrate achievements but also to enhance the overall impact of the initiative.
- Appreciation and Commendation Certificates
To further amplify the recognition of exceptional contributions, both students and teacher coordinators are honored with Appreciation and Commendation Certificates.
These awards and rewards not only recognize individual achievements but also act as catalysts for continued motivation and commitment. By investing in the educational advancement of students and acknowledging the pivotal role of teachers, the program ensures a holistic and sustainable approach to social impact. This commitment to recognizing excellence reinforces the ethos of the initiative and inspires a culture of continuous positive contribution within the educational community.
- Quantitative Impact Metrics: In terms of enrollment, the program witnessed participation ranging from approximately 150 to 350 students, accompanied by the inclusion of one Internship Coordinator from each of the 1000-plus institutions and schools. The initiative achieved extensive community engagement, resulting in the establishment of a formidable cadre of active interns.
- Qualitative Impact Metrics: The qualitative impact of the program is vividly captured through a collection of success stories and testimonials. These narratives eloquently portray the remarkable transformation of interns into champions, each embodying a commitment to various social causes.
Future Expansion Plans: Mobilizing Human and IT Resources for Greater Impact
In our strategic vision for the future, we are actively working to build digital ecosystem to propel the social innovation initiative to new heights and also seeking technical human resources to replicate and amplify its impact manifold, creating a cascading effect of positive change at the community level for which we are looking for financial grants and required resources.
Our forthcoming initiative involves mobilizing a diverse range of human resources, including skilled professionals and passionate volunteers. This concerted effort aims to leverage the collective expertise and commitment of individuals dedicated to advancing social causes.
Simultaneously, we recognize the indispensable role of Information Technology (IT) in scaling our innovation. Plans are underway to harness cutting-edge IT resources to streamline processes, enhance outreach, and ensure the seamless replication of our program across diverse communities.
By combining the power of human dedication and technological advancements, our future plan envisions not only expanding the initiative's footprint but also creating a sustainable chain of changemakers. Through these efforts, we aspire to foster a larger positive influence that resonates at the heart of communities, laying the groundwork for transformative social impact on a broader scale.
The Ladli Foundation Trust's Social Internship Program has not only equipped students with in-depth knowledge and practical skills but has also transformed them into agents of positive change. The impact extends beyond the student body, positively affecting communities and supporting government health and community development initiatives.
