“The
journey of a thousand miles
begins with one step.”
- Lao Tzu
Smile Twin
e-Learning Programme (STeP)
is an effort towards creating
a pool of employable youth
from the underprivileged
section through skill enhancement
in tandem with market requirements.
The programme
aims at preparing urban
underprivileged (adolescent
youths) with skills in English
Proficiency, Basic Computer
Education and Soft Skills
for enhancing their prospects
of employment in fast expanding
sectors of retail, hospitality,
BPO and ITES.
Smile Foundation
in partnership with Microsoft
Corporation India Private Limited
organised the ‘NGO Connection
Day’ on the role of ‘IT
and life-skills in enhancing employability
prospects for underprivileged
adolescent youth’. The two
day programme saw participation
of many NGOs from across India
along with representatives from
corporate houses, partner organisations
and other stakeholders. There
were training sessions, panel
discussions and presentations
on various topics related to employability
of underprivileged youth. Participants
had the common goal to share about
measures of imparting IT training,
life skills training to adolescent
youth to prepare them for fast
expanding retail sector.
The Network
There are 50 STeP centres
operational across 38 cities in 20 states
of India that aims at providing youth
with gainful employment in their nearby
towns/ cities and to reduce migration
of youth to larger cities. The programme
plans to cover 25, 000 youth in five
years.
The Course and
Training Curriculum
The curriculum, with
duration of six months, is designed
with industry inputs and is customised
according to trade needs. International
Management Institute (IMI), New Delhi
has developed a majority of the curriculum
while computer education programme is
following the Microsoft Unlimited Potential
Programme (MSUP).
The topics covered
under the programme are:
• Basic computer
skills
• Spoken English proficiency
• Basic and Retail Sales Management
• Leadership and Personality Development
• Career opportunities, guidance
and counselling
• BUSY Accounting
• Gender issues
• Reproductive and Sexual Health,
HIV/AIDS
• Soft Skills
Besides regular course
content interactive sessions on soft
skills and industry knowledge by practicing
professionals are imparted. All students
undergo internship training to equip
them with practical experience to connect
theory to practice.
The Beneficiaries
Adolescents from underprivileged
backgrounds with the following criteria
form a majority of the beneficiaries
-
Senior Secondary
(Class XII) passed
Children hailing
from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families;
with preference to children of single
parent (women), children.
HIV/AIDS affected
parents, children of Commercial Sex
Workers (CSWs) etc.
Bright, enterprising,
ambitious with certain knowledge and
awareness about current affairs.
Employment
Scenario - The Challenge
Initial surveys and
studies conducted by Smile Foundation
reveal that the employment scenario
in India is not only of booming markets
and soaring opportunities but also of
the subtle and almost immature gap between
the job seekers and the industrial requirements.
Though the country has the largest pool
of young population waiting to take
on the growing global tendencies of
employment opportunities, the darker
side of the picture is that, there are
very few who have the required eligibility
and skills being sought after by the
employers. And this gap is becoming
perpetual with time. The Financial Express
reports that only 15% of the graduates
coming out of colleges are employable,
the rest being branded ‘unemployable’.
This is not for the lack of theoretical
knowledge but for the lack of the right
attitude and skills. There is hence
an increasing concern among employers
towards lack of ready-to-deliver employees
not foregoing the increased attrition
rate which is almost 30% or more at
present. The resultant widespread unemployment
will lead to growing social stress and
turmoil in the society, putting the
nation’s growth prospects out
of track.
Partners
STeP is being set up
in partnership with educational institutions,
corporate organisations, not for profit
organization and corporate trusts.
Some of the centres
under Smile Twin e- Learning
programme:
Partner
Organisation
Location/City
State
•
Byrraju Foundation
Amalapuram
Andhra Pradesh
•
Hyderabad Council of Human Welfare
Hyderabad
Andhra Pradesh
•
Operation Blessing India
Hyderabad
Andhra Pradesh
•
Centre for Social Action Trust
Palamaner
Andhra Pradesh
•
Lepakshhi Educational Society
Vishakhapatnam
Andhra Pradesh
•
Operation Blessing India
Yadagirigutta
Andhra Pradesh
•
Prayas Juvenile Aid Centre Society
Guwahati
Assam
•
Prayas Juvenile Aid Centre Society
Patna
Bihar
•
Berozgar Mahila Seva Samiti (BMSS)
Durg
Chattisgarh
•
Prayas Juvenile Aid Centre Society
Ahmedabad
Gujarat
•
Society for Promotion of Rationality
Ahmedabad
Gujarat
•
Society for Promotion of Rationality
Himmat Nagar
Gujarat
•
Society for Promotion of Rationality
Mehsana
Gujarat
•
Convent of Jesus & Mary Sr.
Sec. School
Ambala
Haryana
•
Don Bosco Navjeevan Centre
Chandigarh
Haryana
•
Unique Infosys
Manesar
Haryana
•
Guild of Service (North India)
Sri Nagar
Jammu & Kashmir
•
Young Men's Christian Association
Jamshedpur
Jharkhand
•
Gramin Vikas Trust
Ranchi
Jharkhand
•
People's Institute For Development
and Training (PIDT)
Ranchi
Jharkhand
•
Prakruthi
Bangalore
Karnataka
•
Malankaara Boys’ Home
Trivandrum
Kerala
•
Oleena Mahila Samajam
Ernakulam
Kerala
•
Oleena Mahila Samajam
Kozhikode
Kerala
•
Vijay Krida Mandal
Mumbai
Maharashtra
•
Jan Shikshan Sansthan
Mumbai
Maharashtra
•
Young Men’s Christian Association
Nagpur
Maharashtra
•
Investment in Man-Foundation for
Education, Welfare & Cooperation
Pune
Maharashtra
•
Orgnisation for Industrial Spiritual
Cultural Advancement (OISCA)
Career guidance
and employment of the beneficiaries
is facilitated by forming linkages
with the local employers/ industry.
Smile Foundation shall further
enhance the process at the National
level through its own network.
We appreciate
the above companies for recruiting
students from STeP centres across
India: Westside, NOKIA, HDFC Bank,
Fun Cinema, Croma, Cafe Coffee
Day, Big Bazaar, to name a few.
