A day filled with meetings. There takes place so many discussions which seems never ending. I remembered those days working at Corporate where days never end working monotonously on the same work unwillingly. Each day I come across so many new challenges, ideas, ways to work out. There is so much of discussions involved wherein each one has something to contribute leading to a pool of ideas which can be worked upon. So much of people involvement goes in and tend to interact with humans in majority than the machines. Each one in the team irrespective of the position are involved. During discussions we are subconsciously aware that human emotions and feelings are involved than focusing on the getting the results on the objective defined. Human psychology forms the base criteria on the actions we decide to act upon. Always kept in mind that all the stakeholders are taken care ensuring not to disappoint even one at the cost of the other. Trying to work out how best we can match the community needs with the volunteers interests and availability. One best thing we came out with is that soon after the orientation the volunteer need to be taken for a field visit so that one can understand the momentum which exists and can leverage one's potential.
A meeting held to discuss on the annual plans for the year. Later on a meeting to discuss on the various areas to work in slums. Came up with few areas where we can work upon. The school drop outs have been a major concern now a days as they tend to involve themselves in bad habits if not employed or continue with the studies. Counselling can be done to such kids in an informal way wherein the volunteers will try to make them realize the importance of inculcating the good habits and make them self reliable. Tough but can give a try. There's a need for a survey to be done as to what actually the community wants than providing them with what we have as it doesn't make sense to feed a man who is not hungry. There's a need for documentation of the work that is been done. Volunteers can teach at the tuition centers at the slum. Already 203 tuition centers is run along with 3 free clinic and 3 centers wherein vocational training and other skills are taught upon.
Came across some wonderful ways the CSR activities is done in collaboration with NGO's. There are companies like Bosch, KPIT, Infosys and others to name who say that their employees should and must be engaged with volunteering activities. Some wonderful ways how employees are engaged in volunteering activities. School kit drive - There are so many kids who are in need of the school bags in such case the NGO's approaches the companies with the requirements and the companies support in whatever manner they can may be under the concept of matching grant. In this program for each bag an employee contributes the company contributes in par with it. Further sports activities are conducted wherein each employee participating would be contributing certain amount towards some cause. Sponsor a child program - The NGOs collect funds from the individual donor's may be from the corporate associated with and even from outside wherein the employee can sponsor for a child for a month or for a year which will amount to 500-600 per month. Lock in hours concept wherein the NGOs engage employees with various activities say taking the kids on a tour or to a museum, conduct an event for the kids may be drawing, painting, train the kids on different skills, conduct an event of games. In this way the number of hours an employee spends with the NGO an equal value of amount which the company has decided would given. For e.g one hour spent by an employee would be valued to $10. Further one more very interesting way the companies contributing is in the form of school adoption program wherein companies tries to provide the basic infrastructure facilities like computer labs, restrooms, drinking water, sponsored teachers and so on. Usually the IT companies is in compulsion to dispose the systems they are using after 3 years so many companies opt to give the same to the schools than disposing off which is helping so many kids in numerous ways.
Well all this was a part of learning to decide on what project I would like to take forward whether CSR, presentations at college to sensitize students with the ISR or try to partner with other NGO's and connect volunteers to empower the partner NGO's along with keeping the spirit of creating a movement of volunteerism to build a society which will take that small step to care about the person next door and share the happiness around.
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