Youth Capacity
Building
Our Youth Capacity Building projects focus on helping youth advance their soft skills and basic skills - an important step in their journey towards higher education or employment.
Youth Capacity Building projects aims to strengthen their skills and confidence through four main areas: Private Tuition, Computer Training, Career Counselling as well as Adolescent Health.
In recent years, we have seen a growing interest among young people who are eager to improve their own lives and make a difference in their communities. In response, we have started initiatives that not only help them complete their education, but also prepare them for future employment and provide a clearer understanding of the opportunities available to them. Many of these youth come from households where education has not been prioritised, making it essential that they receive guidance and encouragement from people who understand their challenges and can support their hopes for the future.
Below, you can read more about our Youth Capacity Building initiatives.
Private Tuition
In India, it is common for families to hire private tutors to support their children’s education, as the student-teacher ratios are extremely high, leaving students without the help they need to succeed. However, families in the slums cannot afford this luxury, resulting in the drop-out rates remaining high. To address this, we hire qualified teachers to provide daily tuition for adolescents who are too old for our school preparation courses at the Community Centres, but still in need of academic support. In small groups, students receive extra help in subjects like physics, biology, mathematics, and English after school hours. The goal is to help them build the confidence and skills to pass the 10th-grade exam which is needed to access further education.
Computer Training
Computer literacy opens the door to a world of job opportunities and knowledge, and we therefore conduct Computer Training in both the urban slums and rural areas. The students from the urban slums received Computer Training alongside soft skills workshops and youth leadership activities. Students learn to use different software tools, write job applications, and navigate the internet for information, skills that for some can be the deciding factor in securing a job. For others the training is a stepping stone to pursuing further studies. Every month, the students receive training in key life skills to support their personal growth and academic journey, in topics such as self-esteem, goal setting and exam preparation. We track the student’s monthly progress, and additional classes are offered when needed.
Career Counselling
We provide career counselling through our partnership with a professional external career counselling agency. These young people come from vulnerable backgrounds and many have parents with only a few years of elementary education, mostly working as either daily labourers, drivers or maids. As a result, their awareness of career opportunities is limited to what they have seen in their immediate environment. Through workshops, seminars, and individual career profiles based on each student’s interests and academic performance, they gain valuable insights into various educational paths and future professions as well as learn how to navigate application processes.
Adolescent Health
For many young people growing up in the slums, knowledge about their bodies and sexuality is extremely limited. These topics are rarely discussed at home, and even if they attend school, such information is often considered taboo and not openly shared. As a result, many girls stay home during their periods due to stigma and lack of access to hygiene products. Early marriage and teenage pregnancies are also common, making it even more crucial to educate youth about their options and the long-term consequences of early parenthood. Through our health and sex education sessions, young people learn about their bodies, how to set boundaries, and the importance of respecting one another
