Internships/fellowships/other opportunities

If you’re looking for a fellowship, internship, or volunteer position in a variety of areas that relate to development or active citizenship, take a look at this list of opportunities available:

Fellowships

Teach for India
“Teach For India is a nationwide movement of outstanding college graduates and young professionals who will commit two-years to teach full-time in under resourced schools and who will become lifelong leaders working from within various sectors toward the pursuit of equity in education.”
Specifics: 2 year commitment as a Teaching Fellow in an underserved English-medium primary school in Mumbai or Pune. Includes training summer, monthly stipend
Qualifications: Young professionals working full time OR students in final year of undergraduate or postgraduate degree; Excellent academic record; fluency in English; age 20-35; leadership skills, communication skills, ability to take on challenges
Application Deadlines: 10 October, 2010 (early), 28 November, 2010 (regular), 9 January, 2011 (final).

Indicorps
“Each year, Indicorps selects young professionals of Indian origin for one and two year service fellowships with grassroots service organizations in India.”
Specifics: 1 or 2 year commitment to work at an NGO, fellows apply to projects in their area of interest, includes month of orientation and period workshops. Includes living stipend to cover room, board, and fellowship-related travel.
Qualifications: Person of Indian origin; University degree OR five years work experience; interest in dedicated service and personal growth; visionary, passionate, and qualified for their particular project choice
Application Deadline: 15 August, 2011

SBI Youth For India
“Providing educated Indian youth with an opportunity to touch lives and create positive change at the grass root level in rural India.”
Specifics: one year placement at a rural NGO to work on social issues and aim for rural development on a specific project; includes stipend for living expenses
Qualifications: Indian citizenship, age 21-35, college graduate; motivated, successful candidate with passion for development work; demonstrated initiative and leadership potential in past
Application Deadline: 31 December, 2010

Ashoka Fellowship
“Ashoka Fellows are leading social entrepreneurs who we recognize to have innovative solutions to social problems and the potential to change patterns across society.”
Specifics: The fellowship program provides support to social entrepreneurs who are currently implementing a new social program, campaign, or organization.
Qualifications: Ashoka selects fellows that are exceptional social entrepreneurs, with a remarkable new and creative idea that will achieve social impact.
Application Deadline: fellows must be nominated by someone who believes they merit an Ashoka Fellowship; the nomination process can be started by emailing Ashoka’s India representative at Solomon Prakash at sprakash@ashoka.org

Deshpande Fellowship
“The Deshpande Fellowship Program consists of a seven-month program geared towards providing a budding batch of social entrepreneurs with the skills they need to create positive change in society.”
Specifics: The fellowship program provides training and hands-on learning experiences to social entrepreneurs over seven months; training takes place in Northwest Karnataka; includes salary of Rs. 10,000 per month
Qualifications: desire to create lasting social change; between 23-28 years of age; graduate or post-graduate degree; at least 6 months work experience in the development sector
Application Deadline: November 10, 2010

Internships/Volunteer Positions

EduCARE India
“EduCARE-India, a non-profit NGO, having hosted more than 100 interns and volunteers in the recent years, has developed a number of positions for international internship and volunteer work in India with a focus on several core areas of community education, development and welfare work.”
Specifics: EduCARE is based in Chandigarh, Punjab, and lists a number of internships and volunteer opportunities.

Pravah Delhi’s Rural Internship
Pravah Delhi’s SMILE (Students’ Mobilization Initiative for Learning through Exposure) program provides an opportunity to learn through an experience serving with a grassroots organization or movement in a rural area. Pravah is partnered with over 30 organizations across India. The internship includes a 3 day orientation, a 3-4 week internship period, and a 2 day feedback camp with other interns.
Specifics: The internship is for a period of one month, and includes a fee of Rs. 4000/-
Apply: contact or send application form to astha.gupta@pravah.org or 011-40505743

Resource Databases
Indiserve
Indiserve is a database of various NGOs and grassroots organizations throughout India actively seeking volunteers and interns. Each listing specifies qualifications, specific projects to be worked on, length of internship, and other information.

Idealist
Idealist is an international search engine for jobs, volunteer opportunities, internships, fellowships, campaigns, and other resources in the development and NGO sector.

College Project
College Project is a database for Indian college students searching for projects, internships, or corporate practical placements needed for their degrees, separated by degree type.

What A Jumbish!

PJI's annual Jashn-e-Jaipur Youth Jumbish this Saturday was an event to be remembered. Hundreds of students and young people came to participate in the events and take in a fantastic day of live music, theatre, empowerment, and active citizenship.

In the morning, the bands Makeshift and Zenith started with an amazing atmosphere in Krishnayan Theatre at JKK, and kept the level of energy going throughout the day. Out in the atrium and in Rangayan Theatre, our partner NGO Umang held presentations, games, and shows about the theme of disability, and on the national campaign Badhte Kadam, which promotes the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in society.

After the bands, the Kula Manch team performed a play that looked at a number of social issues: alcoholism, domestic abuse, government corruptions, police violence, blood donation, and child labor. The discussion afterward was about the role of active citizenship in these areas, and many members of the audience shared their views.

Plays, skits, dances, songs, and poetry by Zenith, groups from LBS College, MNIT, Maharai College, Dusra Dashak, Taabar, Help in Suffering, and Aadhar captivated the crowds in Krishnayam throughout the afternoon. Topics included road safety, gender, animal welfare, environment, alcoholism and drug abuse.

Towards the end, performances by Zenith and Makeshit, along with the classical-rap mix of MVC brought the Jumbish to a climax, with the crowds dancing and chanting for encores after each song. A huge number of youth had come to JKK and enjoyed the entertainment, energy, and passion towards active citizenship shown by all the performers. The festival was capped off by a slideshow of Pravah volunteers and everyone involved in planning the Jumbish.

Of course, the presentations of the 2010 Youth Changemaker Awards were some of the festival's biggest highlights. A remarkable batch of changemakers were honored with the award. They were: Jaiprakash Aajad, who has promoted blood donation and education in his village; Aditi Chaumaan, who works for the rights of women and young girls; Amanpreeth Kaur and Ashok Kumar Mahaavar, who work with the NGO Aadhar to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS and education; G21, a group from MNIT that has worked on tree-planting and disability campaigns, Dusra Dashak, an NGO that has worked to empower girls and eradicate controversial practices in tribal groups; Rashim Patel, who has used theater as a tool towards social welfare; Yagyatosh Bagaria, who works towards animal welfare and frequently brings injured animals to a shelter; and Suresh Bairwa, who has educated his community on issues such as health, education, and sanitation.

More to come in the upcoming days highlighting the award winners, the specific bands and acts, lots more photos, and all other info from the Jumbish!

2 Days left: Visiting JKK

 The coordination team visits the Krishnayam Theatre at Jawahar Kala Kendra

 Talking through the design of the festival

 Enjoying coffee and tea in JKK's coffee house

The fine arts volunteers wrapping up some excellent work

4 Days Left!

Jitendre making some decorations

Sorting heaps of kabaad se jugaad

Volunteers from Fine Arts department working on a banner

Everybody's driving each other crazy!

Youth Jumbish Only 5 Days Away!

The Jashn-e-Jaipur Youth Jumbish Festival is only 5 days away! And the Kula Manch Team is getting ever closer to finalizing plans and having everything ready for the big day. We've already had some coverage in DNA, Dainik Bhaskar, and promotion on MyFM. And here are some pictures of the team discussing details, rehearsing performances, and making all the "kabaar se jugaar" favors to be included in each kit. Get ready.

Kula Manch Team learns as it plans Youth Festival

The Kula Manch team, while planning for and designing the upcoming Youth Jumbish Festival on November 20th, is also going through a process of learning and self-development about the topic of active citizenship.

Yesterday, the team rehearsed their plays and skits on a number of social issues: domestic violence, alcohol abuse, government corruptions, police violence, blood donation, and child labor. These will be performed at the festival to educate and provoke conversation. The group then discussed how the issues related to the concept of "active citizenship"--how exactly, in these situations, they could play a role as active citizens.

The discussion moved towards the idea that active citizenship can often mean something much bigger than typically thought--it can be much more than social service or working in the NGO sector. Oftentimes, being an active citizen is about self-development and becoming more aware of one's own actions. An example was mentioned: what about a teacher who pursues extra training and research about educational methods? He is developing his own skill set, but many felt that he is also an example of active citizenship.

 
The issue of child labor was also examined from both sides. It's very common, for example, many argue that it is wrong in all cases, but very few offer practical solutions. For many children, not working means not being able to eat. Just telling them to go to school doesn't lead to an actual resolution. So what is the next step? People offered a number of creative solutions--maybe it could be some sort of vocational training, which would enable kids to move on to a better life at some point without a formal education.

Later, others spoke about how active citizenship fits into their own personal conflicts. In many places, females are under pressure to marry and have children at a young age, when they still want to pursue education. How can they, along with their families, serve as active citizens in this situation? Similarly, many are pressured to choose a career that is high-paying, instead of following their passions in life. Conflict within personal relationships can be a significant part of being an active citizen via developing one's own self.

As they are finding out, planning the Youth Jumbish Festival is as much about the process as the result. For the Kula Manch team, teaching others about active citizenship requires for them to look inside and examine how they can be active citizens themselves.

Youth Jumbish Team Hard at Work

The planning team for this year's Jashn-e-Jaipur Youth Jumbish Festival is hard at work! They've been working on the design for the festival, reaching out to partner NGOs and colleges for collaboration, and securing official sponsors for the show. Get ready for great performances by local Jaipur youth bands and other groups. Here are a few pictures of the team in action:

And remember, if you have any nominations for the annual Youth Changemaker Awards, please download this form and submit it to richa.sharma@pravah.org