Working with youth – a background:

Youth (15-29 years) in India constitutes one-fifth of India’s total population. While there are many programs designed to elevate youth from underserved backgrounds towards their socio-economic upliftment, our direct work experience in urban poor settlements in Bangalore over 18 years reveals a harsh reality. Most often we find these youth opting out of jobs, unable to sustain and leverage opportunities presented to them. These jobs do not match their aptitude, interest, or skills leaving them frustrated and disappointed. Efforts at building employability in youngsters do not nurture their emotional intelligence or life skills, which could help them to find fulfillment in their work and thus sustain a vocation. Our youth program - Yuva Jagriti is anchored in the belief that capacities can be built to understand and achieve their dreams, through well-rounded self-development, and not just vocational training. The program serves as a platform that provides them access to opportunities to fulfill their aspirations and also prepares them for life by equipping them with the necessary life skills and providing them access to opportunities. Yuva Jagriti – MJ’s Flagship program for the youth Yuva Jagriti is Makkala Jagriti’s flagship program for the youth. While the organization has been working with communities and youth right from its inception, a dedicated program for the youth was formalized in late 2017. The youth program focuses on building necessary life skills, developing leadership and communication skills, creating the right exposure, and providing mentorship as well as academic support so that the youth make informed decisions and pursue the right choices towards achieving their life goals. The overall goal of the program is to equip youth from urban poor communities in Bangalore with the necessary life skills and leadership to be able to leverage and sustain opportunities to fulfill their potential and aspirations. The program has multiple components including, but not limited to the following:

• Yuva Cafe (youth center)
• Life Skills
• IT /Computer skills
• Spoken English and Personality Development
• Mentoring and Counseling
• Placement support and Livelihood Linkages
• Career Guidance
• Academic Support
• Exposure visits & Volunteering Opportunities
• Scholarships

Makkala Jagriti has worked with over 16 communities, located in and around Halsuru & Malleswaram in Bangalore and has reached out to 900+ youth since 2017. We have witnessed the below changes in the youth who have been part of the program:

• Youth have become role models and change agents in their communities
• They have developed leadership capabilities and found their solutions
• There is enhanced emotional stability, enabling youth to achieve goals in life
• They have become resourceful by leveraging their networks to achieve their life goals
• Youth has got mainstream jobs and are able to sustain them.

Furthermore, we have seen changes in their aspiration levels, attitudinal changes, and support-seeking behavior. While successfully crossing educational milestones and employment readiness are some of the tangible outcomes seen, we have seen how their relationships within the family and perceptions about themselves have changed for the better.

• A key component of the program is the positive non-threatening, non-judgmental space within the community where the youth can walk in, observe, express themselves and grow. The space potentially prevents youth from getting into high-risk and deviant behavior
• MJ uses an ecosystem approach towards empowerment and holistic development by engaging with community leaders, parents, and other stakeholders around the main beneficiaries
• MJ’s work with the youth is characterized by deeper engagement and impact beyond the technical or work-readiness sessions. The rounded Life Skills and Personality development programs are aimed at helping the youth develop a growth mindset so that they sustain and grow in their chosen professions.
• A key component of the program is the positive non-threatening, non-judgmental space within the community where the youth can walk in, observe, express themselves and grow. The space potentially prevents youth from getting into high-risk and deviant behavior
• MJ uses an ecosystem approach towards empowerment and holistic development by engaging with community leaders, parents, and other stakeholders around the main beneficiaries
• MJ’s work with the youth is characterized by deeper engagement and impact beyond the technical or work-readiness sessions. The rounded Life Skills and Personality development programs are aimed at helping the youth develop a growth mindset so that they sustain and grow in their chosen professions.