Applications are invited for the Sambhaavnaa Youth Fellowship Program 2024 for all Master’s Students. Check all the details below!
About Sambhaavnaa Youth Fellowship Program 2024
This is the second edition of our 8 month fellowship program for youth. The program foresees following capacity building skills for the fellows.
- Understanding of the social-political issues currently facing our society
- Learn from and interact with activists and academics facilitating the Sambhaavnaa workshops
- Learning the process of organising Sambhaavnaa workshops in their entirety
- 4-6 week internship to a grassroots organisation or some contemporary campaign
Background
Anyone with moderately open eyes would agree that there is an urgent need to question and challenge the inequities and ecological crises resulting from our current social, economic and political structures and to radically change many of these structures and their functioning to serve better the public interest with the principles of equality, justice and ecological harmony.
In light of the above, for the last thirteen years, the Sambhaavnaa Institute has been organising short-term (4 days to six weeks) participatory, reflective, perspective and skill-building programs on various social-political-economic issues of India and the world. Sambhaavnaa seeks to encourage civil society members and youth inclined in such directions to develop a critical perspective on the ideas and ideals that define a ‘just’ society – and actively deploy the same in manifesting such a society.
Their workshops have addressed specific yet intersectional themes like gender, environment, development, economics and finance, caste, communalism, public service delivery, agriculture, and other topical issues. We also organise a range of skill-building programs around theatre, writing and journalism, research methods, etc.
Some of the young people who have come for our workshops have expressed a desire to be here long-term, where they can better understand the Indian socio-political-economic reality through attending more diverse programs. They also believe that such an opportunity would help them meet and interact with a range of people engaging in different ways towards a more just society.
While the Institute aims to design longer programs for youth that could serve this purpose, we have decided to experiment with a fellowship format where we house a very small number (two to three) of individuals who have this interest in learning by being here over a longer period. However, this learning opportunity by attending workshops is dovetailed with the fellows assisting in the functioning of the institute while being here. The fellowship is thus a middle ground that can meet the expectations of such youth and help them give meaningfully back to the institute while they are here.
Any applicant needs to realise that the opportunity to learn by attending various workshops and meet diverse people involved in working for a better world comes with a clear expectation of the Institute that the fellow would be actively assisting in the functioning of the Institute across the entire process of organising the workshops.
What would the fellows do while here?
The fellows’ time would be spent along the following four major dimensions:
- Opportunity to attend 50% of the Sambhaavnaa programs.
- Assist in organising the programs.
- During their stay here, they will work on at least one project or theme related to social, political, economic, or environmental justice that is close to their hearts.
- Intern at a grassroots organisation for 4-6 weeks
Elaboration of the above mentioned components
1. They organise and conduct diverse workshops that help participants decode our society’s underlying realities. To learn more about the workshops, please visit this website.
The primary benefit to the fellow is an opportunity to attend many of these workshops, and interact with not only a diverse set of participants from across the country but also close interactions with the resource persons.
Attending the workshops also offers a chance to remain connected with some of these resource persons to get advice and support through the course of their fellowship, and even later on in life.
2. Assisting in organising a workshop involves a host of activities
- Assist the office team in outreach for the workshop, including designing and updating our social media.
- Research and collate materials (articles, movies, and other resources) that could be used during the workshop.
- Assist the office team in managing logistics for the participants and resource persons.
After attending a workshop, the fellows would be expected to
- Make a report on the workshop that you attend
- Update captured pictures and videos of the workshop on social media
- Review the workshop to figure ways of improvement – be it regarding program design, participant selection, content and delivery
- Figure ways to strengthen best practices at Sambhaavnaa
3. During the course of fellowship the fellow must choose a particular issue that is of interest or close to their heart, and work on strengthening their understanding on the same. At the end of the fellowship they will be required to produce an output which could be a research document/presentation/ article/video story/ a workshop session plan and content etc.
4. Sambhaavnaa has good relationships with many grassroot organisations across the country, working on a diverse set of issues. We would arrange a 4-6 week internship for the fellows in some organisation / area of interest of the fellows’ choice. At the end of the internship, the fellow would be expected to share their learnings with the other fellows and the Sambhaavnaa team.
Fellowship Period
June 1st, 2024 to January 31st, 2025
Eligibility
Applicants should have an innate interest in working for a just world. They should additionally possess the following traits,
- Someone who wants to work for social justice and environmental justice.
- Willingness to learn
- Is a team player
- Disciplined, dedicated and self-driven regarding their work: this is critical
Selection process
- You would be required to fill this google form on our website. The selection team would look into the application form and ask for any additional information if required over phone/email.
- Shortlisted candidates will be called for a discussion and interview. (The interview could also be over Zoom).
The Fellowship is open to all Indian citizens who meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Between 23-30 years
- Qualification – Master’s degree
- Good command over both English and Hindi; Should be able to write well in one of these languages, too.
- Basic knowledge of IT, Social Media, Zoom, MS Office, etc.
- Knowledge of basic video editing will be an added value.
Stipend and Other Benefits
- Honorarium: Rs 10000 per month
- Food in the Sambhaavnaa dining hall and accommodation in the Sambhaavnaa hostel
How to Apply?
Interested candidates can directly apply through this link.
Location
Palampur, Himachal Pradesh
Contact Details
- Write to us at: info[at]sambhaavnaa[dot]org
- Call us on: +91 889 422 7954 (Programs Manager)
