Do we have the courage to help young people Thrive?
Neelambika is a young graduate from Dream a Dream’s life skills programme who has just completed her Master’s in Biotechnology and is working at a local NGO while also exploring an entrepreneurial idea. Rajeshwari is a young graduate who works as a beautician and has saved enough money to start her own salon soon.
Shankari and Padma are sisters and young graduates from Dream a Dream. Padma is a college dropout and a dance teacher at an International School in Bangalore. Shankari has dabbled in the arts, in facilitation and is yet to find her true purpose in life. Both are charting their own path in life and supporting their mother along the way.
Harish is a young graduate at Dream a Dream who works as an analyst at TCS. He wants to help raises funds for supporting other young people like him through the CSR initiative within his company.
Vishwa Dewan is one of our earliest graduates at Dream a Dream. A year-long community college opportunity sponsored by the Department of State, United States changed his life. He followed his passion and became an animator and graphic artist. He works as a Creative Team Lead at a company in Bangalore and has also taught animation to other young people at Dream a Dream. A quiet, unassuming young man with a determination that’s strong and unwavering.
Moses is a young graduate from Dream a Dream. A school dropout who worked through this childhood at local eateries to support his family and went on to serve the army for a couple of years. His mother’s ill-health brought him back and he decided to join the medical industry, working at Hosmat Hospitals and now at SCG Hospital. He recently assisted in a hip replacement and hopes to someday become an indispensable asset to the medical industry and help poor patients. His story is nothing short of grit and determination.
Sirathim is a young graduate from Dream a Dream who is working as a mechanic at the Mahindra Service Centre. I met him when he was shorter than me and we did a Life Skills camp together. He remembered me well, especially my Mr. Bean act. 4 inches taller than me today, he shared that he came today with the hope to see me and made my day.
Richard is a young graduate from Dream a Dream who is pursuing his passion in photography while also completing college.
Ranjith is a young graduate from Dream a Dream who today works as a community leader. A rugby player, a football player, life skills facilitator and a champion for young people, he has been responsible to get hundreds of young people out of poverty, inspired an entire generation of girls to play rugby for the state and country.
These are some of the 40 young people I met last recently when Dream a Dream organized a get together for our graduates with the theme of ‘Celebrating You’. Graduating from Dream a Dream is like a milestone for them, a badge of honour that they carry with pride.
The Career Connect team that hosted this event is led by Pavithra. No words to express how amazing she is. One of the first graduates from Dream a Dream she is one of the biggest champions of young people I know. Today, she runs the Career Connect Programme impacting over 5000 young people every year and makes it come alive with her empathy, love, care and brilliant leadership.
The event was hosted by two second generation changemakers and graduates from Dream a Dream, Shivu and Nandish. Shivu is a young graduate from Dream a Dream who currently works as a life skills facilitator at the Career Connect Centre. Someone who was rejected by the school system, he is helping thousands of young people find their identity and own their stories. One of the most reflective young people I know. Nandish is a young graduate from Dream a Dream who is currently a life skills facilitator with us. A rugby player, a sincere son, a loyal friend and a passionate facilitator, he has given me some of my best life lessons.
The special guest for the event was Lokesh who is a graduate from Bosco in Bangalore and worked as a life skills facilitator and teacher trainer at Dream a Dream. Lokesh is many things — an artist, comedian, painter, actor, trainer, facilitator and social entrepreneur. While he today runs his own NGO for children, he is also a well-known and well-loved movie actor in the Kannada film industry. His humility is what makes him so special.
Finally, the keynote was given by Suchetha Bhat, CEO at Dream a Dream who started her career in the development sector as a volunteer in 2007 and today leads the organization towards its bold vision to re-imagine education for all children in India to thrive in the 21st century. She captured the essence of the morning beautifully when she said, ‘Young people have always shown us the way and today, more than ever before, we look up to young people to show us the way to respond and adapt to this fast changing, complex, uncertain future.’
As we closed the event, we went around in a circle and asked each of them to share what they were currently doing. We were deeply heartened by the responses. The graduates shared — Data Analyst, Dance Teacher, Beautician, OT Technician, Biotechnology, Development Professional, Tattoo Artist, MBA Graduate, Entrepreneur, Service Advisor, Swiggy Manager, Sales and Marketing, Pursuing MCA, Relationship Manager, Mechanic, Banker, Network Engineer, Loan Officer, Actor, Billing Officer, Courier Delivery, Taekwondo practitioner, Wellness Coach, Teacher, Creative Team Leader, Pursuing Psychology amongst others.
As I process this experience, I wonder what helped these young people make sense of who they need to be? What prompted them to make choices that today make them proud of their identity? I believe the experience they had, where they could explore themselves, share their struggles and achievements, where they felt seen and heard and most importantly learnt to ‘own their stories’ is what made this happen. It was the space that was given to them by Pavitra, Nandish, Shivu and all the facilitators new and old at the Career Connect Centre.
The question then comes to bare, if this is the way to help young people thrive, to help them make a healthy transition into adulthood, why is our education system an assembly line, one-size fits all system, designed to take the personhood out of the person? If we really listened to the stories of these young people, would we choose a different way? Do we have the courage to listen and fundamentally change a norm that has existed for centuries?
Can young people learn to thrive ‘because’ of our education system and NOT ‘inspite’ of it as is the case now.
