Empowering the Youth (Care Leavers) with Skill-Based Training through the Aftercare & Livelihood program!

India is home to nearly 30 million children who are in Need of Care and Protection. Out of these nearly 3,70,000* children are in Childcare Institutions.

Once these children turn 18 years, they have to leave the CCI and make a life for themselves. There are an estimated 150,000 children who have to leave the CCI's every year, as they turn 18 years of age.

They have no support system, no family to go back to. They are mostly orphans or children who have been subject to some form of exploitation, with no one to care for.

In this situation, girls are married off by the time they turn 18 or end up into exploitative professions, and boys mostly get into very low paying jobs, as they have no guidance and skills.

Catalysts for Social Action provides care and support to children in Need of Care and Protection in Child Care Institutions.

The Aftercare & Livelihood program is a program that has been curated to look after these children once they turn 18 years and have to move out of these institutions. It aims at making youth who are preparing to leave CCIs, as well as those who have been de-institutionalized, termed as Care Leavers (CLs), self-reliant.

Through this program CSA is making tremendous efforts to fill the gaps around career awareness, support for higher education, vocational trainings, life skills & job placements as these children who have to move out have to making a living for themselves. We work towards making them future ready so that they can easily adapt to the world outside the institution to create successful lives for themselves.

Under this program, we Empower these Young Adults by providing career counselling, livelihood training, education support and job opportunities so that after the age of 18, when they can no longer remain at the CCI, are able to earn and start building an independent life with confidence.

Catalysts for Social Action, through the Aftercare & Livelihood program is looking to empower the youth who have lived in Child Care Institutions as children without access or exposure to the world outside.

Through this campaign we are looking at changing the lives of 50 Care Leavers under the Livelihood and Aftercare program across Mumbai, Pune, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha during the year 2020-2021.

These Youth are the future of our nation. Building their capacity will enable multiples of change.

o This program will provide an opportunity to the youth to pursue further studies, which they are, otherwise, unable to do, and therefore, aim for better prospects in the future

o We believe that instead of being employed in an unskilled and informal sector, being able to earn approx. Rs.8000-9000 per month post completion of skill training related to their broader career goals, would result in better income opportunity and bargaining power to the youth. This would make a huge difference to them over their lifetime

o Even those youth who do not get placed immediately will benefit from the training programs. It will enable them to hone many soft skills and confidence of exploring a good job, whenever required

o Self-confidence and awareness of opportunities is very important for girls in particular and will

hold them in good stead throughout their life

Over 5 years, we have impacted the lives of 4500+ children across 87+ CCIs in 4 states. Cumulatively, we have impacted the lives of 20000+ children since 2009!

Over 200 adolescents have been supported under the Aftercare for Higher education & Skill training.

100+ young adults placed in jobs with monthly remuneration ranging between Rs.8000 to Rs.21000.