Support Vocational Training Program for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Children with Intellectual Developmental Disability are 2.5 times more likely to contract COVID-19. To safeguard them from the ill-effects of the pandemic, Jai Vakeel Foundation has moved their Vocational Training Program online due to the severity of the situation in Mumbai. Your contribution of ₹1,300 can ensure online vocational training for one of the 85 students currently enrolled in the program, for a month.

The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have been severe and continue to be so. COVID-19 has been disruptive to many families, but the effects of sudden closures and social distancing are further amplified for families of children with disabilities. A New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) report has put Intellectual Developmental Disability (IDD) as a major risk factor for dying from the virus. People with IDD are more than 2.5 times more likely to contract Covid-19.Our students are not immune to the tensions around them. Confined to their homes, they are observing both, the situation unfold, as well as their parents and family members grapple with stressors.

It's been 16 months since schools have been shut. We found ways to adapt and ways to work around our current situation knowing that it isn’t enough.

After ensuring the well-being of our students last year, we moved onto the challenge of ensuring that their education and development did not falter. Our digital content library was launched and complemented with online classes which were rolled out to students of Vocational Training Centre. The Team worked together to move our entire curricula online quickly and effectively while doing our best to continue meeting the needs of each student. We kicked off the new school year in June with a week of training both for our special educators and caretakers. Workshops were conducted on delivering curriculum online, lesson plans, tech handling, counseling of parents to handle their ward, etc. Provision was made for Smart Phones and Data recharges for teachers and students who needed it.

Online sessions are conducted daily covering topics such as Personality development,Life Skills,Culinary and House Keeping Skills, Mathematical Skills.

A COVID vaccination drive for the 1st dose for our Students above 18 years of age and their family members on our campus. Along with being highly susceptible to COVID-19, our students and their families were struggling to get vaccinated due to immense logistical & financial issues and this was a big relief to all of them.

The Vocational Training Program is a 3 year Program for Young Adults with Mild and Moderate Grade of IDD with a clear focus on developing and enhancing their employability skills and to place a greater number of students in open or sheltered placement at the end of the program. Currently 85 students are enrolled in this Program.

Due to Covid-19 pandemic and the severity of the situation in Mumbai and given the vulnerability of our students it is important to provide the accessibility of online learning to support our students and their families.The Online sessions will ensure that we deliver a structured curriculum to our students to enhance their skills which can be also be imbibed in their daily lives resulting in productive engagement at home.