Activities of Aakar Empowerment Private Limited
Aakar has been working in the area of training and development from the last 15 years. Its work has been with corporate, government, NGOs, Social organizations and educational institutions. It has worked with workers, officers, managers, Class 1 to Class 4 government employees, women, students, parents, couples, AIDS patients, sex workers and transgender. The Detailed information of the activities done is given below in categories as Corporate, Government, NGOs, Social Organizations, Educational Institutes, Youth Development Program.
Corporate Training
- In 2003 TCL (Tata Chemical Limited) and TCSRD (Tata Chemicals Society for Rural Development) invited ‘Aakar’ to their township for domestic management program.
This initiative was based on the experience of ‘Basera Program’ at TISCO, Jamshedpur. It was concluded that home environment positively or adversely affects work experience at the factory.
Mithapur ladies club and TCSRD jointly started domestic management program, which was later on name as – Tejaswini. Three batches of 25 women were done and good volunteers were identified for Training Of Trainers (TOT). This was a 6 half day training. 25 women got TOT. This program continued for one year and 22 batches were done covering more than 500 women. This program was extended to Babarala, Uttar Pradesh and Haldia, West Bengal.
- Simultaneously TCSRD had a program where they wanted to strengthen ‘SHG group’ through training inputs. They were helped for 2 years to form a federation. The training mostly emphasized on self-empowerment.
- The women who were trained during Tejaswini requested the management to have similar program for their men. This program later came to be known as – Spandan. This program gave the view of women’s world to these men. Total of 38 programs were done between 2005 to 2008 and covering about 950 participants. In an internal survey, SPANDAN was judged as one of the top three training programs at TCL.
- WDP – Worker Development Program (2006) was started for workers of salt packing department. Maintaining HACCP certification was becoming difficult because of wrong behavior of workers. Simultaneously VRS scheme was also introduced. The distance between management and worker was increasing. Under such circumstances, this programs created ethical values which resulted in more efficiency and effectiveness. Result being HACCP was renewed. Over a period of 3 years, 35 batches and 550 workers were covered.
- During the early months of 2009, some fatal accidents rocked CGPL. Tata Group is the foremost in India to be concerned about worker safety. AAKAR was called to ensure that workers followed all the norms of safety and accidents – fatal or otherwise – did not happen.
It was a new challenge as AAKAR had never worked for safety. The main challenge was that here there was no classroom training, number of workers was very high – 14000, and their turnover was very high. These workers came from various parts of India. The company put trust in AAKAR and told to experiment. So interventions were designed after thinking differently.
- Basic objective of these interventions was to earn trust of the workers and give care to them. This was done so that they would listen to us and input started reaching them.
- Today after 1.5 years, result is there have been ZERO fatal accident and other accidents levels have decreased. Also a culture of self-discipline, self-awareness and and self-initiative has been created in the labor colony housing more than 6000 workers. The project still continues.
- The news of good results at CGPL reached Tata Power, Trombay plant. This is a 60 years old running plant.
The main issue here was lethargy at work. Classroom training and other inputs were planned. These inputs were named Spandan.
- In the last 3 months, 300 officers, technicians have been trained and they have changed their views about their work and their view of safety has changed positively. The project is still continuing.
- From 1st April, 2013 we starts with basic objective of behavioral safety interventions in TATA Steel at KPO project, Odisha. The project for one year means up to 2014, same as earlier work done with CGPL, Gujarat.
- Rotofilts, Ahmedabad – 1 year , 100 employees, 9 programs.
- JBS group, Ahmedabad and Mumbai – 1 year, 120 employees, 16 programs.
- Samarth Diamonds, Visnagar – 700 workers, officers and manager – 32 program and continuing – workshop and training programs.
- Adani Power – 3 months, safety awareness programs.
- Active Engineering, Vastral Ahmedabad – 6 months, 100 employees, 3 program
- Ambuja Cement – 50 employees, 2 programs on stress management
- Adani Port – 1 program on safety awareness
- Ramkrishna Exports – 1 program for 250 employees
- Bosch Rexroth Group – 2 programs, still going on, 50 employees
Government Training Programs
- In 2003, BJP government led by Shri Narendra Modi started Karmayogi Vibrant Governance Training Programme to train class 1 to class 4 employees.
The plan was to train these 5 lakh employees for improving behavior with people, communication and teamwork. This contract was given to IL&FS Ltd. Dinesh Prajapati and Suresh Prajapati were selected as master trainers.
- Training module was developed and training were done from 2006 to 2009, where in through 250 programs, more than 6000 government employees were trained.
- Police department in Bhavnagar, Mehsana, Junagadh, Bhuj, Palanpur arranged training programs for boys, girls and women in police colony.
Programs for constabulary and officers were done at Police Bhavan and at Police Training Academy, Karai, Gandhinagar. From 2006 to 2011, 18 batches were done covering 500 police.
- Police training module was prepared for family welfare and has been submitted to Govt of Gujarat. If accepted by the government, this will be implemented for all police families in Gujarat. This is a unique module and first of its kind in India.
Jilla Gram Vikas Agency, Patan, arranged program for development of gram sevak in leadership and sensitization about poverty. 3 batches were done covering 100 gram sevaks.
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation organized a doctor training program. This was 3 full day training program which trained doctors on communication and behavior with patients. 70 doctors were covered.
Non - Government Organizations
Saath Charitable Trust
Vankar federal body was created for buying of raw material and marketing. For two years training was given to form Self Help Groups (SHG) and ultimately a federal body. Total 15 batches were organized covering 100 leaders.
Aadhar
3 programmes were done for HIV / AIDS programme leaders, sex workers and transgenders for confidence building.
Center For Environment Education (CEE)
Training of Trainers was given local tribal leaders to become social entrepreneurs. 10 batches were done.
Many other NGOs were covered like Samajik Nyay Kendra , MARAG, Counterpart etc.
AAKAR has contributed in a large way in Prajapati Samaj by doing more than 65 programs and covering 7000 people for subjects like leadership, career counseling , women , youth , husband- wife relationship. It has also contributed to Patel Samaj by doing husband- wife relationship program for newly wed couples. It has also contributed to various other organizations like Dalit Samaj, Kshatriya Samaj, Muslim Samaj, Rabari and Bharvad samaj, Rotary and Jaycees.
Educational Institutes and Youth Development Program
Madhav Group of School, Ahmedabad
150 teachers of Madhav School and Madhav International School of Madhav Group Ahmedabad were taken on a journey of self development through ‘7 habits program’. Eight such programs were conducted over 1 year period. In addition to this, parent and student programs were also offered.
C K Prajapati School, Vadodara
10 programs were delivered for teachers, students and parents. Teachers were offered ‘Art of Teaching’ program, students were offered life skills, managing exam stress programs and parents were offered ‘Art of Parenting’ programs.
Youth Development Program
These programs are being offered from the last 10 years during the summer vacation for character development. More than 1,000 students have been trained on Life skills.
Social Organization