Ontrack
Prayasam’s Leadership Institute
The idea of developing a leadership development programme on Child Rights grew in response to views expressed by the marginalized youth during Prayasam’s over the years’ events in different slum pockets of West Bengal. There is a critical need to network, build capacity, develop leadership, promote gender analysis and create tools to raise awareness around Child Rights. Capacity building for Prayasam means to enable others to carry out their child rights agenda, including monitoring, competently, independently and continuously. Prayasam believes that the marginalized youth provided with certain enabling conditions are able not only to articulate and access their rights but also are able to emerge as leaders facilitating positive social change. Leadership training is crucial in India, as it helps individuals at various levels of organizations develop the skills necessary to navigate diverse cultural, social, and economic landscapes. Effective leadership is essential for driving innovation, managing change, and achieving organizational success. The aim is also to develop a network of Youth Ambassadors who will take charge of their own communities by conducting similar trainings and also mentor other youth at local and state levels in collaboration with Prayasam and other agencies.
Thus to provide a meaningful transition for disadvantaged students to enter the workforce and become a successful contributor to society, and to encourage continued education; Prayasam’s Leadership Institute, ONTRACK, started in the year 2012. Youth Right to Participation is the main motto. ONTRACK is an annual leadership development programme for student in and around slums and squatter colonies of India.
ONTRACK offers
* Gender Orientation and Sensitization
* Training on Rights and Duties
* Life Skill and Soft Skill Training
* Digital Media training including film Making
* Corporate Exposure
* Training on Entrepreneurship
* Art and other Media Exposure
* Training on Community mobilization and advocacy through media
* Training on Climate Change, Waste Management and Sustainability
* Finance Management Training
So, far we have 127 graduates from the ONTRACK institute. Of which Prayasam has absorbed 11 young men and women in its various enterprises and the rest are working in various private sectors / business houses of West Bengal. ONTRACK is now spreading its wings to the North East Sates of India. A Community Youth Hub started working in Arunachal Pradesh and already states like Manipur, Assam and Nagaland are showing keen interests to initiate Community Youth Hub through ONTRACK.
Mentor Speaks: I am glad to see that youth who graduate from ONTRACK have the desire or inclination to lead a better life, an organized life. They are ready to join the organized work market. Which before ONTRACK was a rarity.