Sankalp Special School, Kanpur 2016 Mid-Year Update

Background Caters to children with special needs (autism, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, speech/language issues, mentally challenged) Project’s goal is to nurture these kids with targeted attention and therapy so eventually they become self-sufficient Individual progress plans for each child, 5-7 children per teacher, Physio/Speech/Behavioral therapy Supported by Asha-SV since Fall 2009 Asha Stars project: Like any other Asha-SV project except the funds sent are only those that have been directly donated to the project. Asha Kanpur oversees the project (funds sent to Asha Kanpur, they do the disbursals and monitor funds utilization); they also try to raise funds locally

Current Statistics Students -  57 (48 from previous batch + 9 new admissions) Staff  - 8 teachers for classes - 1 computer trainer (part time) - 1 speech therapist (visiting 6 days a week) - 1 psychologist (visiting 6 days a week) - 2 physiotherapists (visiting 6 days a week) - 1 coordinator - 1 aaya and 1 female attendant 1 hired van and 3 school van for transport of children How many teachers are trained professional? Training existing staff

Main Updates New Location 121/396-D, Shastri Nagar, behind C.L.Memorial Nursing Home, Kanpur – 208005 It is again a rented place (same rent as before) but the rent agreement is for 5 years Place has four big rooms and one small office along with lots of open space. The construction is such that they can probably build few more cabins. This will help to take up more admissions too. It is an independent plot with road on two sides The only thing is that this place is in a different locality so they had to change some of the conveyance arrangements

Conveyance Arrangement They now have one TATA Magic and three hired MARUTI OMNI vans running Earlier there was one TATA Magic and one OMNI van. Children were brought in two shifts. Children who used to come by second shift van reached school almost 45-50 minutes late and had to leave 45-50 minutes early The current arrangement is expensive but better because the children are comfortably seated and all can now attend the school full time without missing any activities Staff Changes Due to location change, one of the teacher couldn’t manage with current salary and decided to not continue Earlier there were two aayas and one male attendant, plus one sweeper to clean the toilets. Now, there is one aaya and one sweeper cum helper lady. The arrangement is working currently but with new admissions they will try to get one more helper They have a night caretaker now since this one is an independent plot

Changes planned for rest of the year Vocational training center In special education, the standard view is that all the children above 14 years age should start getting prevocational and vocational training so that they can finally settle into some specific trade by the time they are 20-22 years age (this is a standard recommendation) At Sankalp, there are around 37 students above 14 years of age. Hence, Dr. Deepti strongly feels the need to start a vocational training center There are 7-8 special schools in Kanpur but most of them are working with children of younger age group. However, as the children grow up, there is nothing much to keep them purposefully engaged in any of the schools. One Centre claims to undertake vocational training but Dr. Deepti didn’t find that training center good - the children were hardly attentive and whatever they exhibit was made by the volunteers there. Two other Centre exclusively claim to work with children below 14 years age and in rest of the Centre, only craft type activities are being undertaken Dr. Deepti’s vision is to gradually develop Sankalp as a vocational training Centre in next 4-5 year. She feels a proper vocational training Centre is much needed in Kanpur Making children social…asking parents to join

Small Workshops Agarbatti making - from a government centre (she doesn’t remember the name but will send the details), located near to Sankalp, that is meant to promote small scale industries they provide the necessary know how including the details about the machines needed and they also help in sales of the material prepared in the initial phase Atta chakki and masala grinding and packing - from a similar centre located in Lucknow (named PYSSUM vocational training centre). Dr. Deepti spoke to them regarding this workshop. Children at PYSSUM are doing these activities since last 4-5 years and they are ready to help Biscuit making – Again Dr. Deepti had seen the setup at the special school of AMAR JYOTI charitable trust, N.Delhi and was very impressed by it. So she wishes to start it at Sankalp too There is no fixed deadline for this workshops to be started but she was thinking of starting with Agarbatti making workshop with Diwali coming up. Sankalp also has a pre-Diwali sale were they exhibit/sale different creations made by these children.

Special Event - Annual culture program before Summer break Success Stories One of the student, Bhupinder is now working at a grocery store as a store helper and he and his parents are happy with it. Bhupinder had scope for learning more but he was too eager to start earning and he belonged to a lower class family were parents too wanted him to start earning. Another student Piush is now pursuing mobile repairing course from government vocational training centre (this is for the general people, not the handicapped ones). He has completed the practical part but is finding difficulty in the theory part. However, he is a child with borderline retardation so, with a little more effort, he should be able to complete the course and find a suitable employment. Special mention that before joining this course, as per the special education curriculum, piush had achieved all the targets mentioned in the work-place behaviour training and training of the generic work skills Field trips – taking children outside.