care givers
Akshadhaa Foundation has been running the ‘Equip the Special Million’ (ETSM) outreach project with the aim to train and empower parents and trainers who are engaged with children with diverse disability conditions.
Scope
Akshadhaa Foundation has been collaborating with NGOs to undertake training programmes in remote areas that typically do not have awareness and access to them. Partner NGOs are equipped with skill and study materials. The trainers are part of the ETSM alumni group where they can share problems and possible solutions, thereby motivating one another.
Train the Trainers program
The program aims to empower community workers to identify and intervene in the case of developmentally challenged children. Trainers receive a certificate after the completion of the course.
They can then pursue a rewarding career, wherein they can even train families with limited means can support them to avail services from domain-based professionals like occupational therapists, speech therapists and behavioural therapists.
Train the parents program
To empower parents of developmentally challenged children to undertake independent home-based interventions. Upon completion of the course, parents receive a certificate that makes them ambassadors so that they can not only take care of their children but also guide other parents who have children with similar conditions. The fees are pocket friendly. Candidates can train themselves through a smart phone in the comfort of home.
The course combines theoretical knowledge with practical interventions. It is designed to help parents structure the home learning environment, ideas to use materials available in the household for therapy, and the easy development of learning materials.
The training program is customised to cater to specific age groups, disability condition needs and intervention techniques. Groups sizes are small so that individual attention and child specific assignments can be provided to the participants.