Rajasekhar with his V-shesh team
Landing the first job is a dream come true for many. For a majority
of persons with disabilities (PWD), it continues to be an eluding dream
or worst still, a nightmare. Despite legislations, specific provisions
and growing awareness, a significant number of PWD remain unemployed,
underemployed, untrained or even uneducated. Limiting environment,
prejudices, lack of awareness and facilities prevent disabled youth from
acquiring the skills needed for employment, rendering them vulnerable
to inefficiencies and shortcomings even if they are employed.
Thanks to V-shesh, a social impact enterprise founded by P Rajasekharan and Shashaank Awasthi, PWD can not only find a job but carve themselves a career that matches their ability and potential. “Around seven to eight per cent of the population of India is disabled. It is sad that such a large talent pool remains invisible in the employment scenario. On the other hand it also meant a big market for a business to sustain. We wanted to create a social impact by engaging this talent,” says Rajasekharan, co-founder of V-shesh which was started as a microfinance venture for the rural youth in Varanasi in 2008.
The enterprising duo combined their passion for business and social consciousness to create a platform for PWD to achieve economic and social equity by securing their first jobs. ‘Shesh’ means under-served and ‘Vshesh’ means special. “Our aim was to be a bridge in transforming the under-served to special,” he says.
V-shesh, which has centres in Chennai, Mumbai, Bubaneshwar and Bhopal and partner centres in Bengaluru and Coimbatore, is not an NGO but a business-for-profit operating with the rights-based approach. “Our vision to provide dignified engagement for PWD finds base in viewing ourselves as the service provider and the PWD as a customer who has every right to demand value for his/her money and to expect quality service which would ensure job placement,” he clarifies.
At the job-seeker level, V-shesh provides training in corporate life skills, communication skills, interview skills and domain skills. The training is task-oriented and need-based provided in a mock workplace setting to give them a feel of the real workplace. There are different modules such as Back Office Employability Skills Training (BEST), Hospitality and Other Skills Training (HOST), for entry-level jobs and for those who are optimally-employed.
With the employers, V-shesh works at the leader, operational and recruitment levels by providing appropriate tools to overcome the emotive, information, social barriers and create an inclusive workplace. “We examine workplaces, job description and facilitate interviews. Once a candidate is placed we follow-up closely to establish communication and create common understanding. By creating parameters, strategising and sensitising, V-shesh creates a level-playing field through complete integration which would enable the employee to grow with the company,” he explains.
V-shesh has a commendable record of over 90 per cent of trainees being placed in banks, ITES, hospitality and manufacturing sectors. While taking cognisance of the positive change in the attitudes of employers while hiring PWD, Rajasekharan feels that the biggest challenge lies in retaining people, reaching out to more number of candidates, convincing corporates, and dealing with stereotyping, and diversity.
“We aim to train 1,500 pwds within this financial year. We also plan to reach out to all sectors, do access audits, collaborate with educational institutes and to have a wider geographical footprint,” says Rajasekharan sharing V-shesh’s strong vision for the future.
You can log on to www.v-shesh.com
Thanks to V-shesh, a social impact enterprise founded by P Rajasekharan and Shashaank Awasthi, PWD can not only find a job but carve themselves a career that matches their ability and potential. “Around seven to eight per cent of the population of India is disabled. It is sad that such a large talent pool remains invisible in the employment scenario. On the other hand it also meant a big market for a business to sustain. We wanted to create a social impact by engaging this talent,” says Rajasekharan, co-founder of V-shesh which was started as a microfinance venture for the rural youth in Varanasi in 2008.
The enterprising duo combined their passion for business and social consciousness to create a platform for PWD to achieve economic and social equity by securing their first jobs. ‘Shesh’ means under-served and ‘Vshesh’ means special. “Our aim was to be a bridge in transforming the under-served to special,” he says.
V-shesh, which has centres in Chennai, Mumbai, Bubaneshwar and Bhopal and partner centres in Bengaluru and Coimbatore, is not an NGO but a business-for-profit operating with the rights-based approach. “Our vision to provide dignified engagement for PWD finds base in viewing ourselves as the service provider and the PWD as a customer who has every right to demand value for his/her money and to expect quality service which would ensure job placement,” he clarifies.
At the job-seeker level, V-shesh provides training in corporate life skills, communication skills, interview skills and domain skills. The training is task-oriented and need-based provided in a mock workplace setting to give them a feel of the real workplace. There are different modules such as Back Office Employability Skills Training (BEST), Hospitality and Other Skills Training (HOST), for entry-level jobs and for those who are optimally-employed.
With the employers, V-shesh works at the leader, operational and recruitment levels by providing appropriate tools to overcome the emotive, information, social barriers and create an inclusive workplace. “We examine workplaces, job description and facilitate interviews. Once a candidate is placed we follow-up closely to establish communication and create common understanding. By creating parameters, strategising and sensitising, V-shesh creates a level-playing field through complete integration which would enable the employee to grow with the company,” he explains.
V-shesh has a commendable record of over 90 per cent of trainees being placed in banks, ITES, hospitality and manufacturing sectors. While taking cognisance of the positive change in the attitudes of employers while hiring PWD, Rajasekharan feels that the biggest challenge lies in retaining people, reaching out to more number of candidates, convincing corporates, and dealing with stereotyping, and diversity.
“We aim to train 1,500 pwds within this financial year. We also plan to reach out to all sectors, do access audits, collaborate with educational institutes and to have a wider geographical footprint,” says Rajasekharan sharing V-shesh’s strong vision for the future.
You can log on to www.v-shesh.com
Source : The New Indian Express , 2nd June 2013
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