Anne B. ILR'23, HR Projects: Grievance Process & Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Awareness

     This past summer, I had the incredible privilege of working with SVYM in the India Global Service Learning Program. Being the first virtual cohort had come with many unique challenges like wifi connectivity, virtual cross cultural engagement, and figuring out how to navigate the unknown. I had the opportunity to work on two projects: creating a formalized grievance process as well as creating a sexual harassment in the workplace awareness video. 

 

    My first project, the formalized grievance process was a nine page document highlighting how employees ultimately are able to address potential issues that could be hindering their productivity and happiness. A grievance procedure is designed to give employees and employers an unbiased, fair, and objective system to raise and review serious issues and complaints. Additionally, a formalized grievance procedure has many benefits for a positive working environment like legitimizing the established policies and procedures of SVYM, increasing employee retention, and decreasing liability. I was able to input flow charts that described the steps for employees to file a grievance as well as how human resources should respond to those grievances. My recommendations were a list of guidelines to ensure efficient and effective ways to handle employee grievances ethically. Lastly, I emphasized the significance of prioritizing the prevention of grievances and only using the grievance procedure as a tool for employee productivity, safety, and retention. 

 

    My second project was the sexual harassment in the workplace awareness video. As one of the leading issues women face today, creating a comprehensive educational video on sexual harassment in the workplace would help summarize the POSH Act as well as teach employees how to create a safe working environment. Not only does educating employees safeguard against inappropriate and unwanted advances, but empowers those who may encounter sexual harassment to report cases to management. The presentation was first created on Canva and then animated through Keynote and lastly compiled in iMovie. The editing process was definitely frustrating at times, but incredibly rewarding in the end. SVYM does quarterly education on sexual harassment in the workplace, but the creation of the video would allow employees to access information on sexual harassment in the workplace anytime. 

 

    Throughout my experience, I had many doubts with my lack of expertise in the subject matter as well as being new in handling video editing software for a professional presentation. However, I ultimately came to the realization that everything could be learned and adapted. My experience was ultimately a significant learning experience for me to discover more about my values and my work ethic. I am unbelievably grateful to SVYM, the GSL team, and my cohort for this empowering opportunity. 

Mallory A. ILR'22, Data Analysis: Economic Impact of SVYM Trainings on Self-Help Groups

Hello! My name is Mallory A. and I am a rising Junior at the School of Industrial & Labor Relations at Cornell. This summer, I am working with the South Indian NGO, Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement. They help build human and social capital to benefit the communities they work in and increase their standard of living. I am happy to be volunteering with the Vivekananda Rural Livelihood Centre in Kenchanahalli, SVYM’s main center of its Socio Economic Empowerment Program. At the centre, they provide agricultural training for tribal and rural farmers, vocational training for women and youth, and academic training for youth.

    I am working with data concerning the impact of the agricultural training on the farmers’ income that the VLRC has collected for seven years. Typically, SVYM offers several types of training to the farmers, such as apiculture, worm composting, sericulture, dairy production, and mushroom production. After the training at the centre, SVYM continues their efforts by providing farmers with seeds and fertilizers. SVYM tries to empower people through this training, the facilitation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and clearer access to healthcare. They fight for the community by always prioritizing and supporting them. 

    The VLRC mainly interacts with local tribal people. In 1972, they lost their land, livelihood, and home to the creation of national parks. SVYM helps them cultivate their land, provide them vocational training, and supports them in community disputes. With the data analysis I am conducting, SVYM will be able to understand the full impact they have on the local farmers besides perhaps simply income increase. 

 

Anjali M. ILR'21, Socioeconomic Empowerment at Tribal Livelihood Center

 This past summer I had the pleasure of working with Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement’s Socioeconomic Empowerment Program (SEEP). I worked with the SVYM’s livelihood center in Kenchanahalli and was tasked with creating various curriculums for the center’s livelihood programs, ranging from plumbing to beautician work. These curriculums not only included vocational training for each profession, but also prevocational modules to encourage participation in the specific programs and post vocational modules to encourage entrepreneurship after training.

In order to create these curriculums I first had to understand the history and needs of the communities I was working with. My mentor explained that the tribal communities that these livelihood programs are targeted towards were displaced either when their native land was deemed a national park or when the government began extracting resources from specific pieces of land. As a result, individuals within these communities lost their livelihoods entirely as they were reliant on the land. I also had to understand that there were barriers to participation in these programs, like household responsibilities and gender norms. This information helped me develop the prevocational and post-vocational modules of my curriculums

After I gained a background on the communities I was working with, I had to do research on the skills that each vocational training required. There was some baseline information available on the resources available in Kenchanahalli, but I had to research other curriculums that were used in similar livelihood programs to frame my curriculums.

Although I was working remotely, I came to find this experience with GSL and SVYM extremely rewarding. I left the experience feeling like I understood the necessity of not approaching service from a savior perspective and rather understanding that real change has to be sparked from within marginalized communities. I am very glad that I participated in this program and got to work with SVYM as it is such a unique development organization, emphasizing the need to develop social and human capital to initiate change.

Trisha O. HE GH'22, Mobile Health Unit Project at SVYM

 Data Analysis and Report Writing for the Mobile Health Unit

My remote project with SVYM this summer is to analyze the data collected by SVYM's Mobile Health Unit within the past two years (April 2018 to March 2020) and develop a data analysis report to then facilitate the process of writing relevant articles on the data as well as making improvements or adjustments to the Mobile Health Unit.  SVYM's Mobile Health Unit serves as the primary point of contact for underserved tribal communities in the HD Kote taluk of the Mysore district. Data analysis and report writing is integral to measuring program effectiveness and progress. A successful and sustainable program requires constant feedback between all stakeholders involved. Incorporation of statistical analysis of collected data with critical consideration of the context from which the data was taken will not only help improve SVYM’s Mobile Health Unit efficacy, but can also contribute to the overall literature on tribal populations in Karnataka and India, which is currently lacking.

One of my biggest challenges with this project being remote was digging deeper into the data, making inferences, and drawing conclusions without having the level of cultural immersion I was expecting to have this summer. Constant communication with my mentor, Dr. Dennis, and other faculty at SVYM was vital to me in trying to fill this gap. While this experience was nothing I ever expected, I learned so much and gained / improved so many skills. I am proud to have shown how independent and full of initiative I am through this program. Additionally, I have improved my versatility, adaptability, and communication skills. I am so grateful to have been part of this unique and incredible program and partnership with SVYM. 

Ashley A. ILR'22, HR Project on Succession Planning at SVYM

 Namaskara everyone! 

My name is Ashley and this Summer of 2020, I completed a Succession Planning project for the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement. I can say that completing this project was one of the most insightful experiences I have ever had. I was truly able to get that intercultural experience even though I was unable to physically be in Ithaca. Like everyone has been so helpful, and always looking to be kind to me, and really get me through each step of the process. 

In this blog post, my goal is to give an overview of my project, and highlight my favorite part of the project. Throughout my project I was able to provide SVYM a guide of best practices by researching the intimate aspects of succession planning, and mainly what are the best ways to go about it. Essentially, the guide goes over three steps: Analysis, Development and Implementation. I dive further into this 3-component process, by providing further detail and suggestions within each component. 

Top left, my mentor, Dr. Ravi. Below, Dr. Rekha, the Director of VIIS at SVYM.

During this Analysis portion of my project, I realized that it would be very beneficial to conduct a SWOT analysis of the organization. This was definitely my favorite part of the project because it would not only help me have a better understanding of the organization, but it would also help best formulate the best practices that apply to SVYM, additional advice to provide, and the details for the three director roles I was able to take a look at in the latter part of my project. With the help of and information provided to me by my mentor Dr. Ravi I was able to analyze the organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. And was ultimately able to provide SVYM’s HR department with other methods of using Succession Planning to make the organization more successful. After I finished all of this I was able to conduct the succession planning for 3-specific director roles within SVYM: 

1) the Director of HR, 2) the Director of Educational Program(s), and 3) the Director of Community Health Program(s). 

For each of these roles, I then laid out a charted out plan for selection criteria, skills and development that should be included, motivation factors that can be highlighted to potential candidates, and some things that should be happening in the implementation of this project. 

All in all, I would like to share how grateful I am that I was given the opportunity to participate in the India Global Service Learning Program! As an undergraduate college student I was able to take part in a very futuristic opportunity, one which will have prepared me for other possible intercultural experiences, and also one that can place me ahead of the game when preparing for future Human Resources internships or even possibly a career in Human Resources. I cannot imagine this experience having been any other way at this point, and it is not one that I will ever forget especially because I was able to have the support of my GSL peers and teaching team in the midst of this Summer opportunity that was now taking place in the middle of a pandemic. 

To people thinking about doing the GSL program, do it! Take the time, and apply! Only good can come out of it, and I can honestly say that I am in the midst of doing my project and already have recruiters focusing in depth on this experience. So not only am I seeing the impact that I was able to make and that was had on me through this project, but other people are seeing it too! 

And to people who know for sure that they will be taking part in the program… never forget that this opportunity chose you. My peers and I often feel unsure to the idea that maybe we should not be the ones doing this, and later realize that was completely untrue. We are all the perfect people to complete these projects, and can leave this experience knowing that we made the best out of it, and gave the best of us to the organization! 

Rocio C. ILR'22, Health Education Project, Viveka Tribal Center for Learning

     

    This summer I have the privilege to work alongside the Viveka Tribal Center for Learning (VTCL). With mentors, leaders, and faculty like Mr. Kumar, Mr. Sudarshan, Madam Shruthi, Mr. Lokesh and much more to make sure the project is a success and meets their standards. My project specifically focuses on health and hygiene and has three overarching components. One part is the health and hygiene manual that will focus on two different age groups (6-13 years old, 14-17-year-old). I plan for the manual to discuss what it means to have good hygiene. So, looking at best practices for body, dental, facial, handwashing, and for young women, menstruation. Through these best practices I plan to come up with a plan that will help and motivate students to incorporate them into their daily lives and remind them of the benefits for doing so. The second component of this project is to create posters that will be hung up around the school and hostels to remind students to practice good hygiene. Creating a list of Do’s and Don’ts and incorporating pictures will attract student’s attention. These posters are a summarized version of the health & hygiene manual, its purpose is to show students how to properly wash their hands, clean after their meals, maintain cleanliness in their rooms, etc. The last part of the project will be to create lesson plans for teachers based on health and hygiene. Based on their current modules, I will try to incorporate new and/or relevant information on any topic that needs it. Not only that but formulating these lesson plans in a way that will motivate students to practice good hygiene is essential. Overall, this virtual experience has been amazing, the VTCL mentors and staff were so welcoming and excited to work with me in completing this project. The manual, posters, and lesson plans came out great and the VTCL team will be implementing this into their physical education period. I am incredibly grateful to VTCL and SVYM for allowing me to participate and help bring their vision to fruition.

The following are picture sent by my mentors that helped me visualize the school and the activities that students engage in. 

 

 

 

                                                                                                 

 

 

 

 

 

Kaitlin M. ILR'22, Policy Research at GRAAM

    For the past six weeks, I have been working with the Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement. With the help of my mentor, Ananya Samajdar PhD, I have created two factsheets with a focus on skill development programs in South Asia. The first fact sheet explains the importance of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), an unemployment and skill development program in India which aims to assist young people living in rural areas. The second factsheet examines Bangladesh’s National Skill Development Policy (NSDP) which is another unemployment and skill development program geared towards marginalized groups in rural locations. Some large differences between DDU-GKY and NSDP are that NSDP emphasizes the role of apprenticeships and Industry Skill Councils, organizations that continuously research skills in demand. These aspects could be worth implementing into DDU-GKY to give beneficiaries flexibility in how they want to complete the skill development program.

    Through this process, I have learned a lot about employment barriers to young people living in rural areas. Before this program, I did not think about how the inability to access transportation, subpar and sporadic wages, as well as gender norms can exclude many young people from the workforce. Working with GRAAM has shown me ways in which DDU-GKY can target these barriers. For example DDU-GKY can expand their skill development training to encompass skills used in handicrafts, a predominantly female-driven field. DDU-GKY can also implement something similar to NSDP’s Industry Skill Development Policy so that beneficiaries are being trained in skills that are in demand. The photo associated with this blog post shows a DDU-GKY course in action. Beneficiaries are learning valuable lessons about skills that will increase their employability. Overall, I feel that this experience with GRAAM has shown me skill development strategies that can be applied to other developing nations looking to improve the skills of their rural workforce.
    

I am incredibly grateful for this experience to work with SVYM and GRAAM because I have learned so much about skill development and ways to ameliorate employment barriers for young people in rural areas. Aside from knowledge gained from my formal projects, I have also been able to communicate across cultures and timezones. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the entire world and I am appreciative of SVYM and GRAAM’s efforts to facilitate a virtual experience for all of us students. I sincerely thank them for their efforts to replicate an in-person experience to the best of their abilities.

Olivia S. ILR'22, HR & Talent Management at SVYM

My name is Olivia S., and I am a rising Junior in the ILR school, minoring in inequality studies and business. I have been working remotely from Cincinnati, OH this summer, and have had a rewarding, challenging, and exciting virtual experience. 

This past summer, I had the opportunity to complete a virtual project for the Human Resources department of SVYM. I created the framework for identifying and developing internal talent pools at SVYM. Internal talent pools are crucial for both developing talent and succession planning. Over the course of the summer, I thoroughly researched talent pools until I was eventually able to distinguish four important steps to create the talent pool framework: 

1.     Identify the Talent Pools

2.     Develop the Talent Pools

3.     Assess the Talent Pools

4.     Monitor the Talent Pools

These four steps are outlined in my final document, and better explained and enhanced with charts and graphics. The biggest challenge I faced in completing my project was researching a topic that I was completely unfamiliar with. I had to do extensive industry research before I could even start working on the outline for my final project. When my project finally came together into one document, it was incredibly rewarding to see all my hard work one place. I am excited to see how SVYM will use my document to create their internal talent pools, and how my project might help with succession planning. 

When I applied for the global service-learning program, I thought I would be spending the summer in India. I was looking forward to learning from SVYM and bonding with my peers. After Cornell sent us home due to COVID-19, I thought that the GLS program was over. When Donna informed us that the program would be done remotely, I was overjoyed! SVYM did a prenominal job of setting up a last-minute virtual program, filled with guest-lectures, group meetings, and much more. I could not be more grateful to SVYM and my mentor for going above and beyond in helping me with my project and putting together this program. This summer has been full of obstacles for everyone, and I am so proud of this GSL group for rolling with the endless punches and doing a fantastic job despite everything going on around us. Thank you to everyone who made this summer what it was, this has been an experience to remember for a lifetime. Hopefully I can travel to Mysore next summer, but if not, I am still so incredibly grateful for this summer journey.