New Delhi, March 22, 2023: SBI Foundation, the CSR arm of State Bank Group, has announced the 11th edition of the Youth for India Fellowship program. The fellowship provides a framework for educated urban youth - professionals or fresh graduates - to join hands and foster change with rural communities and NGOs at the grassroots across 17 Indian states.
The application for the program is open now. According to the SBI Foundation, the applicants for this fellowship must be Indian Citizens, Overseas Citizens of India, or Citizens of Bhutan and Nepal, willing to adjust and adapt to rural life and work towards sustainable rural development goals.
Inspired by US ‘PeaceCorps’, SBI Youth for India Fellowship is SBI Foundation’s uniquely designed 13-month Fellowship program that came into inception in the year 2011.
The fellows will receive a monthly allowance of 16000 INR for the duration of the programme to meet their living expenses. Further, a monthly allowance of 1000 INR will be provided for the duration of the programme to meet their transport expenses.
Also, on the successful completion, the Fellow will receive a readjustment allowance of Rs. 60,000 and a certificate of completion from SBI Foundation. The Fellows also gain access to a vibrant ecosystem comprising the Youth for India Fellowship Alumni, partners and other relevant organizations in the social sector. They can leverage the network to explore opportunities or other meaningful engagements/collaborations.
The SBI Youth for India Fellowship, which is one of its kind, works on 12 thematic areas such as Health, Rural Livelihood, Food Security, Environmental Protection, Education, Water, Technology, Women’s Empowerment, Self-Governance, Social Entrepreneurship, Traditional Craft and Alternate Energy. During the Fellowship program, the Fellows work on one of these 12 areas as per their interest.
“The SBI Youth for India program aims to fill the gap that exists between urban youth’s aspiration to contribute to the development sector and experience rural reality, as also supplement the lack of qualified human resources with diverse educational and professional backgrounds in the NGOs working at the grassroots level. The 13-month long Fellowship provides an active framework for the Youth to come up with sustainable development solutions for rural development and capacity building in multiple ways,” said Mr Sanjay Prakash, Managing Director & CEO, SBI Foundation.
Over the last 10 years, Youth for India has seen active participation from hundreds of Indian youth. This also included Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) in addition to applicants from metropolitan cities of India. In terms of capacity building, the Program has impacted over 1,00,000 beneficiaries through the Fellows' interventions ranging across the 12 different thematic areas. These interventions were carried out in 200+ Villages across 20 States in India.
The project has a lasting impact on the country’s development sector ecosystem. As many as 34 Fellowship alumni have either founded or initiated a program, enterprise or non-profit organisations. Among some notable alumni is Siddharth Daga, Co-founder of NeoMotion that customises Tech-Enabled Wheelchairs. Another former Fellow is Shriti Pandey, who founded ‘Strawcture’ in 2018 and was covered in Forbes 30 under 30 in the 2021 edition for her use of technology that helps reduce pollution by compressing crop waste into agri-fibre panels for industrial and commercial builds.
The project also impacts youth in their future academic pursuits. 100+ Fellowship alumni pursue have pursued higher studies in development domains after their SBI Youth for India Fellowship experience, and about 70% go on to pursue meaningful careers in the social sector by working in Rural Development, Public Policy/Governance, Academia, etc. Among them is Naman Bansal (2015-16 Batch), who went on to pursue a Master of Education (M.Ed.) from Harvard University, USA, and Himanshu Pandey (2016-17), currently employed with NITI Aayog & Consults in Capacity Building Commission, Government of India.
The aspirants for the Fellowship can apply using the link https://you4.in/pr.
Youth for India Fellowship program - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is the basic procedure for Registration Form and Online Assessment
A: The purpose of the online assessment is to know you better. Key details for the online registration and assessment below:
- Time: The average time to complete this online assessment is 1.5 hrs. There is an option to save your assessment process mid-way and return to it at a later point of time to finish.
- Recommended Device: Since this section takes time and needs an essay, it is recommended to attempt this section on a laptop or a desktop device.
- Personal Details: Keep the details of your education and professional experience handy as you will need it during the assessment process.
- Recommendation: Keep the contact details of your academic & professional recommenders handy for this assessment. We will contact them as a part of our process.
- Essay Questions: You will need to answer 7 short questions and 1 case study. We encourage originality in your responses, as they will showcase your aptitude and interest in the Fellowship. Please note that plagiarism is not tolerated and may result in rejection of your application.
- Application expiration:All applications need to be completed and submitted before the deadline.
Q: What are the eligibility criteria for this application form?
A: The key eligibility criteria for Youth for India Fellowship below:
- Highly motivated graduate/bachelor's degree holder from any discipline or stream
- Aged between 21 and 32 as on the date of commencement of the programme
- Citizen of India/ Overseas Citizen of India/ Citizen of Nepal/Bhutan
- A team player with a proactive approach and strong leadership skills
- People-oriented, as you will be living with diverse rural communities.
- Willing to commit to a 13-month long rural Fellowship programme and adapt to life in challenging rural conditions.
Q: How will the programme benefit you professionally?
A: The programme will help you professionally in the following ways:
- The programme is about addressing and challenging rural problems which will train you to think innovatively, act proactively, exhibit leadership qualities and acquire management skills.
- You will gain hands-on experience of rural markets, their linkages and an insight into the mind of the rural consumer and what comprises the "bottom of the pyramid".
- This combination of knowledge and skills will be highly valued by several organizations in India and will be of relevance in any career that you choose to pursue thereafter.
Q: How will the NGO partner I will work with, be decided?
A: Based on a combination of your interests, skill sets and the needs of the partner NGOs for their various projects.
Q: Is thirteen months enough for Fellows to solve age-old problems?
A: The Fellowship provides Fellows with a platform to focus their efforts effectively. However, rural problems are complex and sustained effort and time are required to bring about visible change. Some projects can bring about tangible change in a year, others not so much. Few of the past Fellows, through small steps, have been able to sow the seeds of change. From past experience, SBI Foundation has found that those who picked up and continued work on projects of previous Fellows have been able to achieve remarkable results. The thirteenth month also ensures an overlap with the forthcoming batch to facilitate smooth transition and handover of projects.
Q: What if wish to continue to work in the field after the Fellowship completes?
A: The Fellowship cannot be extended by SBI. However, interested Fellows can try to work out an arrangement with the partner NGO, to continue to work on mutually agreed terms beyond the Fellowship. A number of our alumni have done so. Post the completion of the Fellowship; the Fellows also gain access to a vibrant ecosystem comprising our Alumni, partners & other relevant organizations in the social sector. This ecosystem can also be leveraged to explore meaningful engagements/collaborations.
Q: What career options do I have post the Fellowship?
A: Apart from the jobs or positions that you previously might have held, the Fellowship opens up a host of new avenues for you. You can choose to:
- Pursue leadership roles with NGOs or organisations in the sphere of public policy, implementation, research and advocacy.
- Become a social entrepreneur.
- Return to the corporate world and leverage the insights you have gained to influence perceptions and policy and develop products and services suited to rural markets.
- receive the mentorship and support to transition into the development sector
- The valediction ceremony can involve recruiting HR and potentially strengthen ties for future opportunities.
Q: What kind of assistance will be provided to me during the programme?
Financial Support:
- A monthly allowance of 16000 INR for the duration of the programme to meet your living expenses.
- A monthly allowance of 1000 INR for the duration of the programme to meet your transport expenses.
- A readjustment allowance of 60000 INR upon successful completion of the Fellowship.
- The cost of the return 3AC fare from your residence to the project site location as well as expenses incurred on traveling for training programmes.
- You will be covered by a med claim policy.
Other Support:
- You will be assisted by the local NGO staff to find suitable accommodation with safety in mind.
- The partner NGO will also arrange for necessary medical attention when needed.
Post Fellowship, SBI YFI continues to support Fellows through mentorship, guidance, networking support and referrals.
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 through Santhwana Trust.JPG)
