The purpose of After-School Support Program, is to help children who have graduated from primary education with Prayas or completed Class-V from somewhere else. After school support is an initiative dedicated towards children who study in government schools and other private schools outside the community in NOIDA. The typical age group of the children who are enrolled in the after school support program is 11-19.
This program helps them in various ways:
- Academic Support. As many of them are first generation schools goers, children need support in many subjects. Regular classes in evenings are conducted by tutors to help them in English, Mathematics and Science. Volunteers also conduct programs from time to time.
- Admissions support. This support is provided to children who seek admissions in secondary schools and those who seek admission in colleges.
- Financial assistance. This program is to support those children who otherwise can’t afford their education. Under this program, parents are encouraged to contribute as much as possible towards their child’s future and the remaining fund requirements are supported by us. The financial support continues in consultation with parents until the child completes Class-XII.
- Professional & Career opportunities. This program is currently being extended to also facilitate professional education for the deserving children. Children who are academically bright are encouraged to enrol for professional courses aligned with their interest. The ones who are not very bright in education will also be oriented towards vocational and other career opportunities aligned with their interests and skills.
Read some success stories here
Challenges
The challenges for successfully running such an after-school support program are immense. It primarily originates from interdependent social & family issues, and variability in academic background of the students.
- Drop-outs. Drop-outs from students in this category is an ongoing challenge due to various family situations including financials, child marriages and others. It requires continuous counselling and support to keep this at minimum.
- Good quality teachers. Getting good quality teacher is difficult for the study centers typically located in the slum community. The high attrition is generally filled-in by the volunteers.
- Volunteer sustainability. Long term continuity and sustainability of regularly conducting classes by the volunteers is another challenge we cope with on day to day basis. We are always looking for volunteers who can commit certain hours every week for long term.
- Common curriculum. Students are going to various schools beginning class 6th, depending on their academic level and financial capacity. The curriculum though broadly common, is not uniform all across and it therefore becomes difficult to run common classes.
- Fund raising. We strive to make all children get best possible education for children in decent schools whose fee structure is generally high. If you want to support the education of these children, please write to us at donations@aidnoida.org.
Key activities
- Daily after-school classes. Classed for 3 hours in the evening daily conducted by regular teachers appointed by AID-Noida. The entire program is coordinated by a full time Program Coordinator.
- Special attention for weak students. Children who need special attention either due to their academic weakness or requiring support in specific subject are assigned to a volunteer who briefly owns the responsibility of this short-term support.
- Educational trips. We conduct twice in a year day trips to near-by places for recreational or educational purposes. It helps in creating bonhomie between students, volunteers and staff; and increased knowledge & awareness for children.
- Unique talent. We are always looking for unique skills in children such as music, art, painting, cookery, dance, sports, design, theatre etc. Once identified, we try to support such children by making needed arrangement for strengthening and developing such skills, either by volunteers or professionals.
- Career support. The overall aim of conducting support classes for these underprivileged children is to ensure that they are getting whatever support they need to carve out a suitable career. The goal is to have them better control of their lives unlike their parents.