BENGALURU: Faced with a plethora of options, many youngsters are often confused over what field they should pursue for a successful career. To help students find their calling, over 250 children from various child care institutions (CCIs) across several districts of Karnataka were provided career counselling by industry experts in Bengaluru, recently.
This is the first time that such an activity was conducted for vulnerable and underprivileged groups, including orphans, disabled, children who have committed petty crimes or been through sexual atrocities and are in observational homes, who are typically devoid of opportunities for professional guidance.
NGO Mind and Matter, in collaboration with the Directorate of Child Protection (ICPS) and Department of Women and Child Development, organised the career guidance programme featuring 40 industry professionals such as vice-presidents and CEOs of leading MNCs, founders, engineers and entrepreneurs.
Short sessions were also arranged to introduce students to unconventional career paths, facilitated by filmmakers, psychologists, dancers, singers, artistes and architects.
Participants were grouped into smaller units, each assigned dedicated panellists to cater to individual interests and questions. Volunteers from the organisation who are trained by the Department of Psychiatric Social Work, NIMHANS, conducted activities to assist children in building their psycho-emotional and social competencies. Mindfulness meditation sessions were also incorporated to help children realise their aspirations and the steps to manifest their dreams.
“Children were keen to know about entrepreneurship and enlisting in the Army. They had several questions on how to get financial support if they wanted to pursue higher education. These children are mostly confined within CCIs and do not interact much with potential guides. Several psychologists also took sessions on how to manage exam stress and deal with anxiety,” said Anu Subbappa, Mysuru coordinator, Mind and Matter. She added that the event was organised as these 250 children will soon appear for their Class 10 or second PUC exams.
The government extends an aftercare programme to support CCI children who join the mainstream after completing 18-21 years and in special cases up to 23 years, offering financial aid, skill development, and fostering financially independence.