Drive with Pride (DWP)

Drive with Pride (DWP) : Skill Development toSelf-reliance 

 

Driving skills training for underprivileged women and youth atnominal fees Women have been working shoulder to shoulder with menin progressive society like India.  Women are also entering inunchartered professions such as driving / security guards etc. toearn their living. 

Driving is one such profession which requires boldness, adventurousattitude and right frame of mind but it is still not a widelyaccepted profession for women in India due to social and culturalreasons. Hence, the main struggle is changing the psyche of peoplewhich is a really long drawn battle.

 

Introduction and Project Features :

Driving skills offer ample opportunities to underprivileged girls/youth.  Hence, in 2016-17, Vatsalya Trust Started ‘Drivewith Pride’ Course to impart driving skill to unemployedyouth. However, road to employment and successful entrepreneurshipis not easy.  Passion to become profession requires rightstrategy, skills and precise approach.

Project features :

• Driving skill in Two-wheeler/ Three Wheeler / Four wheeler training
• Age Limit : 18 – 45 years
• Course Duration : 1-2 months
• Registration/ Course Fee : Rs. 1180/-
• Permanent driving license/ badge (for three wheelers) is given after successful completion of Training
• Job opportunities for all suitable candidates.
• About 150 candidates trained so far in two/ three/ four wheeler driving. 

Skills Imparted in ‘DWP’

Driving Skills

• Driving school (learner course)
• Driving school (Advanced course)
• Driving school field run

Digital Skills :

• Digital enablement (introduction)
• Computer Skills Basic / office tools
• Mobile application usage, Smart Phone operation
• GPS, Digial Maps, Mobile billing

Soft Skills

• English language training (basic / conversational/ business communication)
• Parallel workshop on soft skills
• Parallel workshop on first aid
• Customer Services – attitude development
• Professional Etiquettes
• Personality development

  Challenges faced :

• Hazards and risks associated with the driving profession can be only dealt appropriately with the help of digital technology and training.
• Next stage of struggle came when those beneficiaries who successfully completed their digital learning and driving course could not get employed as amount of deposit for hiring vehicle was unaffordable to many women/ youth. Also seed capital required for maintenance and repair was not readily available.  Over and above, quality of assets, repayment schedules and hours of work did not find favour with many beneficiaries especially women. Financial stakes involved were also very high which caused lack of interest for the driving profession.
• It was realized that right blend of skills with technology, attitude and approach is required to fulfill the project/ dream.

 Opportunities Ahead:

• On completion of training, multiple job opportunities with Food Aggregators’ and big retail hypermarkets.
• Time flexibility / higher earning potential are some of the key advantages of driving profession.
• Higher confidence level after training and helps to develop ‘Yes we can’
• Employed women will create Interest in other women to go through this program.
• There is an increased demand for trained women chauffeur in India
• Many radio taxis like UBER, OLA are recruiting women chauffeurs.
• Transport vendors of Corporates and schools are willing to recruit participants.
• There’ plethora of social organisations across Maharashtra with whom Vatsalya Trust can collaborate and take this project to the interiors for overall empowerment of youth.
• Next step is to get into forklift and construction equipment operations.

The heart of the Drive with Pride program, as depicted in the figureis to connect the skilled training to ‘meaningfulemployment’ or any ‘entrepreneurial venture’ forthe interested candidate. The process starts with communitymobilization activities in potential areas such as poor economiczones within a radius of 8-10 km from the centre (VTM). It should benoted that the process runs on a continuous rolling basis.Candidates are carefully identified after asking targeted questionsand are further called to the office for a screening round ofinterview to ascertain whether the candidates are really needy andare looking for a job or want to start an entrepreneurial venture.Concurrently, a motor training school in the vicinity is identifiedand finalized by receiving quotation from at least 3 schools.Priority is given to the lowest quotation and the one which candeliver the work in terms of time and quality. Further, training foreither two-wheeler or three-wheeler is imparted at a nearby groundof Vatsalya Trust Kanjurmarg office. The training continues for 15days for 30 minutes each. A suitable date is taken for applying forlearning license at the RTO office by the trainer. For thatpurpose theoretical training is also conducted by the trainer. Aftercompleting the practical training an appropriate test-date isselected at RTO  office for the permanent license. When acandidate successfully clears the test he/she gets the permanentlicense through post at his/her address. Furthermore, for procuringa Badge for an Auto-rickshaw, documents such as Aadhar Card, 15years residential proof, Electricity Bill, PAN Card, School LeavingCertificate and Passport size photographs are submitted preferablythrough the same agent of the Motor Training school. A clearancefrom the Local Police station and the CP office is required to gothe next stage. After getting the Police Clearance Certificate afinal verification is done at RTO.  After the final clearance,the Badge is received on the address of the candidate.

It is generally encouraged that the candidates apply their trainingand licenses for the purpose of employment or any suitableentrepreneurship. Not only this skill helps them to be self-reliant,but it also increases their confidence which is very necessary toincrease their self-esteem thus leading to higher productivity intheir lives and creates contented individuals for the society atlarge.