Education Training and Jobs

Young adults like Satya pictured above, who have finished their education and passed their exams are encouraged to learn a trade or a new skill. In this case Satya is training in photography, film and video editing. Those that leave school without academic qualification are also encouraged to learn a trade enabling them to support themselves when they leave either of our children’s homes.

In principle, India Direct does not have an upper age limit for the children in its care, instead having a policy of continuing further education into early adult life. None of the children will under any circumstances be sent “back out onto the street”.

An important provision at Bethel and Joy is education. As soon as the children are old enough they attend local schools. We cannot guarantee that every child will succeed at school, but every opportunity will be given for them to have a real chance in life. Their education has either been non existent or interrupted – often poverty has forced families to take them out of school to work. The children are getting older and we are entering a new phase in their development – preparing them for work and eventually to leave us. We are committed to ensuring that our children have a home and a source of income before they go. If final exams are repeatedly failed it’s best to offer trade apprenticeships (tailor, carpenter, builder, metal worker, electrician, government jobs etc).

Satya (pictured above left) was in our care for 8 years . Now a bright young man, who passed all his exams, trained to be a professional photographer at a studio in Chennai city. Preethiba (pictured right), lived at Bethel for over 9 years before going into employment and independence.