Akanksha Foundation
Education
Partner/Client
Akanksha Foundation
Sector
NGO
Location
Mumbai and Pune, Maharashtra
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Akanksha Foundation has championed quality education and socio-emotional development for children from low-income backgrounds. Operating in Mumbai and Pune, the Foundation offers a vibrant school environment and curriculum, along with an Alumni Support and Engagement (ASE) Program for students in 10th standard and post-graduation. ASE collaborates with alumni to guide their life choices and promote empowerment. In partnership with 4th Wheel, the Akanksha Foundation conducted a study to define and measure empowerment among their alumni by creating a youth empowerment scale for ranking. The study assessed the empowerment levels of Akanksha alumni across key life stages, examining dimensions such as education attainment, employment and income, confidence and communication skills, goal setting, and aspirations to evaluate the impact of the foundation’s initiatives. A comparative analysis was conducted involving 363 Akanksha alumni and 387 individuals from comparative groups to identify program strengths and areas for growth.
APPROACH
- Inception Phase: For effective program development, a youth empowerment framework was formulated based on literature reviews, stakeholder consultations, and qualitative surveys with 50 Akanksha alumni.
- Scale Development Phase: A psychometric scale consisting of four domains and 12 subdomains was created, totalling 44 items on a 5-point Likert scale. This scale underwent expert review and piloting for reliability and validity with alumni and comparative groups.
- Impact Study Phase: Utilized a mixed-methods approach, combining psychometric assessments with qualitative surveys. These surveys targeted Akanksha alumni and a comparative group sourced from colleges and other NGOs through snowball sampling.
Follow this link for more information on the Psychometric Scale and White Paper on the Youth Empowerment Scale Development and Operationalisation Process.
FINDINGS AND RESULTS
Overall Empowerment: The study revealed that Akanksha alumni achieved an average mean total score that indicated a moderate level of overall empowerment across all four domains: assets, agency, enabling environment, and contributions.
Assets: Alumni demonstrated positive performance in academic and educational attainment, communication, and decision-making skills.
Agency: Alumni exhibited a positive outlook on their goals and aspirations. Their confidence ratings were positive and tended to increase with age.
Living Conditions and Well-being: Alumni expressed positive outcomes and satisfaction with their living conditions and well-being.
Contributions: Alumni scores showcased active participation in capacity-developing extracurricular and school activities and strong financial responsibility for their households.
RECOMMENDATIONS/VALUE ADDITION
- Assets: Strengthen educational support with tutoring and personalized learning; introduce problem-solving exercises and decision-making workshops; boost communication skills through training and public speaking opportunities; and offer career readiness programs, internships, and soft skill development.
- Agency: Implement career counselling and mentorship programs; promote health awareness with education and stress management workshops; build confidence through active participation in activities and recognizing achievements; and foster a supportive environment for open discussions and self-esteem.
- Enabling Environment: Provide continuous mentorship and guidance; conduct campaigns to inform about scholarships and grants and offer financial literacy workshops for smart financial planning.
Contributions: Promote community & social service as well as volunteering; develop mentorship programs to improve leadership, communication, and project management skills; and recognize and celebrate youth contributions through awards and acknowledgements, fostering a culture of appreciation.
