Antarang Foundation

NGO  

Partner/Client
Antarang Foundation  

Sector
NGO  

Location
Maharashtra  

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Antarang’s CareerAware program is built on the premise that exposure to career options and tools to make informed career choices will enable students to plan their careers and stay in education until they are 18. The program’s long-term goal is for students to develop aspirations and pursue careers of their choice. Antarang Foundation partnered with 4th Wheel to conduct a two-and-a-half-year longitudinal study tracking 9th to 11th-grade students. This report focuses on data from Mumbai, Maharashtra, covering Baseline and Endline between 2021 and 2023. The baseline surveyed 424 students, 401 parents, and 21 trainers, while the endline reached 343 students and 380 parents to study the impact evalulated.

APPROACH

  • Longitudinal Study Design: A two-year longitudinal study was designed to determine the impact of the CareerAware program on students. The program’s Theory of Change model was studied, and an indicator grid was developed. Stakeholders were mapped to determine the intervention’s short-, mid-, and long-term outcomes over two years.

  • Evaluation Objectives: The evaluation aimed to determine whether and how the CareerAware program design has developed the knowledge, skills, and attitudes among young people that will impact their higher education attainment and career choices.

  • Data Collection Tools: Structured interview tools were deployed for students, parents, and implementation partners.

INSIGHTS 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

  • Information on New-Age Careers: Provide students with more information on new-age careers, such as media, Information Technology, and Financial Technology, as well as functional organizational areas like marketing, finance, administration, human resources, and operations for social impact.

  • Contextualized Program Content: Contextualize program content for location and gender and translate it into regional languages to ensure better understanding and awareness among students and parents.

  • Financial Assistance Promotion: Widely promote financial assistance information on scholarships and internships for education courses and career streams among students and parents for financial inclusion.

  • Improved Chatbot Features: Augment the Nantar Kay Chatbot with an array of additional career options, including non-traditional paths like acting and artistry, and build a multilingual chatbot to enable students from diverse linguistic backgrounds to navigate and utilize the app effectively.

  • Regular Follow-Ups: Establish a system for regular follow-ups and communication tools & channels to record the educational and career advancements of Antarang alumni. Deploy career counsellors in schools weekly to provide students with consistent guidance and address their career-related queries.

  • Address Gender Differences: Address gendered differences observed across the career goals of female and male students by showcasing role models who have made significant contributions to their respective fields while defying traditional gender norms.