Young Professionals Initiative Projects
Indicorps invites young Indian professionals interested in committing their time and skills to India to apply for its new sabbatical program: the Young Professionals Initiative (YPI). YPI is a pilot program designed to encourage young working professionals to contribute their skills and knowledge to the land of their heritage in a meaningful way. The projects include:
Legal - Amend Gujarat court processes to reduce sizeable backlog of cases
Finance – Assist a socially responsible start-up to create robust franchise systems and strong local entrepreneurs
Information Technology – Intergrate information systems for bottom of the pyramid start-up business
Marketing – Capture stories to generate interest in Ahmedabad's unique 600-year heritage
Environmental Planning – Reinvigorate urban environmental policies for walled city of Ahmedabad
Education – Formulate innovative public-private partnerships to increase the adult literacy rate
Education Policy – Strategize comprehensive action plan for statewide vocational programs
Legal: Amend Gujarat court processes to reduce sizeable backlog of cases
Background of the Organization:
The Gujarat National Law University (“GNLU”) has undertaken several projects under Swarnim Gujarat to utilize its legal talent to create greater efficiencies in the Gujarat court processes, while providing practical exposure to its students. One of the Swarnim Gujarat projects is designed to propose viable solutions for clearing the backlog of cases in Gujarat’s lower courts. Currently, the Gujarat judiciary has 2.3 million pending cases.
A bright, active group of GNLU students, supervised by an interdisciplinary team of advisors, has initiated a process that allows for both micro and macro involvement in finding solutions.
The project to clear the backlog of cases has four phases:
- Survey of judges, lawyers, litigants, court personnel, and police (in progress)
- Analysis of the survey results, research on best practice, and initial recommendations
- Piloting of solutions in the Ahmedabad district and monitoring the process
- Drafting a final proposal to the Gujarat government to scale successful practices
GNLU has undertaken a preliminary survey to understand the cause(s) for delay: law students are already interviewing judges, lawyers, litigants, police officers, court personnel. The YPI team will focus on phases 2-4: helping the GNLU team create a strategy to reduce the backlog of cases (based on the information gathered and additional research), piloting of proposed solutions, and drafting of final recommendations to be scaled.
Project:
As an Indicorps YPI Associate, you will assist the Gujarat National Law University in its Swarnim Gujarat ‘backlog of cases’ project.
Goals:
- Analyze the survey results and create an initial recommendations list
- Conduct research on other systemic approaches or legal reforms that might apply
- Pilot initial recommendation(s) in Ahmedabad, monitor to ensure proper execution, and make careful notes of what works and what does not work
- Analyze the results of the Ahmedabad district and put together a proposal of final recommendations for implementation across the State
- Create a relationship with the students, faculty, and administration to determine other ways GNLU can assist in Swarnim Gujarat projects
- Learn the court system through experiential visits
Challenges:
- Understanding of the Indian judicial system
- Suggesting solutions that are tailored to meet Gujarat’s unique issues
- Building consensus on possible solutions that takes into account legal principles, population realities, and an understanding of the Indian mindset
- Navigating bureaucracy with integrity and diplomacy
Profile of Candidate:
Indicorps’ YPI seeks someone who has a law degree, a minimum of 3-5 years work experience, and either a clerkship or practical familiarity with a court system.
Finance: Assist a socially responsible start-up to create robust franchise systems and strong local entrepreneurs
Background of the Organization:
Sarvajal, an offshoot of the Piramal Foundation, was established as a social enterprise in 2008 to find mass-market solutions to India's drinking water crisis. Initially piloted at the Grassroots Development Laboratory in the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan as the Bagar Drinking Water Initiative in 2007, Sarvajal hopes to create micro-enterprises that sell reverse osmosis purified drinking water at an affordable cost.
At the pilot project in Bagar, where fluoride contamination in drinking water leads to premature health problems, it became clear that appropriate pricing and access to purified drinking water had both vested demand and enormous promise as a development intervention. A small team of entrepreneurs – including two recent graduates from IIM-Ahmedabad and two NRIs affiliated with Indicorps – created a scale-able business model to sell water at an accessible price for those living on daily income.
Sarvajal primarily operates through a cost-leadership franchise model: With minimal upfront investment, local ‘water’ entrepreneurs start their own business selling drinking water from a Company-provided community filtration plant. The Company takes a share of revenue to maintain the plant, monitor quality, assist in franchise business development, and provide area-wide marketing support. The local ‘water’ entrepreneur keeps the remainder as profit.
Sarvajal hopes to serve rural India in a financially viable manner. To do so, Sarvajal needs to develop robust franchise systems and reduce operational inefficiencies. Sarvajal would like to focus on two aspects: (1) Creating a robust franchise system and strong local ‘water’ entrepreneurs and (2) Improving systems for collection and regular maintenance in the most effective way for franchisees.
Improving unit-level economics for local ‘water’ entrepreneurs
One of the Sarvajal’s greatest challenges is in creating content that helps each individual entrepreneur strengthen his/her local business. Interventions may include operational practices, marketing and awareness, customer retention strategy, etc. Sarvajal seeks people who are passionate about helping village entrepreneurs build successful small businesses that also provide a public good.
Project:
As an Indicorps YPI Associate, you will join the start-up team to strategize and implement trainings and other improvements for the Sarvajal franchise model.
Goals:
- Strengthening unit-level economics of the franchise model
- Improving the business and operational skills of individual franchisees
- Creating training modules and content that allow franchisees to grow
- Finding alternate sources of revenue to make the franchise attractive
Challenges:
- Understanding the franchisees and their needs
- Developing relationships with the franchisees to ensure buy-in
- Working with local entrepreneurs that have little formal education or business training
- Generating awareness for best practices in water handling and hygiene
- Being mentally prepared to travel and possibly stay overnight in rural villages
Profile of Candidate:
Indicorps’ YPI seeks management consultants or investment bankers with a minimum of 3 years work experience, and an interest in working in a startup environment.
Special Needs:
Language: Conversational knowledge of Gujarati and/or Hindi will be useful.
Information Technology: Intergrate information systems for bottom of the pyramid start-up business
Background of the Organization:
Sarvajal, an offshoot of the Piramal Foundation, was established as a social enterprise in 2008 to find mass-market solutions to India’s drinking water crisis. Initially piloted at the Grassroots Development Laboratory in the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan as the Bagar Drinking Water Initiative in 2007, Sarvajal hopes to create micro-enterprises that sell reverse osmosis purified drinking water at an affordable cost.
At the pilot project in Bagar, where fluoride contamination in drinking water leads to premature health problems, it became clear that appropriate pricing and access to purified drinking water had both vested demand and enormous promise as a development intervention. A small team of entrepreneurs – including two recent graduates from IIM-Ahmedabad and two NRIs affiliated with Indicorps – created a scale-able business model to sell water at an accessible price for those living on daily income.
Sarvajal primarily operates through a cost-leadership franchise model: With minimal upfront investment, local ‘water’ entrepreneurs start their own business selling drinking water from a Company-provided community filtration plant. The Company takes a share of revenue to maintain the plant, monitor quality, assist in franchise business development, and provide area-wide marketing support. The local ‘water’ entrepreneur keeps the remainder as profit.
Sarvajal hopes to serve rural India in a financially viable manner. To do so, Sarvajal needs to develop robust franchise systems and reduce operational inefficiencies. Sarvajal would like to focus on two aspects: (1) Creating a robust franchise system and strong local ‘water’ entrepreneurs and (2) Improving systems for collection and regular maintenance.
Developing integrated systems that improve operational efficiencies
The most expensive thing about Sarvajal is dealing with distributed operations in many villages. Sarvajal seeks to improve systems for collecting revenue from franchisees and ensuring the machinery lasts as long as possible for as cheap as possible. Sarvajal has already created some technological innovations to solve specific issues. However, the company needs to integrate the information collected with broader technological solutions that aggregate and analyze information in a way that makes the company more viable. Sarvajal is looking for saavy young people who can help capture and utilize information that will make the company viable and efficient.
Project:
As an Indicorps YPI associate, you will focus on building control systems that best utilize the technology being developed and analyzes the information being collected to strengthen the business model.
Goals:
- Determining possible technological interventions that need to be developed
- Designing and building systems to appropriately use the technologies already created
- Revising technology with vendors to ensure optimal use by Sarvajal
Challenges:
- Creating technology that leads to actual cost reduction within the economics of rural India
- Ensuring integrated information systems for all Sarvajal functionalities
- Developing a user-friendly interface to present data and information
Profile of Candidate:
Indicorps’ YPI seeks someone with an information technology background and with a minimum of 3 years work experience, and an interest in working in a startup environment.
Marketing: Capture stories to generate interest in Ahmedabad's unique 600-year heritage
Background of the Organization:
Debashish Nayak, an architect and 1990 Ashoka fellow, is developing a people's movement to preserve and restore the rich architectural heritage of India's widely varying neighborhoods. Currently based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Debashish has assisted the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) Heritage Department launch a Freedom Walk, a Walled City Revitalization Project, and an annual heritage festival. Brimming with ideas and excited to get the community to invest in its heritage, Debashish has utilized both local and international volunteers to spark an interest in reviving local community practices and heritage structures. In Debashish’s experience, the process of restoring some of the heritage sites has revived some of the traditional joint family and community-centric living practices. Also, Debashish hopes to encourage social entrepreneurial ventures that will build excitement and greater understanding of culture and heritage.
Project:
As an YPI Associate, you will assist Debashish Nayak and the AMC Heritage Department in creating marketing campaigns for new and existing initiatives. You will also assist in documenting the stories of some of the family impacted by this restoration process, and finding other ways to garner interest in the restorative processes.
Goals:
- Creating a marketing strategies and materials to help promote various heritage department initiatives
- Utilize different media outlets to build interest in walled city of Ahmedabad
- Build and strengthen partnerships with national and international heritage organizations
- Interact with different community members to appreciate the unique cultural nuances of the different heritage sites
Challenges:
- Understanding of the heritage department’s mission, the unique identity of Ahmedabad’s walled city, and the stories that will make the city more vibrant and alive
- Building consensus with local community members
- Remaining motivated despite limited direction and bureaucratic delays
- Being patient and open minded to change of goals and tasks
Profile of Candidate:
Indicorps’ YPI seeks someone with a strong marketing background and a demonstrated interest in anthropology, heritage preservation, environmental economics, or community organizing. A minimum of 3 years work experience required.
Special Needs:
Language: Conversational knowledge of Gujarati and/or Hindi will be useful.
Environmental Planning: Reinvigorate urban environmental policies for walled city of Ahmedabad
Background of the Organization:
For a walled city built in the 1411 A.D., the Old City of Ahmedabad has much to teach us on how to live symbiotically with the environment. Despite being almost 600 years old, the houses in the Old City have sophisticated systems for rainwater harvesting. Each of the house in the pols captured sufficient water during the monsoon season for the family’s annual water needs. Additionally, the buildings were cleverly built with gaps to enable room for movement during an earthquake. Even in the devastating 2001 earthquake, Ahmedabad’s Old City suffered limited damage. A sophisticated sewer system ensures that the Old City of Ahmedabad never floods, even when the more posh areas of town are under water. The Old City even accounts for the habitat of animals – designated bird-feeders, and lifestyles that accommodate cows, goats, dogs and other animals.
Debashish Nayak, an architect and 1990 Ashoka fellow, is developing a people's movement to preserve and restore the rich architectural heritage of India's widely varying neighborhoods. Currently based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Debashish has helped the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) Heritage Department launch a Freedom Walk, a Walled City Revitalization Project, and an annual heritage festival. Brimming with ideas and excited to get the community to invest in its heritage, Debashish has utilized both local and international volunteers to spark an interest in reviving local community practices and heritage structures.
As Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) prepare for the 600 year jubilee, the AMC is eager to share many of their learnings and best practices with respect to the environment.
Project:
As an Indicorps YPI Associate, you will assist Debashish Nayak and the AMC Heritage Department in highlighting, promoting, and reviving strong urban environmental policies.
Goals:
- Identifying promising environmental practices
- Understanding the origins and impact of such practices
- Ensuring support to enable continued use (i.e. clean rooftops for rainwater harvesting)
- Spreading awareness of promising practices (through seminars, brochures, blogposts, etc)
- Creating unique presentations and other materials to build interest from youth around the city
- Documenting and memorializing to ensure sustainability of efforts
Challenges:
- Remaining motivated despite limited direction and bureaucratic delays
- Being patient and open minded to change of goals and tasks
Profile of Candidate:
Indicorps’ YPI seeks someone with a strong environmental planning background and an interest in heritage preservation. A minimum of 3 years work experience required.
Special Needs:
Language: Conversational knowledge of Gujarati and/or Hindi will be useful.
Education: Formulate innovative public-private partnerships to increase the adult literacy rate
Background of the Organization:
According to the 2001 census, the literacy rate in Gujarat is 69.97%. While Gujarat’s literacy rate is above the national average, Gujarat still lags behind states/territories such as Kerala, Goa, Delhi, Chandigarh, etc.
As part of his overall vision for education in Gujarat, Current Education Department Director IAS Officer Hasmukh Adhia seeks to create a volunteer-based program to increase adult literacy rates across Gujarat (“Gujarat adult literacy program”). The Education Department is eager to build upon previous government and non-governmental organization (NGO) literacy programs. Moreover, the Gujarat adult literacy program can draw from the Education Department’s vast networks; the Education Department oversees more than 300 colleges and 50,000 schools (from primary to secondary).
Armed with a mandate to reach 100-percent literacy, the blessings of the Education department, and the census data on which households could use educational assistance, the Gujarat adult literacy program team should propose and pilot various campaigns to improve overall adult literacy.
Project:
As an Indicorps YPI Associate, you will assist the Gujarat adult literacy program team to tangibly improve the adult literacy rate in Gujarat.
Goals:
- Develop a metric to assess literacy rates, in accordance with Education Department standards
- Study previous government and NGO efforts to improve literacy
- Understand the current efforts and hurdles to adult literacy
- Create a road-map and action plan with tangible targets
- Build coalitions with government departments and NGOs who understand local community needs
Challenges:
- Understanding the progress of previous adult literacy campaigns
- Creating excitement (a “buzz”) for a renewed literacy effort
- Meeting tangible goals across diverse communities
- Developing partnerships with knowledgeable and innovative stakeholders
- Navigating bureaucracy with integrity and diplomacy
Profile of Candidate:
Indicorps’ YPI seeks someone with a minimum of 3-years project management and/or educational consulting experience. Candidates must have prior experience in creating public awareness outreach campaigns.
Special Needs:
Language: Conversational knowledge of Gujarati and/or Hindi will be required.
Education Policy: Strategize comprehensive action plan for statewide vocational programs
Background of the Organization:
The Education Department for the State of Gujarat (“Education Department”) provides educational directives and oversees all educational institutions across the state. The Education Department oversees more than 300 colleges and 50,000 schools (from primary to secondary). Current Education Department Director, IAS Officer Hasmukh Adhia, seeks to transform the quality of education in the State, right from elementary school to post graduate level. He also intends to enhance employability of students coming out of schools and colleges. He has plans for broad-based reforms in assessment systems used by the educational institutions currently.
As part of its educational mandate, the Education Department recently launched an initiative to consolidate vocational training programs sponsored by different government departments and agencies. For example, both the Tribal Development Department and Rural Development Department host their own skills development programs to enhance local employment. Entitled “One Mission for Skill and Employment,” the new initiative is designed to share best practices and enhance efficiency for existing vocational programs across government departments and agencies.
The initiative is designed to create a state-wide strategy for vocational skills development. The One Mission for Skill and Employment team will first collect data about skills development programs across the state. The team seeks to understand and analyze the data by skills, geography and beneficiary groups. The goal for the project will be to create a comprehensive action plan.
Project:
As an Indicorps YPI Associate, you will assist the One Mission for Skill and Employment team in its efforts to streamline vocational training programs and enhance their overall effectiveness to make Gujarati youth more competitive for employment.
Goals:
- Analyze existing vocational training programs conducted by various government departments
- Understand current employment needs and the gaps in employability
- Develop an integrated strategy to improve local youth employability
- Re-allocate programs to various Departments
- Create evaluation mechanisms and monitor performance of the new strategy
Challenges:
- Building relationships with all levels of the Education Department to accomplish required tasks
- Performing due diligence in the field to effectively make recommendations
- Balancing needs of various departments and agencies
- Helping develop a common understanding of the mission across various agencies and building consensus on the comprehensive action plan
- Navigating bureaucracy with integrity and diplomacy
Profile of Candidate:
Indicorps’ YPI seeks either someone with an MBA with some background in educational policy OR an educator with management or policy experience (minimum three years professional work experience).
Special Needs:
Language: Conversational knowledge of Gujarati and/or Hindi will be required.
