India CSR News Network
MUMBAI: 75 young social leaders were felicitated at the convocation ceremony of YES FOUNDATION Media for Social Change Fellowship 2017 (Mumbai cohort) in the presence of Chief Guest Mr. Arnab Goswami, Managing Director, Republic TV.
The Fellowship is a high impact program to develop socially conscious youth leadership, in association with ISDI|WPP School of Communication and supported by YES BANK. The 75 high-potential Fellows were chosen after a rigorous multi-stage selection process and placed with 31 credible NGOs across Mumbai where they supported the communication efforts of the organisations.
Rana Kapoor, Co-Chairman and Chief Mentor, YES FOUNDATION said, “India’s inclusive development necessitates harnessing the incredible positive energy of our nation’s youth. The country faces great development challenges, but inherent in these challenges are significant opportunities for the Indian youth to exercise their creativity, develop solutions and make a good impact.”
The second edition was launched by Chief Guest Mr. Gururaj Deshpande, Ex-Co-Chair, Barack Obama’s National Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship Strategy & Founder, Deshpande Foundation.
Addressing the audience, Mr. Arnab Goswami said, “I would like to commend YES FOUNDATION for mentoring and empowering the YES FOUNDATION Media for Social Change Fellows, who are potentially some of the best minds in the country. I am certain that these changemakers will continue to action solutions to social issues which are potent, and relevant.”
The Fellows were placed in NGOs across Mumbai, including Teach for India, HelpAge India, Tata Power Community Development Trust, CRY, amongst others, for seven weeks where they led well defined communication projects under the mentorship and guidance of industry experts and senior NGO leadership.
Urvashi Chudawala, one of the top performing Fellows spoke of her experiences, “I had volunteered with NGOs before, but this Fellowship has opened up a completely different aspect of the social sector. I got the opportunity to use my media skills for a bigger cause. The induction training we received at the beginning really helped me tackle the challenges that came up while I worked with my NGO.”
Last year, the Fellowship received an overwhelming response of 922 registrations from premier colleges across India. In the inaugural edition, 45 high-potential aspirants in the age group of 18-25 years were selected as Fellow Designates after a rigorous selection process and placed in 19 NGOs across Mumbai.
Prerana Langa, CEO, YES FOUNDATION said, “We strongly believe in bridging gaps in the ecosystem. Towards this, YES FOUNDATION Media for Social Change Fellowship empowers youth to emerge as strong social leaders, while providing communication and volunteering resources to strengthen the development sector. We are delighted to see the enthusiasm and commitment of the youth and are sure that they have added value to NGOs to amplify their social impact.”
