The first step of the program is to reach out to youth and low-income communities. Home visits, relationship building with community leaders and working with Lighthouse alumni, are some outreach strategies. In addition, local Corporators promote the Lighthouse concept within their constituencies and PMC social workers support in spreading awareness in communities. Over 70% enrollments at the Lighthouse happen through references provided by Lighthouse alumni.

20% inflexion point The Lighthouse program has a strategy of enrolling over 20% households from each slum community because the belief is that 20% household penetration constitutes an inflection point for the culture, sense of possibility and ‘agency’ of the entire community to change. Accordingly, enrolment, skilling and placement statistics are tracked for every slum community.
We work with some of the most marginalized youth

59%

enrolments are women
ZERO

educational qualifications for entering the Lighthouse
81%

students are school dropouts/ 10th Pass/ 12th Pass

83%

of placed youth have never worked before
100%

youth are from low-income households and 60% live in slums/chawls/ villages

The Foundation course is at the core of the Lighthouse program. It comprises a 40-hour arts-based curriculum that is focussed on “Agency building” and workplace readiness. Recently, a 65-hour Conversational English program has been added, thus making it a 105-hour program.

The Foundation course aims to unleash the inner potential of each youth, bringing about a positive shift in self-image and opening up new possibilities. The culture of the Lighthouse is key to enabling young people to come into their own. Each Lighthouse is a safe, non-judgmental space where students have a consistent experience of dignity and respect.

The two key aspects of the Counselling process are- a deep belief in a young person’s potential and ‘freedom of choice’.

The objective of career counselling at the Lighthouse is to help each young person find her/ his path to full potential. Having moved each student from a place of choicelessness to one of possibility through the Foundation Course, it would not make sense to offer limited options for vocational skilling. Rather, youth are encouraged to decide on the vocational skill of their choice.

Each student is equipped with three kinds of information in order to make this decision: an analysis of their aspirations and interest, an aptitude assessment, and market trends. This is done through 1-1 counselling sessions in which the student determines the meeting point of her/ his aspirations, talent and market reality.

Being a collective action program, the Lighthouse has entered into partnerships with vocational skilling partners across t]he city, thus enabling wide choice. Till date, over 55 skilling courses have been held in partnership with 20+ skilling partners.

The Lighthouse team continues being in touch with students after they start their vocational skilling program. Attendance is tracked, as well as program quality. If and where required, conversations are held with the youth, their family or the skilling partner.

Skilling courses which are in high demand such as data entry/ accounting/ office administration/ fashion designing or beautician are held within the precincts of the Lighthouse. Other courses which have only a few students enrolling per batch are held at the location of the skilling partner.
We work with some of the most marginalized youth

Pre-placement coaching, CV making, mock interviews and personal support during the entire interview process are important components of this stage. family counselling is undertaken when it comes to accepting a job offer.

Two-thirds of the placements from the Lighthouse are generated through self-leads. This implies that youth feel empowered enough, after the Foundation course, to generate their own job leads. This is the best possible outcome because it sets-up a young person to be resourceful and take initiative at a later stage in life as well – which is what makes this a sustainable livelihood program.

Currently, the placement ecosystem comprises of 800+ organizations. Many of these are SMEs emanating from local economic opportunities. These kinds of enterprises is well-positioned to be the stepping stones that young people require to be able to make the transition from the informal to the formal sector
Some of 800+ placement partners

The goal of the Lighthouse program is not limited to finding jobs for young people but also for them to continue being employed.

Once the youth join a workplace, it is a time of great vulnerability. These new entrants into the formal sector are thrown into an alien culture. The world of work itself is new to them. Hence, post-placement mentoring and emotional support are critical. The team works with the employers too where possible, for effective integration of the youth.

Alumni also act as ambassadors of the program. They refer new students, hold sessions for current batches and participate actively in Lighthouse events. During the COVID lockdown, they acted as community champions and handled the food distribution work at the community level, managed the helpline calls and encouraged potential students to join the Lighthouse program online.
Alumni of the Lighthouse feel connected – there is a feeling of trust & bond. Often, they are a peer-support group for each other.