Report Submitted to PRME KCT Business School, India January 2017 Social Immersion Project Introduction Social Immersion Projects are off-campus, service opportunities for the students of the MBA program at sites in and around Coimbatore. Students travel to a site where they work and serve in a community on a range of social issues. Each project seeks to foster a dialogue between the students and the host community around issues of social justice. By working alongside community leaders and sharing their stories, students learn about themselves and the world. Short term immersion programs present multiple opportunities for growth and learning beyond the classroom environment. Students find Immersion Projects to be exciting and powerful educational experiences. At KCT Business School, Social Immersion Programs are designed to have some measured impact on any number of factors, primarily cognitive and emotional. A brief synopsis of prior studies shows that immersion trips have helped students develop a greater sense of social commitment (Ngai, 2006); a growth in ethnic consciousness and cultural awareness (Flannery, 1999); a stronger sense of environmental sensitivity (Metzger & McEwen, 1999); significant increases in students compassion levels (Plante, Lackey & Hwang, 2009); a better understanding of oneself, the community, and others (Rhoades & Neurerer, 1998); more commitments to further service (McCarthy, 1994); a greater ability to cope with stress (Mills, Bersamina & Plante, 2007); improved academic achievement (Gray, Geschwind, Ondaatje, Robyn, Klein, Sax, Astin, & Astin, 1996); and improved critical thinking skills (Astin, Vogelgesang, Ikeda, & Yee, 2000). The SIP was introduced 4 years back into the curriculum of the MBA program and students have had life changing experiences. Students greater identified with becoming more competent in understanding diversity of the society and their personal responses to the
challeneges. The students insights demonstrate an understanding of the importance of continuous self-reflection and its relation to external contributions to the society. The SIP also had direct impact on students in strengthen the relationships between students, problem solving and networking skills. For many students it was, an important developmental milestone is in understanding a larger world of social responsibilities and reflecting on one s place in it. Key Features Part of MBA Program I semester Partnership with Corporation, local administration, NGO, Industry 180 students 45 hours of preparatory work & 40 Hours field work Projects based on UN s SDG Focus on one to three villages Objective of SIP: To sensitize students on civic and community issues. To enhance their interpersonal skills and work as a team. To understand the problems of marginalized community and enhance their status through capacity building. Scope of the Project SIP 16 Social Immersion project was carried out during the I semester (September November 2016). The project carries 3 credits. KCT Business School is a signatory Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) - an initiative that is the first organized relationship between the United Nations and business schools, with the PRME Secretariat housed in the UN Global Compact Office, which launched at the 2007 UN Global Compact Leaders Summit in Geneva. PRME promotes the heart of UN s Agenda 2030 are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 related targets that address the most important economic, social, environmental and governance challenges of our time. The SDGs are relevant for business schools as they have the ability to influence students with responsible and sustainable business practices. This influence shapes tomorrow s business leaders and society. Hence it 2 P a g e
was decided by the Course Committee that in 2016 the students engagement will focus on the 17 SDG. These SDGs were linked with the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana given by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, to actualize the dreams of Rural India. The Yojana aims to empower the villagers to make choices and provide them with opportunities to exercise those choices. The Scheme will give direction and our ingenuous villagers will pave their own path through their hard work and entrepreneurial skills. Project Planning A Project Management Team which includes faculty, seniors and students will be in charge Project Team and mentors formation Identification of Project area through visits & discussions and allocation of faculty guide Finalization of partnering NGO and the corporates Approval of the Project proposal by PMT Follow-up for sustainablility of the Project Project consolidation and submission for viva voce On field project execution Execution Discussions with district, city, local administrators on projects & permissions 3 P a g e
for overall ideation and planning of the project. Second year interested students will be student mentors for SIP. Each team should be associated with an NGO, and a faculty supervisor will be responsible for guidance and assessment. Project Location The Project Management Team will identify 7 villages adjoining villages in the community where the Institution is located based on discussion with District and city administrators, local panchayats and social organizations. The seven villages were Kallipalayam,, Athipalayam, Kondayampalayam, Vellanapatti, AS Kulam and SS Kulam. Students were divided into to a team of 6 members. Each team was associated with an NGO in their relevant area and a faculty guide was allocated to each team for ensuring the success of the project. NGO Partners The NGO partners for Social Immersion Project 2016 were Annai Karangal, Eegai thiran, Vithai youth Organisation, Association of Intellectual mission, Rural Development Foundation, Agni Foundation, VER Organisation, Eco green unit, Inaindha Karangal, Rammasamy Chinnammal trust, Gram Vikas trust, Wings service society, Tamil Nadu service forum, G18 charitable trust, Wens foundation. Apart from NGO partners, Nodel partners were also involved in few projects. The Nodel partners include Canara Bank, Pay TM, and Agriculutrual University Coimbatore. Teams carried out projects on UN themes like Good Health and Wellbeing, Decent work and Economic growth, Life on Land, No Poverty, Gender Equality, Quality Education, Clean water, Zero Hunger, Climate change, Industry Innovation and Infrastructure. By associating with 19 NGO partners the 17 th theme of UN goal Partnerships for the Goals were also achieved. Thirty students took up Special project on Digitization of small businesses to induce them towards cashless transactions under the current scenario based on Prime Minister s Digital India Campaign which has gained momentum after currency Demonetization. Under this project, the students created awareness and made small business merchants to go for cashless digital payment transactions with the support of Pay TM sales team staffs. They 4 P a g e
reached out to the shops/merchants/vendors in Saravanampatti, Chinnavedampatti, Kurumbapalayam, Kovilpalayam, Annur, Puliyampatty, Sathiyamangalam, Thudiyalur, Koundampalayam, Edayarpalayam, Chinnathadagam, kalapatty, Neelambur, Arasur, kaniyur, Karumathampatty, Ganapathi, Gandhipuram, Avinashi road and Peelamedu. Project carried out by different teams include Women empowerment through skill development, Preparation and promotion of organic fertilizers, Herbal and vegetable gardening, cleanliness of rural village through construction of eco friendly dustbins, enriching educational infrastructure, Enhancing quality education in government school through library setup, installation of computers and creating awareness about Sukanya Samridhi schemes, to provide farming solution by testing PH value in water, construction of bio water purifier, creation of employment opportunities by terrace gardening, renovation of children park, educating and enrollment Education and enrollment in Central Government social upliftment projects Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) scheme, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY), tree planting with an objective of creating green village, plastic waste awareness and implementation of waste recycling in the village and school, providing soil health card to the farmers through soil testing,kitchen garden and establishment of Vermicompost pits. Total Number of Beneficiaries for the Social Immersion Project 2016 was 2946. Details are given in Annexure 1 Social Immersion Project 2016 was highly successful, as student teams were able to serve more number of beneficiaries with sustainable project ideas, the learning for the students were also enormous, which they shared during their viva-voce. January 23, 2017 Dr. Vijila kennedy Director KCT Business School Coimbatore, India www.kct.ac.in vijila@kctbs.ac.in 5 P a g e
Annexure 1 Social Immersion Project -November 2016 S.no UN Sustainability Global Goals Project Theme UN- Sustainable Development Goals Area NGO partner No Beneficiaries 1 Goal 1 : NO Poverty Women Empowerment / Masala Powder - making, pricing, packaging and marketing kovilpalayam Ramasamy Chinnammal trust 40 women 2 Goal 1 : NO Poverty Women empowerment through skill development Kallipalayam Agni foundation 30 women Preparation and promotion of organic fertilizers, Herbal and Vegetable Gardening. G18 Charitable Trust 3 Goal 2: Zero Hunger 70 farmers Goal 3: Good Health 4 and Wellbeing Cleanliness of rural area Kallipalayam Annai Karangal 60 students 5 6 Goal 4: Quality Education Enriching Educational Infrastructure S.S.Kulam Marialaya Goal 4: Quality Education 245 (240 students+5 teachers) Enhancing quality education in government school through library setup, installation of computers and creating awareness about Sukanya Samridhi schemes Athipalayam Ver Organisation 185 students 7 Goal 4: Quality Education Vocational Training kallipalayam Associates of Intellectual Mission 50 students 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Goal 5: Gender Equality Women Empowerment- workshop on handicraft To test the PH value of water and suggest farming solutions Vellanapatti Aakruthi Rotaract Club Rural Development foundation 26 students 110 farmers Drinking water accessibility and water Vellanaipatti AIM Ngo 417 (students management efficiency in school +individuals) Kondayampalay Waste management- sanitation am Gram Vikas trust 25 houses WINGS service Bio Water Purifier Vellanapatti socity 10 house holds Kallipalayam Vidhai Foundation Rain water Harvesting Pit 3 households Goal9: Industry Innovation and Self Employment opportunities for Home makers - Food & handicrafts Creation of job opportunities by establishing nurseries and common terrace garden Creating access to banking and insurance services Creating access to banking and insurance services Vellanaipatti Kondayamplaya m Eegai thiran Inaidha Karangal G 18, Canara Bank NERD 50 Women 34 households 60 individuals 53 individuals Infrastructure Cash 2 Digital Pay TM Pay TM 593 shops Goal9: Industry Innovation and Renovation of children park Athipalayam AIM Ngo Infrastructure 375 children 6 P a g e
20 21 Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities Goal 13: Climate Action Education and enrollment in Central Govt social upliftment projects - Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) scheme,pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) Creating Green Village _ Tree planting AS Kulam G 18, Canara Bank 175 individuals Kondainpallaiya Ver Organization m 75 children Swatch Bharath - Plastic waste awareness and implementation of waste recycling in the village and school+ organic farming (as kulam school) + tree plantation AS Kulam 22 Goal 15:Life on Land Ver Organisation 230 villagers 23 Goal 15:Life on Land Soil health card - Soil Testing, advising on crop growth and Implementation of hydrogel Technology AS Kulam Ver Organization 15 farmers 24 Goal 15:Life on Land 25 Goal 15:Life on Land Kitchen garden & Planting fruit trees + small orchard for Panchayat (30 trees) TN Bio diversity and Greening Project (TGBP) of TN Govt SS Kulam AS Kulam Wen's Foundation TN Science Forum & Forest Department 61 houses 5 farmers 26 Goal 15:Life on Land Goal 17: Partnership 27 for the goals Establishment of vermicompost pits - and avoidance of Chemical fertilizers 19 NGO Partners Vellanaipatti Eco Green 5 farmers 7 P a g e