Welcome to our blog! Today, we delve into the heart of Snehadhara Foundation’s approach to employee engagements and training. Join us as we explore how our Collective Social Responsibility model is redefining traditional CSR by fostering deep, empathetic connections between corporate teams and the children across our Direct Care programmes. Through immersive employee engagements and arts-based activities, we create inclusive spaces that not only enrich the lives of our beneficiaries but also inspire a profound sense of understanding and collaboration among all participants. Read on to discover how these unique interactions are shaping a more empathetic and inclusive world.
In the evolving landscape of the social sector, the traditional model of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is being reimagined. At Snehadhara Foundation (SF), we champion this transformation by embracing a concept called Collective Social Responsibility. Our approach goes beyond the conventional boundaries of corporate and nonprofit partnerships, aiming to create inclusive spaces and nurture empathy through deep, collaborative engagement. For us, the synergy between corporates and not-for-profit organisations transcends boundaries, evolving into a powerful force for social change.
CSR typically involves corporations partnering with nonprofits to tackle societal issues, offering support through financial contributions, volunteer efforts, and strategic alliances. At SF, we view CSR through a slightly different lens. Collective Social Responsibility at SF brings a focus to not only the social responsibility and the collective effort of those involved, but also a responsibility towards the self in this process. In caring for oneself, we also care for another. Thus, Collective Social Responsibility becomes a self-fueling mechanism. The distinctions between the giver and receiver are blurred. By engaging with this approach, one expands their own social world by caring for another and sometimes, for caring for someone you do not know and may not possibly meet again. Snehadhara recognises the value and courage in applying oneself to this and chooses to champion the same.
Our Employee Engagement and Volunteering Programmes invite corporate teams to immerse themselves in our world at our semi-residential campus in Nelamangala. These initiatives are designed to transcend traditional support mechanisms, encouraging active participation and shared experiences that benefit both the volunteers and our children. Through arts-based methodologies and direct interaction with the children, volunteers may buddy children, host them or engage with them in numerous ways, gaining fresh perspectives and contributing to expanding the social universe of children with disabilities. We know that through our approach to CSR, those who have engaged with us walk away with a distinct awareness of children with disabilities and a consciousness towards caring for those from vulnerable groups. This is the true gift of inclusion where you become present to situations when you notice marginalisation and begin to look at how you can go about including these persons.
Engaging with SF offers profound personal and professional growth. Employees not only gain insights into the challenges faced by children with disabilities but also experience the transformative power of arts-based therapeutic interventions. This hands-on involvement fosters empathy, teamwork, and open communication, enriching their understanding of diversity and inspiring them to advocate for inclusive practices within their own organisations.
SF has hosted and engaged in multiple such employee engagements and partnerships with multiple teams from Cisco, employees of Google, Alation Pvt Ltd., Northern Trust, TCP, Intel and boAT. These interactions have served and enriched both groups, leading to empowerment and enabling action and impact-driven work.
Our approach redefines CSR as a journey of mutual enrichment and collective responsibility, where every interaction builds bridges and creates lasting impact.
Our engagements with the corporates have taken shape in four formats. They are decided based on the number of employees, timings of engagement, and nature of activities to be engaged in, among other factors.
- Outbound Engagement Day – In this type of engagement, employees are hosted at our Nelamangala Campus and are engaged in a host of activities of community living and arts-based learning.
- Premises Engagement Day – In this type of engagement, the SF facilitators engage with the employees at the corporate premises in your location. Sessions relating to diversity and inclusion as well as creating learning collaterals for the children at SF are conducted.
- Uhuru Daily Learning – This is a long-term engagement with the employees where they visit the campus on an hourly basis and support the learning of individuals with varying physical and mental needs.
- Engage and Transform with API Sessions Pan India– Our API (Arts Practice for Inclusion) sessions provide a structured and inclusive approach to arts-based activities, tailored for diverse needs. These sessions, spanning visual arts, music, drama, and movement, aim to foster creativity, self-expression, and personal growth. Employees can actively participate in these sessions conducted pan India, contributing to inclusivity in various settings, from orphanages to hospitals, experiencing the power of the arts.
Apart from these engagements, we also offer a programme called Creative Creations and facilitate Employee training and team-building activities. To know more, visit: CREATIVE CONNECTIONS – impart (snehadhara.org)