Sangam means a meeting or confluence of different rivers which come together to make something greater. In the same way as rivers meet, this programme aims to give an environment to learn, create, and build a community of peers and friends, fostering true presence and love in a non-threatening, empathetic atmosphere for all learners regardless of age, background, abilities, and the type of learning they engage in—whether in mainstream schools, special schools, inclusive schools, open learning, homeschooling, or unschooling, for real-world impact.

Sangam: A Confluence of Open Learning and Artistic Expression

The Genesis and Context

At Snehadhara, our mission is to create a nurturing and inclusive learning environment where every child and family can thrive. We use arts as a medium to meet learning, academic, and therapeutic goals, celebrating diversity and ensuring learning is accessible, enjoyable, and meaningful. Inspired by this commitment, we launched the Sangam programme in 2021, symbolizing a confluence of diverse learners coming together. 

Sangam has become a space of reprieve for children and adults with diverse needs and socio-economic backgrounds using arts practices. It offers an inclusive environment to learn, create, and build a community of peers and friends, fostering presence and love in a non-threatening, empathetic atmosphere. After three years of success at our Nelamangala campus and various outdoor locations, we are re-imagining Sangam to reach a broader audience, opening it to all learners regardless of age, background, abilities, or learning styles. 

Click Here to Know More

Our Core Beliefs

Every Child is Unique

We recognize and honor the individuality of each child, tailoring our programs to meet their specific needs and interests.

Inclusion Matters

We are committed to creating inclusive learning environments where every child feels valued and supported.

Learning: A Lifelong Journey

We encourage learning that extends beyond the classroom, fostering curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking skills.

Community is Key

We believe in the power of community and strive to build strong, supportive networks for families and children.

Our Intent with Sangam

At the heart of this programme is a commitment to spark curiosity and inspire individuals to ask questions, seek answers, and make discoveries, while coming together collaboratively with a diverse peer group. This approach not only enhances their knowledge and skills but also cultivates a sense of joy and fulfillment in the learning process. Additionally, our approach influences how children learn, ensuring that they meet their learning and academic goals.

Inward Flowering

This principle nurtures each learner’s innate qualities and potential, encouraging them to be true to themselves and achieve success through self-awareness and authenticity. We believe that every individual is born with unique talents and capabilities.

Learn to Learn

This principle emphasizes the process of learning itself, focusing on how to learn rather than what to learn- perfection is not the expected outcome. Our approach instills a mindset of continuous growth, equipping participants with the critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, resilience and adaptability needed to thrive in diverse environments.

Experiential Learning (EL)

Engages participants in direct experiences and focused reflection to increase knowledge and develop skills. Interactive sessions facilitate learning through discussion, hands-on activities, arts-based learning, experiential workshops, and collaborative projects to build peer groups. 

Inclusive Learning (IL)

Ensures that every individual, regardless of their abilities or background, can participate and benefit from our programs. We create an environment that respects diversity and promotes equal opportunities, helping participants develop empathy, respect, and a sense of community.

Outbound Learning (OL)

Takes learning outside the traditional classroom setting, using our affiliated eco-spaces to provide a joyful, social, and natural learning environment. These outdoor activities stimulate curiosity and exploration, allowing participants to connect with nature and the world around them- classrooms without walls!

Who is Sangam for?

  1. Alternative education enthusiasts
  2. Open learners/Homeschoolers
  3. Self-directed learners
  4. Un-schoolers
  5. Children with diverse learning abilities
  6. Families Committed to Open Learning
  7. School Children seeking community service and inclusive learning experiences
  8. Parents and Caregivers
  9. Educational Institutions and Organizations interested in bringing their children and teams

Objectives of Sangam 

  1. Foster children’s natural abilities and interests to help them be self-directed learners. 
  2. Instill a passion for learning by emphasizing the process of learning itself, promoting adaptability and curiosity.
  3. Develop children’s abilities to communicate, cooperate, and build friendships through interactive and team-based activities.
  4. Provide tools and experiences that empower children to learn independently and realize their full potential.
  5. Create a balanced approach that combines academic learning with life skills, ensuring children are equipped with both knowledge and practical abilities. This integration fosters well-rounded development, preparing children for academic success and real-world challenges.
  6. Create a space that fosters social communication and interaction among diverse learners.

Our Offerings

At our campus, we offer four distinct programmes designed to provide diverse and enriching learning experiences for learners of all ages and backgrounds. Each programme focuses on holistic development through the use of arts as a tool, incorporating artistic interventions to meet both academic and non-academic goals, and fostering community engagement.

Weekday Programme

  • Participants: Learners aged 5 and above, with parents welcome to join as additional participants.
  • Duration: 9am – 4pm
  • Experiences:
    • Arts-based sessions using dance, movement, drama, music, play, visual arts, and more.
    • Experiential workshops hosted by experts.
    • Outbound learning experiences surrounded by nature.
    • Activities designed to meet academic goals through immersive and interactive learning experiences.
    • Collaborative space for like-minded learners, building a community of peers involved in alternative education practices.
  • Cost: 750 INR per participant

Overnighter on Campus

  • Participants: Learners aged 5 and above, and/or their parents.
  • Duration: Two days with an overnight stay.
  • Experiences:
    • Experiencing community living on campus—a home away from home.
    • Opportunities for community connection and building friendships with other children and families.
    • Engaging in educational activities that support academic growth alongside social and emotional development.
    • Sharing experiences and journeys of alternate schooling systems and discussing best practices.
    • Experiencing togetherness and building peer relationships through shared activities and overnight stays.
  • Cost: 2200 INR per participant (with transport); 1900 INR per participant (without transport)

Weekend Programme

  • Participants: Children and young adults from diverse backgrounds.
  • Duration: Saturday, 9am – 4pm
  • Experiences:
    • Inclusive learning opportunities as diverse groups of participants come together.
    • Theme-based sessions conducted using multiple art forms.
    • Opportunities for children to expand their social worlds by interacting with peers from different backgrounds.
    • Engaging with varied groups of learners, experiencing learning environments different from their usual ones.
  • Cost: 1000 INR per participant (with transport); 750 INR per participant (without transport)

Family Retreat

  • Participants: Families of open learners, home-schoolers, and those in alternative learning environments.
  • Experiences:
    • Utilizing the Snehadhara campus as a retreat to escape the hustle and bustle of city life.
    • Engaging in community-driven experiences, fostering a sense of togetherness.
    • Participating in curated workshops, experiential learning, outbound learning, and nature-based sessions.
    • Creating dialogue spaces and curated artistic experiences for adults involved in the the learning journey of a child.
    • Sharing facilitated learning spaces with not just your child but also buddying with another child to enhance the learning experience.
  • Cost: Based on duration of stay and curated experience.

We would love to meet you, host you on campus, and share more about our programme offerings. If you’d like to enroll or learn more:

Click Here!

Our Previous Work with Alternate Learning Spaces

The Snehadhara team hosted students from Centre for Learning (CFL) at our campus. CFL is a community of students and adults interested in learning about themselves and their relationship with the world, with a focus not only academics and other life skills, but also a deeper exploration about their emotions and thought processes and the way they respond to the challenges of life. This interaction was designed to help the CFL students understand the essence of Snehadhara’s work, especially our focus on inclusion and the arts practices.
   
Click here to know more.
Snehadhara Foundation was thrilled to host children and teachers from Knowledgeum Academy at our Nelamangala campus. Knowledgeum Academy is a school that focusses on experiential and holistic learning for school students and we were happy to have Psychology and Art students for an interactive visit.
  
The curious students were taken through a session with true Snehadhara flavour- full of action songs and dance. They interacted beautifully with the campus children and made that experience their own in such beautiful ways. The group shared how the arts allowed them to feel a sense of belonging even after having met for the first time and gave a sense of freedom from judgement.
 
Click here to know more. 
Snehadhara Foundation hosted individuals as part of Satsangam Yatra’s Education Diaries over the past two years. This extraordinary journey of Education Diaries seeks to rethink, reimagine and reform education and how we view and understand the same. As part of the journey, educators from across the country seek to understand non-traditional education systems, understand learning environments that bring out the highest potential, freedom and autonomy and the pedagogies that bring out consciousness, sensitivity, compassion and self-reliance.
   
The groups visited the Nelamamgala campus and received an orientation and first hand experience of the arts-based interventions and inclusive community set up that is at the core of all that SF does.
     
Click here to know more.
We welcomed 22 students from the University of Washington, Seattle, to our Nelamangala campus as part of their month-long field immersion across India to understand social impact and entrepreneurship in the country. Their visit included accompanying students from our Direct Care programme on a field trip to Hesarghatta Lake. This experience was crafted to practice inclusion by embracing diversity in thought, experience, and people, bringing the principles of inclusion to life in a real and impactful way.
Click here to know more.