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Student Support Program Overview Students Selection Criteria Selection, Review & Monitoring Process Some Supported Students Overview One of the main focus areas of Prayas is its Students Support Program, which provides scholarships / financial assistance to deserving and needy students to start or continue basic, higher or vocational education. A well defined operational process and a network of committed volunteers in India and USA ensures effective implementation of this program. An individual student seeking financial assistance from Prayas must be in a situation where he/she cannot start or continue his/her education for lack of funds. Such determination is made by Prayas’s volunteers based on a set of defined criteria and guidelines. Support covers expenses like school/college fees, books, study materials, uniform, commuting, etc. Support is provided for one year at a time. Continuation of support is decided every year based on student’s performance and any changed circumstances. A Prayas volunteer is attached to each supported student as a mentor, who guides the student as needed, periodically monitors his/her studies progress, and coordinates expense reimbursements. Appropriate review and monitoring mechanisms are implemented to ensure effective and transparent operation of the program. Students Selection Criteria In general, a student seeking financial assistance from Prayas must be in a situation where he/she cannot start or continue his/her education for lack of funds. Such determination is made based on a set of defined guidelines, some of which are listed below.
Selection, Review & Monitoring Process Application for support may be submitted by a student himself/herself, or by a family member, relative, teacher, etc. A program management group in India reviews each application and approves or disapproves support based on the defined criteria and guidelines. Often a volunteer meets the student and his/her family to assess the circumstances and need before a decision of support is made. Upon commencement of support the student or his/her family is required to provide a proof of residence and proof of enrollment in the school/college/institute, for example a receipt of fee deposit. A Prayas volunteer who lives in the student’s city or region is associated with each supported student as a mentor. Each mentor meets each student associated with him/her once in four months, and discusses the student’s progress in studies, marks/grades obtained in tests, difficulties faced, etc. and provides guidance as needed. The mentor submits a progress report of the student after this meeting. Students or their families reimburse their expenses with the help of their mentors. Detailed records are kept of all funds usage in each case, including the date and purpose of each expense. Students are required to provide receipts/bills for all major expenses. Support to each student is reviewed for renewal once a year. Factors like student’s performance in studies, any change in student’s family’s income, mentor’s feedback, etc. are taken into consideration when making the decision to renew support. Prayas’s management team in US oversees and guides the program implementation in India. The management team in US receives a monthly update of all supported cases, student progress reports and funds usage. The program management group in India may also seek the opinion of the US team in deciding support for some cases. The program management group in India and the management team in US communicate regularly. Members of the management team in US also review and guide operations in India during their periodic personal visits to India. Most operational processes of Prayas are well defined and documented. Prayas team has built simple and effective IT systems for efficient functioning. For instance, all support applications, decisions and progress reports are entered online and maintained in a database directly accessible to the management teams in US and India.
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