Sri Satya Sai Rural Vocational Training Centres (SSS RVTC)
What is RVTC:
Rural Vocational Training Centre is a by-product of the deep concern and selfless thought of Sri Sathya Sai Organisations, India aiming at improving the economic conditions of the unemployed youth in a particular village and to create areas of self-employment. Also it streamlines the youth by helping them to focus and hone their skills, rather than on unwarranted pursuits. Skill training is offered totally free of cost along with free boarding and lodging at selected few centres where the youth do not have access to the centre from their village. Skill trainings are catered according to the needs of the neighbourhood of that particular village by RVTC team.
Mission Objective:
- To train unemployed youth from Sri Sathya Sai Village Integrated Program(SSS VIP) villages and its neighbourhood in multi skills that are required in the rural areas.
- To help the trained youth to set up small service centers in their villages, enabling them to gain economic independence.
- To avert migration of village youth to towns and cities.
- To inculcate ethics and values in youth.
Why this focus on Youth:
Of the 1300 million Indian Population, 40% are in the age group of 13-35 years, defined as youth in the National Youth Policy(520 million) and, in this age group, the unemployment rate is 13% (67 million) and will grow to 15.5% (80 million) within a year. This rise in youth unemployment is not only because of the direct economic costs, but also due to the social impact of joblessness manifested by increased crime, mental health problems, violence, drug taking and social exclusion are indicators of degenerating society.
To establish a harmonious society for peaceful coexistence, which is Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s Sankalpam, SSSSO has undertaken well known activities like Vidya Seva, Vaidya Seva, Water projects, Balvikas etc.
Of all these, Balvikas, Swami’s pet project, prepares the children who would certainly transform this society when they grow up (may be 15-20 years later). The SSSVIP programs, like Medicare(Vadya Seva), Narayana Seva (Annadhanam), protein distribution, housing etc serve the needs for the immediate present. The gap in between of these two i.e. of 15-25 years, when the current youth play a very important part in the competitive society, has to be filled with opportunities for these disadvantaged youth. The SSS RVTC Program (Sri Sathya Sai Rural Vocational Training Center), started in the year 2014, exactly addresses this problem. Though some of these activities have been going on even prior to 2014, this has been systematized in 2014 and so far, 9400 youth were trained with 26 Centers serving across India.
Salient features of SSS RVTC:
- The training is totally free of cost to the trainee
- Provides Seva opportunity to members of SSSSO.
- The duration of the training is 3 to 6 months
- The skills are selected according to the requirement/need of the village.
- In some centers, free boarding and lodging is provided for trainees. Districts, which do not have RVTC, can send youth from villages to these centers for training.
- Free tool kits and uniforms are provided to trainees
- TVS MOTORS is very much involved with RVTC. Whenever requested, they provide training to the students in two wheeler repair and service at their service centers
- Integral to training curriculum is Sarva dharma principles, ethics, values and yoga.
- Project work: At the end of training, the trainees are sent to Prasanthi Nilayam to work in the Maintenance section. Normally it coincides with a particular State’s Prasanthi Seva
- The RVTC mission was declared as a National initiative in April 2014. Following this directive, a number of Centers (26 as on date) were started across India and are functioning well. A brief summary of the performance of these centers is presented herein to understand the extent of the achievement of the well thought out objectives and sustainability perspective.
SSS RVTC in Andhra Pradesh:
Sri Sathya Sai Rural Vocational Training Centres (SSS RVTC) have been set up by SSSSO as one of the three National projects throughout the country. In Andhra Pradesh, they are established at Anantapur (Tadipatri) and West Godavari (Pothepalli).
SSS RVTC has so far trained about 100 youth in various skills like Domestic electrical wiring, Plumbing, Pump set repair, AC repair, Tailoring and Maggam works, Tractor repair ,Mobile phone servicing etc.
The trainees have been provided with complete set of Tool kits so that they can earn their livelihood in their respective locations serving the surrounding villages.
New programmes to empower rural youth have been undertaken by providing free vocational training in those trades which are in great demand at village level. These trades are selected based on the information obtained from village survey, district employment office and job placement potential.
Youth wing of SSSSO have initiated several programs like RPL (Reprogramming Lives), Higher Education Projects and Youth conventions to empower the unemployed.
Women Empowerment:
In association with BIRED (Bankers' Institute of Rural and Entrepreneurship Development), several skill development programmes have been undertaken in Advance Tailoring, Maggam and Zardoshi , Beautician Courses etc. in most of the districts of Andhra Pradesh.
***** Jai Sairam