SELebrating Inclusion Summit (SIS) 2023
An annual gathering for Social Emotional Learning and Inclusion
April 27-29, 2023
April 27-29, 2023
Thank you to all who made this summit a success! |
Change is possible only when all those that are part of the context come together to make systems more inclusive
and conducive to social and emotional wellbeing.
Apni Shala and Ummeed come together once again to advocate for Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Inclusion and to create a platform to bring all stakeholders in the world of social emotional learning and inclusion together. The SELebrating Inclusion Summit is envisioned to be an annual SEL and inclusion gathering of organizations, policy makers, schools, educational institutions, families, educators and any individuals working towards making the education system more inclusive, safe and focused on the wellbeing of those accessing it.
The third edition of the SELebrating Inclusion Summit (SIS 2023) will explore “Culture, Policy, and Practices to build Social Emotional Learning informed Inclusive Education”.
SIS 2023 hopes to build on the discussions from the previous summit which revolved around development of inclusive systems, discussion on SEL in public education systems, impact of being inclusive of diverse learners needs on access to SEL, mindsets, resources and support systems, implementing SEL curriculum, and making SEL and inclusion a reality at scale. Moreover, it intends to explore in-depth the intersection of inclusion and SEL and the possibilities that it creates.
Why attend SIS 2023?
The intention of SIS 2023 is to create a space for attendees to:
- Delve deeper to explore the practices underpinning inclusion and SEL
- Foster partnerships for furthering SEL and inclusion
- Experience wellbeing and inclusion
Where and when will SIS 2023 be hosted?
SIS 2023 is a sign-up based event hosted in a hybrid mode (online, offline, live stream).
The event will be spread across 3 days i.e. April 27, 28, and 29, 2023.
The event will be spread across 3 days i.e. April 27, 28, and 29, 2023.
- Day 1 (April 27) will be online.
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Please note delivery modes for each session in the Schedule section.
Who can attend?
Individuals representing organizations or in their individual capacities can sign up to attend SIS 2023.
We welcome all individuals working with organizations/schools/educational institutions, policy makers, families, caregivers, educators, mental health professionals, students and anybody else working towards making the education system more inclusive, safe and focused on the wellbeing of those accessing it.
We welcome all individuals working with organizations/schools/educational institutions, policy makers, families, caregivers, educators, mental health professionals, students and anybody else working towards making the education system more inclusive, safe and focused on the wellbeing of those accessing it.
Themes
SystemsPanel discussions, keynote address, or sessions that focus on the Culture, Policy & Practice that nurture SEL and inclusion. This will include students, teachers, govt. officials, families, school principals, and NGO representatives.
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StoriesSpotlighting the work of organizations, communities, and individuals in the SEL and inclusion landscape in India and the world.
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Spaces of WellbeingWorkshops and experiential spaces that seek to nurture wellbeing, care and inclusion for all participants in practice and highlight inclusive and SEL practices.
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Schedule
A summary of the three days of the summit is given below. A description of each of the sessions will be provided soon.
Delivery modes vary. Please see notes regarding delivery mode (Offline/Online/Live Streaming options) for each session.
SIS 2023: Exploring Culture, Policy, ad Practices to build Social Emotional Learning informed Inclusive Education
Delivery modes vary. Please see notes regarding delivery mode (Offline/Online/Live Streaming options) for each session.
SIS 2023: Exploring Culture, Policy, ad Practices to build Social Emotional Learning informed Inclusive Education
Time |
Session |
Details |
How you can Join |
9:30 am - 10:00 am |
Introduction, Intention Setting, and Welcome to the Summit |
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Online on Zoom + Livestream available |
10:30 am - 10:45 am |
Experiential Activity |
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Online on Zoom + Livestream available |
11:00 am - 12:15 pm |
Role of Culture, Policies and Practices in building SEL informed inclusive schools (Panel Discussion) |
Topics
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Online on Zoom + Livestream available |
12:15 pm - 12:45 pm |
Reflection Groups |
- |
Online on Zoom + Livestream available |
12:45 pm - 1:45 pm |
Lunch Break |
- |
- |
1:45 pm - 3:00 pm |
SEL-Informed Inclusive Policies for Schools |
Topics
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Online on Zoom + Livestream available |
3:15 pm - 4:30 pm |
Who and what is missing from the conversation around SEL and Inclusion? |
Topics
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Online on Zoom + Livestream available |
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm |
Reflection and Closure | Key takeaways from today and hope for the future |
- |
Online on Zoom + Livestream available |
Time |
Session |
Details |
How you can join |
9:00 am - 10:00 am |
Registration |
- |
In-person |
10:00 am - 10:30 am |
Welcome/ Intention Setting |
- |
In-person |
10:30 am - 11:30 am |
What if... :Stories of hope from the field |
Topics
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In-person (Accessible on Apni Shala and Ummeed Child Development Center's YouTube Livestream for online participants) |
11:30 am - 12:00 pm |
Reflection groups |
- |
In-person |
12:10 pm - 1:20 pm |
Stories 1: What does Inclusion look like in the Classroom? |
Topic Role of teachers and students in creating inclusive classrooms Panelists
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In-person (Accessible on Apni Shala and Ummeed Child Development Center's YouTube Livestream for online participants) |
12:10 pm - 1:20 pm |
Stories 2: Revisiting Policies & Practices after the Pandemic |
Topic Post pandemic changes and challenges in implementing SEL informed inclusive policies and practices Panelists
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In-person (Accessible on Apni Shala and Ummeed Child Development Center's YouTube Livestream for online participants) |
12:10 pm - 1:20 pm |
Stories 3: My Journey of driving SEL & Inclusive Culture |
Topic Journey of individuals in driving organisation/team wide SEL and inclusive culture. Panelists
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In-person (Accessible on Apni Shala and Ummeed Child Development Center's YouTube Livestream for online participants) |
1:20 pm - 1:30 pm |
Reflection groups |
- |
In-person |
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm |
Lunch Break |
- |
- |
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm |
Spaces of Wellbeing Workshop 1: The Shor: Exploring Wellbeing using Poetry |
About the workshop Shor is a poetry gathering group where different people come to express their stories through poetry, storytelling, rap, and many other different forms of expression. It is an open community where anyone can come and share their story. They hope to create a safe place for expression where people can seek healing and come together for the magic of stories. Facilitators
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Only for in-person participants |
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm |
Spaces of Wellbeing Workshop 2: The Play Quest: Rediscovering the value of Play for adults |
About the workshop The Play Quest is an initiative for adults to rediscover the value of play in their lives. Through the workshop, they hope for individuals to find a way to connect to their playful inner self, to others and to the world around them. Facilitators
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Only for in-person participants |
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm |
Spaces of Wellbeing Workshop 3: Seeds of Awareness |
About the workshop This will be a Dance Movement workshop Facilitator
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Only for in-person participants |
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm |
Spaces of Wellbeing 1 by Mental Health Team - Ummeed Child Development Center |
Topic Ummeed’s Mental Health Team uses Narrative Ideas to navigate conversations around wellbeing and Mental Health wish communities, disabled children and their families. Facilitators
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Only for online participants via Zoom |
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm |
Spaces of Wellbeing 2 by Apni Shala Foundation |
Topic A wellbeing session on co- creating wellbeing spaces in classrooms, using experiential learning Facilitators
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Only for online participants via Zoom |
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm |
Closure |
- |
- |
Time |
Session |
Details |
How you can join |
9:00 am - 9:30 am |
Registrations |
- |
In-person |
9:30 am - 10:30 am |
Jaan- Pehchaan: Let’s get to know each other! |
- |
In-person |
10:30 am - 11:30 am |
Community Of Practice |
About A community of people that emerged from SELebrating Inclusion Summit 2021 and 2022, meeting online several times to share and facilitate spaces based on their journey and experience of making Social Emotional Learning and Inclusion possible in their context. Facilitators
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In-person |
11:30 am - 12:00 pm |
Reflection Groups |
- |
In-person |
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm |
Gallery: A showcase of best practices in the field of Education for SEL and Inclusion for different stakeholders |
Presenters
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In-person |
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm |
Lunch Break |
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- |
2:30 pm - 4:00 pm |
SEL and Inclusion Community - A discussion Key takeaways and hopes for next year |
- |
In-person |
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm |
Dance and music to SELebrate Inclusion! |
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In-person and livestreaming |
*A Wellbeing Corner will be open on 28th April and 29th April from 11.30 am to 5:00 pm.
Gallery: Showcase your SEL-Informed Practice
What is the gallery?
The Gallery space aims to bring together different organisations working towards making SEL and Inclusion possible not just with children, but with different stakeholders that they are working with. The subjects/ topics that we are hoping to explore are:
There will be about six to seven individuals/ organisations that will be presenting their work in the Gallery space. The presentations can be in any form that the presenters want it to be in; for example- it can be in the form of a verbal presentation, a powerpoint presentation, posters/ charts, songs, poems, and/ or it can be an experiential space as well. A part of the room will be allotted for each presentation.
The duration of each presentation will be around 20 minutes, and 10 minutes will be given for addressing any questions and answers from the participants.
The participants will be given an option to choose any 3 presentations to explore during the 1.5 hours of the gallery presentations.
- SEL & Inclusion practice with Student ( Elementary )
- SEL & Inclusion practice with higher grade students
- SEL & Inclusion practice with Youth
- SEL & Inclusion practice with Caregivers
- SEL & Inclusion practice with Teachers
- SEL & Inclusion practice with Team
- SEL & Inclusion practice with Supporting staff
There will be about six to seven individuals/ organisations that will be presenting their work in the Gallery space. The presentations can be in any form that the presenters want it to be in; for example- it can be in the form of a verbal presentation, a powerpoint presentation, posters/ charts, songs, poems, and/ or it can be an experiential space as well. A part of the room will be allotted for each presentation.
The duration of each presentation will be around 20 minutes, and 10 minutes will be given for addressing any questions and answers from the participants.
The participants will be given an option to choose any 3 presentations to explore during the 1.5 hours of the gallery presentations.
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST TO SHOWCASE YOUR PRACTICE - by April 9, 2023
The individuals/ organisations who are interested in being a part of the gallery space and present the practices around the given themes are required to fill- up the google form below as an Expression of their Interest starting 24th February 2023.
There might be a small discussion for which the SIS Team will contact the Individual/ organisations who have expressed interest in presenting at the summit. This will be aimed at knowing more about the practices that they are hoping to showcase.
We hope to have representations for all the different themes mentioned earlier, hence, only a few Individuals/ Organisations might be contacted for presenting based on the other responses received. The same will be communicated through email.
Last date to fill the form and express your interest to be a part of the gallery space: April 9, 2023
There might be a small discussion for which the SIS Team will contact the Individual/ organisations who have expressed interest in presenting at the summit. This will be aimed at knowing more about the practices that they are hoping to showcase.
We hope to have representations for all the different themes mentioned earlier, hence, only a few Individuals/ Organisations might be contacted for presenting based on the other responses received. The same will be communicated through email.
Last date to fill the form and express your interest to be a part of the gallery space: April 9, 2023
Panelists, Facilitators, and Moderators
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ABHIJEET DHURVE
PROGRAM LEAD, APNI SHALA FOUNDATION bio
Abhijeet Dhurve has completed his Master’s Degree in community organization and development practice (MSW) from the Tata Institute Of Social Science. He has been in the field of social work since 2011. He works at Apni Shala as a Program Lead. When Abhijeet is not working he is busy playing cricket or traveling to places. |
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ADITI JHA
SENIOR SOCIAL WORKER, UMMEED CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER Bio
Aditi Jha is part of the Social Work Services team & associated with Ummeed Child Development Center since 10 years. She has done her Masters in Social Work - specialised in Disability Studies & Action from Tata Institute of Social Studies. Aditi guides caregivers of children with disabilities about their Rights & Entitlements & supports them in availing it. |
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ADWAIT DANDWATE
CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, VARDISHNU Bio
Adwait is the Co-Founder & Executive Director of Vardhishnu, a Jalgaon, Maharashtra based not-for-profit trying to create an eco-system of learning and support for children from vulnerable backgrounds. Through its program Anandghar, Vardhishnu creates safe and joyful spaces in the form of community learning centers for the children from vulnerable backgrounds. These centres aims at providing holistic education including nurturing reading writing comprehension, social-emotional well-being, health & physical wellbeing with an aim to take children out of the clutches of child labour and enrol & sustain them in schools. |
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AKASH GAIKWAD
CO-FOUNDER, THE SHOR Bio
Akash Gaikwad is a co-founder of Shor. His poetries are often influenced by music. He loves to write about the day to day life observations and about the well-being of self. He has a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Mumbai. He is Social-emotional learning(SEL) facilitator and a visual art facilitator. He has facilitated SEL and visual arts with the different age groups of children, parents, and teachers/educators. |
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AMAN SHARMA
CO-FOUNDER, TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL CENTER FOR HEARING IMPAIRED Bio
Aman has an MBA Degree and corporate experience of 8+ years. He has been part of Special Schools for Hearing & Speech Impaired Children. He co-founded TEACH in 2016 and has impacted more than 200 children to date. TEACH aspires to build a holistic ecosystem for students with speech & hearing impairment. |
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AMANYA SAHNEY
STUDENT, BOMBAY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL bio
Hi, I'm Amanya Sahney. I’m a 12th grade student at the Bombay International School. I interned with Ummeed in the summer of 2022 and attended a socio-emotional learning session at the Vanita Vishram School where I first understood the importance of SEL learning. |
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AMRITA NAIR
DIRECTOR OF R&D AND ADVOCACY, APNI SHALA FOUNDATION bio
Amrita Nair has completed her Bachelors’ degree in Psychology from Mumbai University, and a Masters’ degree in Social Entrepreneurship from TISS. Before cofounding Apni Shala in 2013, Amrita worked with the Akanksha Foundation and Aasara Home for boys. She has also been trained in personal counseling and Rational emotive behaviour therapy. Since 2013, she has been a facilitator of Theatre of the Oppressed. In 2016, she attended the New Leader’s Week with the National SEED project and has been facilitating Mumbai based groups on Diversity and Inclusion. She is a Library Educator trained at Bookworm Goa in 2019 and currently, she is working as the Director of R&D and Advocacy at Apni Shala. |
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ARVA KAPASI
FOUNDER/DIRECTOR, PATHWAYS FOUNDATION bio
Arva holds a masters in Psychological counseling and psychotherapy and has a diploma in special education. She is the founder director of an NGO called Pathways Foundation through which they are helping various aided and non aid schools working for underprivileged children by identifying children with Learning difficulties to start early intervention and do counseling and remediation for them, they also try to guide the teachers on Inclusion and SEL practices in the classroom where in each child feels secure and comfortable. Arva along with her team is working on developing a curriculum for school teachers based on active and experiential learning to accommodate all children of the class and simultaneously develop their core skills for future life. |
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ASHISH SHRIVASTAV
FOUNDER, SHIKSHARTH Bio
Ashish is the founder of Shiksharth, designing contextually relevant education solutions for children coming from spaces of conflict and adverse geography. Working for 18+ years, He is an engineer turned education sector contributor with 16+ years of experience in information technology and education. After working with Infosys and NIIT Ltd, he has been contributing in the space of education in Sukma and Bastar, Chhattisgarh for more than a decade now. Prior to Shiksharth,he has been an entrepreneur with Prarambh, Bachpan Banao and AwakIND. He is also an Acumen India Fellow, Teach For India Fellow and is a practitioner of giving as a way of life and is a volunteer for DaanUtsav. |
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CHINTANJEET KAUR
CHILD AND DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS ACTIVIST, ADMINISTRATOR, CHOTAY TARAY FOUNDATION Bio
Child and Disabilities Rights Activist Administrator Chotay Taray Foundation, Organization working for children with special needs Since 2000. Working for children with disabilities and Inclusion in the various outreach areas of Kashmir specifically pertaining to the needs of Children with disabilities regarding Inclusion, accessibility, educational facilities in Jammu and Kashmir in liaising with the state agencies and jn the communities. |
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CHILDREN IN PROGRESS (CHIP) MUMBAI: RAYNA AND NAIRAH
ABOUT
CHIP (Children in Progress) Mumbai is an NGO providing holistic education to children studying in BMC schools. The parent organization was started by a group of Educationists and Doctors in Kolkata in 1997. The Mumbai chapter has been active since 2004. Our primary goal is to promote quality education in government schools, giving the students an opportunity to realize their potential and acquire knowledge, new skills, and an attitude that will help them become successful citizens and lifelong learners. |
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DEEPTI ADSULE
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, SCHOOL OUTREACH SERVICES, UMMEED CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER Bio
Deepti works with the School Outreach Services at Ummeed Child Development Center. She has been working in the education/development sector for more than 8 years now. In these 8 years, Deepti has taught students from government school and has worked very closely with school leadership and teachers to develop their leadership skills and improve teaching leaning in schools. In her current role and capacity, her focus has been on making mainstream schools inclusive of ALL children and stakeholders and focused on their wellbeing. Prior to joining this sector, she worked in the corporate setup for more than 4 years after completing her Masters in Business Administration |
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DHIRA PEER
NETWORK LEAD - COUNSELLING AND SEL, THE AKANKSHA FOUNDATION Bio
Dhira Peer has been connected to the field of psychology for 13 years with her contribution to research projects as a fellow, moving on to becoming a school counselor and team lead for 9 years. Currently, she is working as the Network Lead for Student well-being at The Akanksha Foundation, overlooking the Counseling and PE teams in Pune, Mumbai, and Nagpur. Apart from being a Play Therapist and an Arts Based Therapy Practioner, she has been certified by The Emory University as a trainer for CBCT (Cognitively based Compassion Training) and leads the SEE Learning Program at Akanksha. She strongly believes that children are born with multiple strengths and our role as adults is to just provide them with the right space to explore themselves! |
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HITANSHI SHARMA
SEL FACILITATOR AND PROGRAMME COORDINATOR, APNI SHALA Bio
Hitanshi is currently working with Apni shala as a facilitator of social emotional learning and a programme coordinator with school partners and team. She believes that mental health wellness should be accessible to all at a young age, and creating safe spaces is the first step to wellbeing. She is passionate about creating awareness in the mental health field and would always strive to learn and update herself with inner work, to reflect and improve. After work you can locate her at a cafe with a book! |
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INAYA ANSARI
STUDENT, UMMAR RAJJAB MUMBAI PUBLIC SCHOOL Bio
Inaya Shakeel Ansari is a Grade 3 student at Md. Umar Rajjab Mumbai Public School. |
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INDERJIT KAUR
HEAD MISTRESS, CHEMBUR NAKA MUMBAI PUBLIC SCHOOL Bio
Inderjit is an educator by profession and holds 16+ years experience in the education field. Currently working in MCGM as Head Mistress of Chembur Naka Mumbai Public school, she loves reading & researching about children and their behaviour traits. Recently inclined to respectful discipline and gentle parenting, she believes in growing as an individual and challenging traditional society conditionings which no longer serves towards betterment. She loves to surround herself with like-minded people and wishes to bring reform in education system. |
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INDIA AUTISM CENTRE: DIVYA SOMANI
OUTREACH COORDINATOR Bio
DIVYA'S BIO TO BE PUBLISHED SOON ABOUT INDIA AUTISM CENTER: India Autism Center is a not-for-profit organisation based in the city of Kolkata. We envision a world-class ecosystem dedicated to the service of neurodiverse individuals and their family members. To turn this vision into reality, we have three initiatives: A Residential Campus, A Training Academy for Support Professionals, and a Digital Ecosystem. Our hope is that, cumulatively, our work will create a life of greater freedom and joy for neurodivergent people and their families. Hello Tomorrow is our motto and the spirit with which we do what we do. Tomorrow should be welcomed not feared by you and yours. |
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JAYA JADHAV
TEACHER, VANITA VISHRAM PRIMARY SCHOOL Bio
Jaya Jadhav, a Grade 4 teacher at Vanita Vishram Primary School. She believes that all children are innocent, and they have the right to quality education. She hopes that there should be equality amongst us and opportunities should be given to everyone. She loves to sing songs, dance, have conversations, and play with her students. |
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KIRAN BELGE
DISTRICT COORDINATOR, SAMAGRA SHIKSHA ABHIYAAN, MUMBAI Bio
Kiran Belge- District Co-ordinator,Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan,Mumbai. He has been working with MCGM, Mumbai for the past 17 years. He has worked in inclusion and inclusive education extensively. He has an MA in History and B.Ed in special education. He has previously worked as a special educator with Panvel Panchayat Samiti. |
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MAHIMA VEDANT
JUNIOR THERAPIST, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, UMMEED CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER Bio
Mahima Vedant is a therapist working with the Mental Health team at Ummeed Child Development Center, Mumbai. She works with young people with disabilities and their caregivers using narrative ideas & practices. She holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology from S.N.D.T. University, Mumbai. She enjoys being a co-traveller in journeys of people she works with and awaits for the magic that they bring in through their expertise. She loves to explore new foods and places and finds chai breaks to connect over with people. |
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MANJUSHREE PATIL
FOUNDER DIRECTOR, AATMAN ACADEMY Bio
Ms. Manjushree Patil is the Founder Director of Aatman Academy and a specialized instruction inclusive learning programme, recognized by the Divyang Ayuktalaya, for children with diverse learning needs that has been ranked among the top ten schools in the same category for six consecutive years. The school has been certified as a Great Place to Work, by the Great Place to Work Institute (India). |
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MAYURI GOLAMBDE
GOVT. PARTNERSHIPS & ADVOCACY LEAD, APNI SHALA FOUNDATION Bio
Mayuri Golambde, Senior Programme Manager, leads the operations for School SEL Programmes at Apni Shala. She also heads the partnerships with MGCM and supports government liaison for SEL at various levels. Mayuri is a Gandhi Fellow and holds a Bachelor of Arts. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Social Work. |
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MEDHANSH DHOLAKIA
STUDENT, RIVERSIDE SCHOOL Bio
My name is Medhansh Dholakia and I have just graduated to Gr 7. My hobbies and interests include: outdoor sports , Playing the Guitar, and science and animal's. I have joined Riverside in Grade 4, but i have already established a connection with the processes here.I have participated in setting up stalls for our street smart in AProCh, have designed and created the menu for the Prabhat cafe -and bagged the first prize for the best Sci Pi invention in school. |
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NAMITA
TRAINER Bio
Namita has had over 20 years of experience primarily in the service industry with International Airlines, hotels and the retail industry. She has also been a freelance trainer, conducting workshops on soft skills and product training for the front-line staff of some of the best known premium and Luxury Retail brands in India. |
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NANDITA DE SOUZA
DIRECTOR, SETU - CENTRE FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY GUIDANCE Bio
Nandita de Souza is an eternal child at heart. She is also a developmental pediatrician and the Director of Sethu Centre for Child Development & Family Guidance in Goa. Inclusive education is a priority theme of Sethu's work, which is firmly founded on family centred care. Sethu believes that all carers of children, including families, teachers and child care professionals are valuable inhabitants of the village it seeks to build around every child. |
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PAVITHRA KL
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - DIRECT IMPACT, DREAM A DREAM Bio
Pavithra joined Dream a Dream’s life skills programme as a young adolescent girl. She was part of the mentoring programme and other life skills initiatives. At the age of 16, she joined as an intern and has grown within Dream a Dream since then. Pavithra is passionate about working with young people and believes in creating the support systems for young people that she didn’t have access to. She completed her graduation in commerce from Bangalore University while working with Dream a Dream. Her mission is to work with young people and transform their lives using the life skills approach. Pavithra also works as a Lead Facilitator training teachers/community workers across Karnataka as part of the Teacher. |
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POOJA GATE
SEL FACILITATOR AND PROGRAMME COORDINATOR, APNI SHALA FOUNDATION Bio
Pooja has been facilitating social emotional learning with young people for 4+ years. She builds partnerships with public schools and NGOs to create spaces for student voices and life experiences. In her free time, pooja likes to paint, travel and eat. |
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PRACHI
THERAPIST, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, UMMEED CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER Bio
Prachi believes in a collaborative work with children, young adults, and their families. Her expertise lies in Narrative ideas and practices and believes that people are the experts of their own lives. She is fascinated with children’s books and likes using them in her conversations with children. Prachi also likes capturing memories and traveling. |
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PREETI BAGHEL
CO-FOUNDER, THE SHOR Bio
Preeti Baghel is one of the co-founders of Shor. Currently, she works as a Junior Trainer with the School outreach team at the Ummeed child development center. As a part of her work, she trains educators, caregivers, and students on how to create inclusive educational spaces. Preeti is also a part of Narrative Practice India and supports them as a faculty & supervisor. In her free time, she enjoys watching kdramas/ kpop content, drawing, dancing, exploring new places, food & learning new things. she wishes to create more safe spaces for everyone to be able to express themselves the way they want to. |
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PRIYA GUPTA
STUDENT, APNI SHALA FOUNDATION Bio
Priya Gupta! Pursuing bachelors in Mass Media. She was a part of Apni Shala's Youth Project in the year 2016. She was also part of Ummeed 'JUGAAD' a mental health book which has been written by 12 people. Priya currently work as an intern at the Oscar Foundation in their communication team. |
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PRIYANKA KALE
PROGRAM LEAD, APNI SHALA FOUNDATION Bio
Priyanka Kale has completed her masters degree from TISS Mumbai with the specialization in Children & Family (MSW). She has been working in the development sector since 2016. She works as Programme Lead at Apni Shala. She loves to facilitate sessions with different age groups.When Priyanka is not working you will find her spending time with herself and enjoying her own company. |
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PRIYANKA SHRIVASTAV
TEACHER LEADER, KHOJ SCHOOL Bio
Priyanka Shrivastav is working as a teacher lead with Khoj SEL (social emotional learning) aligned School for the last 5 years. She leads a class of 35 amazing young people on a journey of discovery and co-creation. Currently, she is pursuing her B.Ed degree from Mumbai University. When not teaching, Priyanka loves to doodle and travel to different places. |
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RADHIKA ZAHEDI
SCHOOL DIRECTOR, GREEN ACRES ACADEMY Bio
Radhika currently serves as the School Director at The Green Acres Academy, Mumbai, and Director of Teaching and Curriculum at The Acres Foundation. She has 16 years of experience in multiple educational roles including School Director for K-12 ICSE Schools, Co-Principal for a Special Needs school, Mathematics Coordinator, and teacher. She has worked in many different contexts ranging from Urban and Rural schools in India to New York City. Radhika has a Master’s (MA) Degree in Mathematics Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, USA, a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from Mumbai University, and is a Google Certified Innovator and Innovator Coach. |
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RAHIM MANJIYANI
FREELANCER Bio
Rahim Manjiyani is a freelancer who works as a floor manager. He has also worked with serval NGOs and currently works with religious community kids. He writes to express and these expressions are words that he couldn’t say to the world or society. He loves sleeping, riding, traveling & walking. |
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RAKESH DOSHI
PROGRAM COORDINATOR, RA FOUNDATION Bio
Rakesh is a Program Coordinator with Ra Foundation, a Mumbai based non-profit organization working with kids from vulnerable and unsafe environment for their holistic development by providing academic support enrolling them in quality residential school. He is passionate working with youths, listening their hopes and dreams by conversing with them. |
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RAKSHITA SHEKHAR
EDUCATOR AND CONSULTANT, DISABILITY RIGHTS ORGANISATIONS AND SCHOOLS Bio
Rakshita is an educator and consultant for disability rights organizations and schools. She has a masters in intellectual and developmental disabilities from the University of Kent, UK. She has extensive experience as a teacher in both general education and special education. She is a member of two international advocacy organizations: www.neuroclastic.com and Universal design for learning: a special interest group. |
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RAVIKUMAR GAUTAM
TEACHER, BMC SCHOOL Bio
Ravikumar Gautam is a Teacher in BMC School since the last 11 years. He is the favorite teacher of the students in the school. His co-teachers appreciate him for his creativity and hardwork. He is always ready to support others and he believes in teamwork. |
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SATTVA CONSULTING
ABOUT
Sattva Consulting has been working with foundations, philanthropists, companies, non-profits, multi-laterals and impact ecosystems across India, Africa, and Asia since 2009 on a collective mission of developing scalable solutions for a sustainable world. It offers new-age thinking and rigorous implementation for age-old problems, delivered through end-to-end support capabilities covering research, strategy consulting, programme management, impact assessment and more, to maximise social return on every investment. Sattva Knowledge Institute (SKI), established in 2022, is the official knowledge platform at Sattva. The SKI platform aims to guide investment decisions for impact, shedding light on urgent problems and high potential solutions, so that stakeholders can build greater awareness and a bias towards concerted action. It focuses on offering solutions over symptoms, carefully curating strong evidence-based research, and engaging decision-makers actively with its insights. |
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SATTVA CONSULTING: SUKHADA
MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER AND EDUCATOR BIO
Sukhada is a Mental Health Practitioner, Researcher and an Educationist. She works at Sattva Knowledge Institute as a part of the Education Practice Area and has over 10 years of experience in the domains of Life Skills, Education, Mental Health and livelihoods. As a researcher, needs assessment and impact evaluations remain her key areas of work. In the role of Counseling Psychologist, she caters to children and young adults for myriad issues around learning, career development, interpersonal challenges and relationships. Equity in general and Gender in particular are prominent lenses through which she looks at social phenomena. Building on her experiences with organizations like Pratham Education Foundation, TISS, Sattva and more, Sukhada believes in the idea of ‘participation’ and attempts to create interactional spaces across her work practice. |
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SATURDAY ART CLASS: ANTHEA LOBO
SENIOR ASSOCIATE (CURRICULUM) BIO
Anthea Lobo is a visual artist and illustrator. Presently, she serves as the Senior Associate for Partnerships and Digital communications at Saturday Art Class - a non-profit organization based in Mumbai; that works to create sustained access to visual arts and social-emotional for children and educators across India. As a Senior Associate, she is responsible for strategizing partnerships and creating outreach with other non-profit organizations, schools and stakeholders in Indian education. She manages end-to-end strategy, planning and production of content for Saturday Art Class’ digital platforms and social media. |
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SATURDAY ART CLASS: KRISTINE RODRICKS
SENIOR ASSOCIATE (CURRICULUM) BIO
Kristine is a visual artist with 3+ years of experience in content planning and visual design for play-based learning programs. They believe that playtime, recreation, and creative expression are crucial for children's holistic development. They have used multi-media art to talk about equal rights for the LGBTQIA+ community. They aspire to be a Sexuality Educator in the future where the power of art can support young children's understanding of themselves, their mental health, body, and gender identity. They hold a Bachelor's in Mass Media. |
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SHAHBAAN SHAH
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE, APNI SHALA FOUNDATION Bio
Shahbaan Shah is Research and development associate at the Apni Shala foundation. He loves to facilitate Social-emotional learning sessions with children and adults. He is very passionate about reading mythology. He just loves to write poems. |
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SHAHID SHAIKH
TRAINER, UMMEED CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTRE Bio
Shahid Shaikh is a trainer at Ummeed Child Development Center, Mumbai. His work is influenced by Narrative Ideas and he holds Narrative ideas very close to his heart. He has been involved In community work for the last 5 years. He has a deep long relationship with Poetries and very strongly believes that one-day poetry will save the world. He and his 4 friends run a Poetry group called "The Shor". Shor is a fun yet influential space where people come together in public areas and perform their poetries. He loves biryani, doodling, cycling, and smiling. |
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SHALAKA SISODIA
CO-FOUNDER, SEEDS OF AWARENESS Bio
Shalaka Sisodia has been a CSE facilitator and Dance Movement Therapy practitioner for more than a decade. She co-founded Seeds of Awareness and Research Foundation. She manages all operations at SOA and also is the programme anchor for the TOT done in collaboration with TISS. . |
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SHEETAL WAKANKAR
TEAM LEAD - COUNSELLING, AKANKSHA FOUNDATION Bio
Sheetal Wakankar has been connected to the field of Psychology for the last 19 yrs. She has a experience of working in schools for the last 17 yrs alOng with experience in areas of Domestic violence. She is currently working as team lead for the counselling team at Akanksha Foundation which works for children coming from vulnerable backgrounds. In her current role she trains counsellors and also helps them build socio emotional spaces in schools . She strongly believes that every child has a right to a physically and emotionally safe childhood. |
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SLAM OUT LOUD: ADITI GANGULY
PROGRAMME MANAGER Bio
Aditi Ganguly is the Program Manager of Mumbai at Slam Out Loud.- a non-profit organisation founded in 2017, working to transform how arts education and socio-emotional learning (SEL) happen in India, especially for children in low-income communities. Having completed her Masters' degree in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, she found her calling in the development sector. She has been working in the space of Education, Arts, and Social Emotional Learning for over 6 years. Aditi joined the Slam Out Loud team in 2023 with the aim of building more systemic and robust support for the arts while making them more accessible to underserved communities, especially children. |
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TANISHKA MANJWANI
STUDENT, RIVERSIDE SCHOOL Bio
My name is Tanishka Manwani, i have just graduated to class 8.I enjoy singing outdoor sports and art above all things In my tenure at school i have some compelling achievements; like being a part of our Citizenship board meeting, hosting a game for foreign visitors and being a part of the world wide school conference.im looking forward to this participation. |
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VEENA VARMA
TRAINER, SCHOOL OUTREACH SERVICES UMMEED CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER Bio
Veena holds a Masters in Counseling Psychology from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, and is currently working with the School Outreach team at Ummeed. She believes that people are the experts of their lives and have their own ways of responding to life experiences. Her approach to working involves curiosity to know more about these life experiences and supporting individuals to work towards social and emotional wellbeing. She has worked extensively with different stakeholders to facilitate Social and emotional Learning and mental health spaces for children and families. |
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YAHIYA KHAN
CAREGIVER, KHOJ Bio
He is an active member of the School Management Committee at Khoj. He is connected to KHOJ School since the last 5 years. He is very supportive to other caregivers and teamwork is his strength. |
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ZARNA SANGHRAJKA
LEAD, COUNSELLING SERVICES ANUSHA MANJHANI TRAUMA-INFORMED PSYCHOTHERAPIST Bio
Zarna is a trauma-informed psychotherapist with 8 years of experience, working with individuals and groups with a range of social and emotional needs. She is currently working as the Lead of Counselling Services at The Akanksha Foundation, a non-profit organization. She is also a certified Arts based therapist from the World Centre for Creative Learning Foundation. She aspires to build inclusive spaces where mental health is not stigmatized and individuals can access resources to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. Anusha is a trauma-informed psychotherapist with over 10 years of experience. Through her private practice in Mumbai, she works with individuals and couples with diverse needs and psychological vulnerabilities. Anusha strongly believes in the power of connection and compassion. As a group-work facilitator, she aims to create brave spaces for group expression to enable meaningful change. Apart from The Play Quest, she also designs and facilitates workshops and retreats focused on Mindfulness Meditation and Rest & Restoration. She is the visiting faculty for the subject areas of “Working with Grief” and “School CounsellingPrimary Prevention” at the Dept. of Psychology, St.Xaviers College, Mumbai |
Partners
Venue Partner
Vanita Vishram Primary School
Vanita Vishram Primary School
Hosts/Organizers
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