INTENSIVE PRACTICAL TRAINING PROGRAM IN PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELLING

The Heart to Heart Counselling Centre has now organised a six-week intensive practical training program in Psychological Counselling along with Sensitivity training during April - May 2011 at Heart To Heart Counselling Centre, 10 Jerbai Baug, Ambedkar Road, Near Gloria Chuch, Byculla (East), Mumbai 27, INDIA. Next Batches begin on 4th & 8th April 2011.

This course is an intensive professional level certificate course in counselling based on Robert Carkhuff Model of Counselling - an offshoot of Carl Roger’s Client Centered Therapy. This professional training is rooted in Humanistic Psychotherapy where you learn the scientific, contemporary and internationally most widely accepted Methodology of Counselling by an international trainer Dr.Minnu R. Bhonsle. It is ideal for those who are or want to be in people-oriented professions such as Psychologists, Counsellors, Social workers, NGO Volunteers, Medical, Paramedical & Psychology students, Teachers, Doctors, Therapists, Healers, Yoga Teachers, HR Personnel, Leaders & Trainers in Corporate world and Management Trainees

Venue: Heart To Heart Counselling Centre, 10 Jerbai Baug, Ambedkar Road, Near Gloria Chuch, Byculla (East), Mumbai 400027, INDIA .

Duration: Six Weeks. Total 20 sessions of two hours each on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Timings: Morning Batch (11.15 a.m. to 1.15 p.m.), Afternoon Batch (2.45 to 4.45 p.m.) & Evening Batch (5.45 to 7.45 p.m.)

The prospectus of the course can be read on-line by clicking on any of the following hyperlink ~

http://www.hearttoheartindia.net/courses/certificate-course-in-counselling/

Admissions for these three batches are NOW OPEN. Interested candidates can contact on the following address & telephone numbers for registration.

Prof. Dr. Rajan Bhonsle, M.D.(Bom)
(Hon.Professor & Head of the Department
KEM Hospital & G.S. Medical College, Mumbai)Director, Heart To Heart Counselling Centre
10 Jerbai Baug, Ambedkar Road,
Near Gloria Church, Byculla (East),
Mumbai 400027, INDIA
Tel : 23778624 / 23755866 / 22184528
Mobile: 9821093902
Website: www.hearttoheartindia.net

Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.

UID: Enrolment troubles for helpless residents & Senior Citizens

While there are still concerns about privacy, those who have gone to register for the UID number have found the enrollment process more like a punishment 

The much-hyped, ambitious project of the Union government, the biometrics-based unique identification number (UIDN) programme has kicked in. However, residents are finding it very difficult to enroll themselves for the 'soon-to-be-mandatory' UIDN due to a lack of facilities.

People are complaining that procedures involved to get UIDN are lengthy, time-consuming and troublesome. As a result, certain sections of people, mainly senior citizens and working professionals are finding it difficult to visit enrollment centres.

According to the procedure, an applicant must first collect the enrollment form by standing in a queue that is usually very long. Most of these centres are at municipal schools and the forms are available only on Mondays and Saturdays, between 10am and 12pm. So, you need to get into the queue well before the counter opens to stand a chance of getting a form. But, again, there is no guarantee of getting a form, as some centres do not have a sufficient number of forms.

In addition, one must carry an identity or address proof, whether it is a public distribution system (PDS) or ration card, or a PAN card, to be able to get a form to apply for the UIDN. Interestingly, while it is printed on the ration card itself that this cannot be used as a residence or identification proof, almost every authority, including the UID registrars, ask for it. This defeats the fundamental purpose of UIDN, which is being created as an identification for those who do not have any.

It this is not bad enough, there's more trouble at the counters, where staff are themselves clueless about most issues. "The exercise is conducted at a municipal school where the collapsible gates are drawn and one has to stand on the outside, barely able to get a glimpse of the staff inside. Every query is dismissed with a monosyllable answer-a "yes" or "no"-and this raises even more questions," says a resident who unsuccessfully tried to enroll himself for the UIDN.

If one manages to obtain and fill up an enrolment form, the registrars issue a token after two days and the person has to collect it between 10am and 1pm or 2pm and 5pm only. During the last stage of registration, the person has to carry an identification proof, like a PAN card or driving license. For children parents are required to produce the birth certificates as well.

"Already there is a lack of awareness and clarity among people, especially senior citizens, regarding the UIDN project. There is also a mobility issue for senior citizens. For them to physically go and complete the procedures is a big challenge," said  Sailesh Mishra, the founder of Silver Inning Foundation, an NGO that works with senior citizens. "Why can't they come and conduct the enrolment procedure at housing societies, where people can reach easily," Mr Mishra asked.

On the subject of furnishing personal details, Mr Mishra says, "Mumbai has around 10 lakh senior citizens, of which only 50,000-60,000 have registered for the senior citizens cell of the Mumbai police. This is because elderly people are sceptical to share personal information, especially their financial details. I don't know how successful this UDIN project will be in getting information from them."

Another issue is that there is no online facility for enrollment. While forms are available on the UIDAI website, there is no enrollment number on these forms, so there is no option but to stand in the queue at the registration centres.

In order to reach more people, especially senior citizens, the project should have volunteers and work together with not-for-profit organisations. "If they want senior citizens to participate in the enrollment procedure, collaborating with NGOs is a good option. We are ready to help the government in this," Mr Mishra said.

Moneylife has consistently written about the flaws in the UDIN project. In a series of articles, we have described how the project could turn into a threat to the private lives of individuals through misuse of the database. One report pointed out how, despite making an open declaration that it would not be mandatory, the Union government (the chief financier for the project) and the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) were busy creating backdoor compulsions for UIDN, through financial institutions and service providers, to ensure that people enrolled or were left out of the system. (Read,Why is UID number being made compulsory through the backdoor?)

Moneylife has also written previously that this ambitious and expensive project uses biometric information like finger prints, IRIS scans and face photos to create a UID number. The authority is roping in fat-profit organisations as its partners, which will very likely result in the database being used for targeted marketing. (Read, 'Fat profit institutions continue to board UID bandwagon' .) In addition, UIDAI has roped in many registrars to undertake this enrolment. These agents are said to be adding their own parameters, and creating their own databases for business. (Read, 'Is the UIDAI database vulnerable?' .)

By Alekh Angre

Courtesy:  http://www.moneylife.in/article/uid-enrolment-troubles-for-helpless-residents/14732.html

Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.

Save Tax and Make a Difference to our Elders: Donate to Silver Inning Foundation

As we are completing our third year of existence, I'd like to thank you from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of all our Elders and their family members whose lives you've improved through your support to our Foundation.

With our dedication, passion and with help of our networking partners we are trying to make a measurable, meaningful, and sustainable impact on the life of our Elders around the globe.

Together we at Silver Inning Foundation are working towards our Vision of creating Elder Friendly World where Ageing becomes a Positive and Rewarding Experience.

Our Mission is to uphold and secure the rights of elderly and actively work towards improving their quality of life by networking, advocating and researching elderly issues and providing a wide range of services according to their needs & to achieve this we are working with following Goals:

1.    To advocate and create awareness of elderly rights and issues at micro and macro level.

2.    To address basic needs of the elderly (aged 50yrs +) and their family members.

3.    To provide and create innovative programmes and services for the elderly that enable them to reintegrate back into society with dignity.

4.    To promote research and development on issues related to elderly.

5.    To develop and implement training of professionals and para-professionals in Gerontology, Geriatrics and Geriatric Care Management.

Being relatively new entry to ageing sector working since April 2008, we are confident that with your support and blessings we will accomplish in 2011 and beyond.

If you feel we have done justice to the cause of Senior Citizens and made difference to life of our Elders and if you would like to support our effort to work with our Elders, please donate to the ‘Silver Inning Foundation’ to help us expand our network and for our outreach programme/services to our Elders.

Please send a Cheque /Demand Draft in favour of ‘Silver Inning Foundation’ accompanied by a covering letter.  We will also need your Name, Postal Address, Contact No., Email and PAN Number in order to send you the tax-exemption certificate.

You can send your contribution/donation by Cheque or Demand Draft/Postal Order in name of ‘Silver Inning Foundation’ at our Correspondence Address: Silver Inning Foundation, C/o. Sailesh Mishra, ARENA III, Flat - 801/802, Poonam Garden, Mira Road -East, Mumbai. India – 401107. You can also send your query to: silverinnings@gmail.com or call us at: 09987104233 (Monday to Friday : 10AM TO 6PM only).

Donations to Silver Inning Foundation are eligible for tax benefits under Sec. 80G of the Income-Tax Act 1961 (50% tax exemption).

Silver Inning Foundation is registered NOT FOR PROFIT (NGO) under the:

Societies Registration Act of 1860 vide registration number: 1300/2008/GBBSD dated 14/07/2008.  The Bombay Public Trusts Act 1950 vide registration number: F- 36344 Mumbai dated 8/12/2008. Reg.No. U/s, 80-G from the Income Tax: DIT(E)/MC/80-G/1696/2010-11 dt. 6/5/2010 effective 17.02.2010.

Source: http://silverinnings.blogspot.com/2011/03/save-tax-and-make-difference-to-our.html
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.

NGOs and Consumer Groups Which Help - Moneylife

Even the best companies in the world cannot avoid the occasional snafu in the quality of their products or services. The smart ones ensure that they have an efficient redress mechanism in place to ensure customer satisfaction and continued loyalty. Things get complicated when the customer is rebuffed at this stage. What is the next step? Which is the best forum to ensure quick redress? What will it cost? And is it worth the effort? It is the confusion over these decisions which discourages most consumers from filing complaints. Here are a few committed organisations that would guide and advise you on the most effective redressal mechanism to suit your objective.

Consumer Education and Research Centre (www.cercindia.org): This is an Ahmedabad-based NGO that has worked on protecting the rights and interests of consumers through redressal, advocacy, research and media exposure for over 28 years. You can register your problems on this website by becoming a member by paying a fee. It has a formidable success record and also helps consumers to file appropriate litigation. Its website posts interesting success stories that encourage consumers to sign up as members. It also publishes a useful magazine called Insight and also has a product-testing laboratory.

Consumer Guidance Society of India (http://www.cgsiindia.org): It was set up in 1966 and has a long record of consumer advocacy, grievance redressal and also offers guidance on filing lawsuits in consumer courts. It publishes a consumer magazine called Keemat. Its website has a forum that offers a step-by-step guide on how to file complaints to make them effective. A ‘Know Your Rights’ section provides different problem scenarios and how to deal with them. People are encouraged to become members to avail of a slew of benefits including access to its library and other data.

Consumer Voice (http://www.consumer-voice.in): Delhi-based Consumer Voice is a consumer advocacy group that also publishes a magazine by the same name as well as an e-newsletter. It informs and educates consumers about their rights and advises on grievance redressal. It has a strong comparative product section and is among the few NGOs that openly offers ‘best buy’ suggestions for a range of products which have been tested and verified. It allows consumers to register their complaints online and also provides a complaint status. It has a discussion forum that is, however, not very active.

The Consumer Coordination Council (http://www.corecentre.co.in): It is a government organisation that was set up with the support of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and tries to bring together all the consumer organisations. It also has its own complaint registration section but sees its role as being one of information gathering on consumer-related issues, empowering consumer groups and influencing policy.

The International Consumer Rights Protection Council (http://www.icrpc.org): This is an NGO that helps consumers file complaints against companies, irrespective of their country of residence. It has a discussion forum that allows people to discuss the quality of products and services of different companies. It also provides an accurate and detailed procedure for filling out consumer complaints and cases against companies.

www.watchoutinvestors.com: The website funded by the Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs is a registry covering nearly 90,000 entities including companies, intermediaries and individuals who have been indicted for an economic default and/or have been non-compliant of laws/guidelines and/or are no longer in the specified activity. It covers the orders of several regulatory and enforcement agencies as well as stock exchanges. It also has crucial information on name changes by all corporate entities and individuals.

www.mouthshut.com: This is an interesting review site. It does not help resolve grievances, but because of the high level of activity and reviews posted by consumers and users, it provides an excellent feedback mechanism for anyone who wants to crosscheck information before opting for a wide range of new products or services listed on the site. You can even check movie and music reviews posted by viewers if you are among those who think that most media critics are too critical!

By Sucheta Dalal & Yashika Shah, MoneyLife

Courtesy: NGOs and Consumer Groups Which Help - Moneylife Personal Finance site and magazine


Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.

Urgently wanted Coordinator for Helpline in Mumbai

 Organization: Ziqitza Health Care Limited- '1298' Women's and Senior Citizen's Helpline

Description:

1. The applicant is expected to maintain cordial relations with the existing NGOs dealing with women and senior citizens
2. Applicant is expected to deal with calls daily which are based on various cases related to women and senior citizens
3. Applicant would be required to maintain monthly review meetings and updates

Requirement:

• Well versed with Hindi, English and Marathi
• Soft spoken, empathetic
• Good networking skill
• Female applicants only

Experience: 2 years with NGOs working on women issues and Senior Citizens will be of advantage

Type of Employment: Contract 

*Candidate can work from home but would be expected to come to office twice a week

Location: Mumbai

Last date of Application: 10-03-2011 

Contact: Ruchika at  contactus@zhl.in 

Website: http://zhl.org.in/

Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.

OXFAM looking for 'REGIONAL POLICY AND RESEARCH ADVISOR, SOUTH ASIA'

Background

Oxfam was founded in 1995 and is a vibrant global movement of passionate, dedicated people fighting poverty together. People power drives everything they do. From saving lives and developing projects that put poor people in charge of their lives and livelihoods, to campaigning for change that lasts. They respond to an average of 30 emergency situations each year. That’s Oxfam in action. Today it is a confederation of 13 organizations working together with over 3,000 partners in more than 100 countries - including the UK- to find lasting solutions to poverty and injustice. Its mission is a just world without poverty and its goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives.

Oxfam Purpose: To work with others to overcome poverty, distress and suffering

Oxfam’s work is based on the belief that everyone has:

• the right to life and security
• the right to a sustainable livelihood
• the right to basic social services
• the right to be heard
• the right to equity

There are thirteen Oxfam organizations based in: Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Ireland, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Quebec, Spain and the United States. New Oxfam’s have been created in India, Mexico and Japan. A small Oxfam International secretariat is based in Oxford, UK, and the secretariat runs advocacy offices in Washington DC, New York, Brussels and Geneva.

OXFAM GB Regional Centre in South Asia is supporting Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan and Pakistan. The programme priorities for South Asia are Economic

Empowerment, Resilience in Crisis, Women’s leadership and Effective State Governance.

Reason for hire

OXFAM GB is seeking to hire a Regional Policy and Research Advisor-South Asia to support its programme in the region by undertaking and managing policy work and high quality research and analysis on key poverty and development trends in the region, which will contribute to maximising the impact of OXFAM GB’s work at local, national, regional and global levels in relation to Oxfam’s vision for South Asia.

Dimensions of this role:

• Decision-making is both highly strategic and operational, with judgement based on highly complex problem-solving experience and on a range of diverse internal and external factors
• Problems encountered are liable to be highly diverse and complex, requiring comprehensive analysis and interpretation of information from a wide variety of sources and capacity to communicate to a wide range of audiences
• Draws from programme and external information sources to provide high quality research and in-depth policy analysis on poverty and inequality in South Asia.
• Development of long-term research strategies to achieve significant impact on Oxfam’s programme and policy work.
• Communicates and coordinates widely within Oxfam, across countries and Oxfam International affiliates, and partners and allies (including major alliances).
• Impact and influence is major, lot of influence within Oxfam and in the wider development sector in the region. The post plays a strategic role in shaping strategy and direction of Oxfam’s work in South Asia.
• Achieves goals by influencing internal/external agenda/policies through using high quality research work.
• Expert knowledge on Policy analysis and research methodology and provides specialist advice and guidance to country teams.

• Representation of Oxfam in meetings with networks, alliances, institutional/government officials on wide range of research topics.
• Plans and manages resources, consultants and partnerships with key research institutions.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• To develop policy positions for the South Asia region on key poverty and inequality issues and produce policy briefing papers, policy position statements and public communication materials which meets the highest standards.
• To lead and deliver three South Asia researches every year, in support of Oxfam’s key regional priorities
• To develop , deliver and manage a research strategy that supports the regional change strategy and national change strategies as well as wider organizational programme , campaigning and policy priorities
• To provide support to country programmes in the region to develop and deliver effective policy and research papers of very high standard as per the agreed annual research priorities. Also help built capacities of the programme teams in research and policy analysis skills and methodologies.
• To engage in high level lobbying and represent Oxfam in South Asia at critical policy and research forums when appropriate.
• To monitor major external economic, poverty, social development and vulnerability trends in the South Asia region, and provide regular updates and written briefings on relevant issues to programme staff and senior management in order to support programme and policy advocacy work
• To establish and maintain relationships with key policy think tanks, academic and research institutions in the region and draw external expertise or develop partnership for Oxfam’s policy and research work.
• To monitor influential research produced by others (e.g. ADB, World Bank, UN) relevant to Oxfam’s interest and provide timely written critiques and responses
• To work and collaborate effectively with other key staff in the South Asia region, notably the campaigns and policy team and work with regional change leads.

• To serve as the primary focal point with the Oxford-based Policy and research team in order to maximise synergies between regional research priorities and global capacity.
• Direct Budget Management Responsibility: Research budget and small grants for commissioned research

Candidate Profile and Qualification:

Education:

· A post-graduate degree with minimum 6-8 years of experience of being associated with high quality research and development policy work. M Phil/PhD desirable.

Must Haves:

• Proven track record of producing high quality research and briefing papers on development, humanitarian and poverty issues, with thorough understanding of research methodologies and skills and an ability to train and transfer skills to others.
• Proven experience in policy analysis and production of policy briefing papers based on evidence and research.
• Experience in lobbying and playing key representational roles in influencing decisions to drive agendas forward.
• A broad-based understanding of the major economic, social development, gender, humanitarian and poverty issues in the South Asia region.
• Experience in managing other researchers and research projects (including managing commissioned researchers), ensuring high standards of delivery.
• Outstanding written and verbal communications skills, with an ability to simplify complex concepts both verbally and orally in order to influence others
• Proven ability to network and establish alliances with key stakeholders from relevant academic and applied research and policy think tanks.

Desirable

• A sound grasp of macro-economics and economic analysis as they relate to poverty and development along with understanding of and proven commitment to gender and diversity issues is desirable.
• Strong inter-personal skills

Travel: Travel is a significant part of this role

Staff reporting to this post: Interns/ Researchers/ Consultants as per requirement

Compensation Details

The starting salary for the position is commensurate with current compensation, qualification and experience.

Last date for application is 14th March 2011.

Interested candidates can send in their CVs with a cover note and three references to rpra.oxfamgb@gmail.com with the subject line indicating Regional Policy and Research Advisor, South Asia or contact us at: +91 22 43493333. Please note that only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Third Sector Partners, a leading CxO and board search firm in the Not for Profit sector, has been retained by OXFAM GB to hire this position.

Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.