PHASE #1
1. The baseline assessment along with establishing the ICRCs in fully functional stage. According to our baseline survey in the slums, few children with disabilities enroll in school and most did not complete a full cycle of basic education;
2. One ICRC covered at an average 7-8 feeder schools and 15-20 slums. Eight ICRCs were established and equipped with all requirements for CwDs in this phase. One field facilitator was appointed to ensure all the activities at the center and community level.
3. A Team Leader - Academic & Curriculum, is appointed for providing regular inputs and monitors each of these ICRC in regular intervals. A team leader Health, one for Access and one for Livelihood were employed. Every ICRC is functioning on daily basis including Sundays with a scheduled activity plan developed during the weekly review meeting. Each of these ICRC addresses the needs of about 40-45 CwDs and YwDs. It operates, evaluates and addresses all concerns and gaps. First phase activities also includes tuition classes, therapeutic classes, hobby enhancement classes, exposure visits, linkage and providing vocational training for ensuring livelihood for YwDs, providing assistive devices and linkage with entitlements.
PHASE #2
1. Building the capacity of teachers on inclusive education based on RTE and Ensuring accessible infrastructure by conducting access audits of each targeted school. All other key activities of phase one also continued in more in-depth manner during this 2nd phase.
2. 700 teachers got trained in this phase, which leads to reduce the attitudinal barrier for more than 800 CwDs and more than 7000 non-disabled students studying in the entire Bhubaneswar Block.
3. At the same time the knowledge base of these 700 teachers increased to quite a higher level this has helped to prevent dropouts among CwDs and increase opportunities for a better life.
4. Project Saksham is providing round the year holistic support to children with disabilities living in Bhubaneswar slums to ensure that they complete their education (high school).
PHASE #3
We are focusing on strengthening the existing institutions like School management committee (SMC), Child cabinet, project implementation team – capacity building youth livelihood, SHGs parents of CwDs by increased the representation of CwDs and their parents in these committees and sensitizing them about disability rights and entitlements. This has also increased the demand for the specific needs and services of CwDs and YwDs both inside and outside the schools. In this phase we are also going to take this model of inclusive education to the state Govt. for replicating it throughout the state. Parents groups were strengthened to take up the responsibility of managing the ICRCs and sustained the program.