Learnet Skills launch ‘AVSAR’- Migrant Workers’ Counseling Centres

In line with the Prime Minister’s vision to boost livelihood opportunities in Rural India, Learnet Skills launched a pro-bono initiative called “AVSAR”- Migrant Workers Counselling Centres across 60 districts in 9 states in India. The objective of this initiative is to guide migrant workers and help them sustain their living amid the ongoing pandemics crisis with employment opportunities as per their skill sets.

• AVSAR is an initiative to provide guidance and counselling to millions of migrant workers who lost their jobs and returned to their hometowns/cities amid COVID-19 outbreak
• Learnet plans to touch the lives of million-plus workers through this initiative

Mr Arun Nanda, Board of Directors, NSDC and Chairman, Mahindra Holidays and Resorts Ltd and Mr RCM Reddy, MD and CEO, Schoolnet India Ltd and Learnet Skills Ltd did the digital launch of ‘Avsar’- Migrant Workers’ Counseling Centres in the presence of Padma Shri Shri Rajinder Gupta, Chairman, Trident Group and Vice Chairman, Punjab State Planning Board; Mr Prakash Sharma, CFO, NSDC and Board of Directors, Learnet Skills; Mr Manish Kumar, Managing Director and CEO, NSDC and Ms Richa Singh, Co-Founder, Your Dost.

While launching the initiative, Mr Arun Nanda, Board of Directors, NSDC and Chairman, Mahindra Holidays and Resorts Ltd, said, “It is heartening to see ‘AVSAR’ initiative coming to life. In my opinion, optimizing the utilization of technology and customizing the approach basis the demand and supply of skills set would help to maximize the efforts and ultimately benefit the migrant workers. I wish all the success to Learnet Skills in this endeavor and offer my complete support to them.”

Talking about the initiative, Mr RCM Reddy, MD and CEO, Schoolnet India Ltd and Learnet Skills Ltd, said, “It’s humbling to receive support from the government, industry and my team to bring ‘AVSAR’ into existence. What started with feedback from the Learnet Skills aluminous, later converted into a vision and transformed into an action-oriented initiative called AVSAR. Understanding the needs and aspirations of returned migrant workers, we envision this initiative as a new beginning for them”.

“Utilizing our past experiences, knowledge and resources, we would upkeep the job seekers at every level right from realizing their needs, skills, emotional health and preparing them for job interviews and placement. We plan to touch the lives of million-plus workers through this initiative,” he further added.

The mass exodus of workers has been very painful and highlights many issues in the system. These migrant workers are physically very strong and great at managing complex situations; however, there is the fear of the unknown. AVSAR initiative will impart hope, trust, and confidence and give them a new purpose to make their life better.

The proposed initiative is aimed at counselling the returned migrant workers about the alternate job opportunities available locally in the form of self-employment and wage employment in the companies/ sectors in their vicinity or other cities. The purpose of this initiative is also to help migrants make an informed decision.

Also read: Blended model of training in TVET: The key to consistent skill-based learning  https://nationalskillsnetwork.in/oldsite/blended-model-of-training-in-tvet-for-consistent-skill-based-learning/

To reach over 12.5 lakhs workers, AVSAR initiative will be implemented across 60 districts in nine states of India, viz, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Assam. The counseling would be provided on four key aspects- career counseling, emotional wellbeing counseling, logistics guidance to travel to different cities and workplace-related counseling.