PROJECT POTENTIAL OVERVIEW AND UPCOMING PLANS

Village Visionary Identification: We call our Village Visionary identification process the “World Cup,” because like the World Cup in cricket, there are a number of different rounds, and after each round, only the best candidates move forward. After each round, we cut some candidates and short­list the others. During this process, we look for seven core competencies and “cultural fitness,” meaning, how well we see them fitting in with our culture. The seven qualities are:

1. Self­awareness 2. Planning and

accomplishment 3. Creativity 4. Teamwork 5. Empowering others 6. Optimism 7. Resilience

Residential training ­

One thing we do for our final residential training is that we invite more people than we actually need to limit the risk of people dropping out, as we will have the human resources we need to fill the space quickly. The other important part of the residential training is that it ensures that we are able to get to know people fully, which ensures better selection. Training More than an organization, Project Potential is a mindset, and in many ways, our

training is as much about unlearning as it is about learning. Yes, challenges exist. But

so do solutions.

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PROJECT POTENTIAL OVERVIEW AND UPCOMING PLANS

The core question: Imagine you, as an individual, need to change the culture of an entire village. What would you need to know? From our experience and research, there are seven qualities should be in a Village Visionary if he or she is to be successful (mentioned above). So we organize our training around these seven qualities, drawing from Positive Psychology and Asset­Based Community Development, and around how they can be used in personal and professional life. Positive Psychology ­ technically known as the ‘scientific study of well­being.’ An easier way to think of it might be that our potential, as individuals, exists on a spectrum; at some points, we are simply better people and more effective workers than at others, so positive psychology provides tools to increase the amount of time we spend as our best selves. Topics include:

PERMA: The science of well­being and happiness Growth mindset: tools for seeing understanding success as an outcome of

sustained hard­work, rather than natural talent or god­given gifts. Active Constructive Response: How to respond to good news that people tell you

to improve relationships Gratitude: Noticing and learning to appreciate what we have SMART Goals: How to effectively set and achieve goals

Asset Based Community Development ­ segues well with positive psychology as a methodology for identifying and bringing to use what existing strengths in the village to empower people and bring them to action. As the name applies, the approach is asset based, not problem based ­ meaning, we do not dwell on and search for everything wrong in villages, but rather, look for and use what is already there to help communities reach their goals. We cannot build on problems ­ only on strengths and assets. Steps:

1. Build relationships 2. Map assets 3. Start Sapna Samiti 4. Create vision and launch projects 5. Monitoring and evaluation

ABCD is the main methodology used in the field when working with the community.

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PROJECT POTENTIAL OVERVIEW AND UPCOMING PLANS

Support Before getting into support, it’s important to note two things: the impact we seek to achieve and a Village Visionary’s day structure. Impact we seek to achieve

Our impact happens at three main levels:

1. Personal: Developing the 7 core competencies in our Village Visionaries so that they can effectively mobilize the community.

2. Community: A model village, in which the community is able to set and achieve its own goals.

3. Ecosystem: Stronger and better coordination and collaboration between government, NGO, business, and the community.

The first two points are key in terms of supporting Village Visionaries. BPOs are responsible for ensuring they learn according to their full potential so that when they work in the community, they can help the community reach its full potential.

Day Structure

We have structured our Village Visionaries’ days to maximize their development as individuals, and as community mobilizers and change agents. Another important point to note

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PROJECT POTENTIAL OVERVIEW AND UPCOMING PLANS

here is that 6 Village Visionaries live together with their BPO, so that there is a constant environment of peer learning and inspiration.

Time Activity Comment

6:30­7:30 Wake up

7:30­9:00 Sapna Samay (Dream time) Work on personal dream and hobbies (music, computer coding, video editing, acting, reading, writing, exercise, etc.)

9:00­9:30 Breakfast

9:30­10:00 Travel to field

10:00­4:00 Field work: Building model village

Working on projects in the village

4:00­5:00 Travel back to center and free time

5:00­6:30 Sports and play Football, cricket, running

6:30­8:30 Debrief Discussion about learnings from fieldwork, current and life affairs

8:30­9:30 Dinner

9:30 Bed time

Impact from last two months Individual Level

28 Village Visionaries selected, including 7 women, who have all been developing as leaders via the training we have give them

Community Level

The bulk of these accomplishments happened when we gave the Village Visionaries the power to

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PROJECT POTENTIAL OVERVIEW AND UPCOMING PLANS

do community projects on their own. Keep in mind they completed all of these projects with little to no training!

Bank accounts opened Toilets built (both kacha and pakka) Job cards received and people have begun working Learning centers opened Teacher networks built in conjunction with STIR Cleaning campaigns run Reading and learning camps run Gram sabhas initiated RTIs filed Indra Awaas Yojana received Skill development of women Income generating activities initiated

Ecosystem Level

Partnerships built at district level and with many NGOs. In coming months will be

bringing these partners together with community to help create a common vision for the future

Impact trajectory in the community* We see our entrance and transition out of the community as a three year process that we define using our 4S’s. Year 1

1. Spark: All movements start with catalyzing change and creating a sense of possibility.

That’s the first step for our Village Visionaries, as they build relationships and map local assets.

Year 2

2. Small Successes: Using locally available assets and people, Village Visionaries help

the community achieve projects, like community clean ups, getting toilets built, opening learning centers, and livelihood activities.

Year 3

3. Sustain: Over time, the community needs to become the full time convener and organizer of these projects, so our Village Visionaries create and give full control to the

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