Every individual should be given the opportunity to utilize their potential in order to live with dignity and self-respect, regardless of mental or physical limitations.” –ADSN Prasad, Founder-Director, Pathway.
Pathway’s main concern is to provide quality care for those who are not able to afford or provide it for themselves. Please follow the links below to find more information about Pathway.
Vocational Training
The spadework to establish a vocational unit for the mentally retarded was laid during 1990. Pathway has been introducing various skills in this area. Making of ball pen refills and marketing the same was taken up very successfully. Similarly many other things such as making urns for lighting deepavali lights, making of attractive candles, envelopes and many other things were done.
Pathway with the assistance of Misereor M.V of Germany implemented well organized a fullfledged vocational unit at Koothavakkam, Kancheepuram district. This comprised of setting up of a large industrial shed of 5000 square feet with some area earmarked for residence of trainees, kitchen area, besides dining hall and bathrooms were built.
In 1991 This unit was inaugurated with a large wood working unit equipped with various machineries such as wood working lathe, planners, cutting machine, electrical saw and other equipment. In addition to this a number of hand operable plastic injection moulding and blow moulding equipment were also installed. Many eligible boys were taken for training in wood working and carpentry as well as in injection and blow moulding.
After years of training it was felt that woodworking and carpentry was fairly well suited to our adult mentally retardates. Three batches of more than 25 adult mentally retarded boys have been trained in this unit. This unit has three well-qualified instructors in wood working who have proven to be assets for the organization. Boys have been trained in various aspects of woodworking and this unit has turned out considerable work in the following ways:
- Production of windows, doors and other building needs
- Production ofTeaching aids and gadgets
- Production of high class furniture
- Production of class room furniture and requirements
- Turn key operation in interior decoration
In addition to the above, recently, weaving was also introduced. Boys are being trained to work in the production of towels, napkins, etc.
Job Training
One of the key factors in helping people build self-esteem and self-sufficiency is having a job and earning an income. Pathway recognizes the unique challenges of training mentally and physically disabled children and adults with skills that will qualify them for some type of rudimentary employment. As such, they have developed a comprehensive vocational program that includes several levels of training and development, as well as internal income-generating activities and outside job placement.
Pre-vocational training includes utilizing teaching aids developed by the Pathway vocational staff, as no standardized tools exist in the ready market. These aids are specially designed to meet specific learning disabilities, determined by extensive testing and evaluation of each child. All children above age 9 are evaluated for trainability, and taught key values necessary for successful integration and job placement:
- Time management
- Hygiene
- Social interaction
- Responsibility
- Cleanliness –personal and environmental
- Age-appropriate behavior
- Healthy sense of competition
Pathway also requires each child to contribute to the cleaning and maintenance of each center. It is the goal of the organization to replace as many “normal” workers with the disabled in various household functions. These activities provide “on the job” training for many children. Additionally, the pre-vocational training methodology takes into consideration several aspects of a given task, such as:
- Type of job
- Physical energies required for a specific job
- Mastering a particular skill
Integration of Disabled
After serving children with mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism and related dysfunctions for over 30 years, it has been proposed for the first time in India, to build an integrated education complex where all children disabled and ‘Normal’ will have an opportunity to learn from each other and progress shoulder to shoulder.We believe it a win/win situation to integrate under one roof, at the Agro Farm.
The proposal includes integrating children with mild to moderate mental retardation and children with cerebral palsy with average intelligence or above average intelligence, as well as with children with borderline or mild intellectual impairment with the average children and also children with speech and hearing disorders.
Homebound Program
In addition to comprehensive care at its centers, Pathway has developed an outreach program that enables a child’s therapy to continue at home.
This unique program was created to address the following needs:
- Pathway attracts many children from different parts of India
- These children need a place to live while receiving treatment at Pathway
- No facility in India has the means or capacity to house every child who needs care
How it works
- A parent or family representative is trained by a rehabilitation expert at the center with specific therapy routines for their child
- The parent continue the therapy routines for their child in their own home
- The child must visit a Pathway center once every three months to be examined and monitored by professionals.
Benefits:
- The family becomes involved in the child’s care
- Family members attain a high level of proficiency in therapeutic treatment
- Housing costs are reduced for both the families and Pathway
- More children throughout India may be treated by Pathway professionals
Contact
Pathway India
E 76/1 12th W St,
Kamaraj Nagar,
Tiruvanmiyur,
Chennai, 600041
Phone: +91 44 24488366 +91 98400 29352