AHMEDABAD, JULY 18
Over 8,000 young migrant workers and health workers have received appropriate guidance by understanding their real problems through counseling sessions to remain positive during COVID-19 induced lockdown and job loss. Each individual session lasted a minimum of 30 minutes to boost their morale and enhance their employability, says a start-up.
According to YourDOST, an online counselling and emotional wellness services platform, 8,000+ young migrant workers and health workers have undergone a series of emotional counselling sessions conducted during the lockdown period. During the lockdown phase, 1,000 young workers, half of them women, who were otherwise experiencing a highly challenging time due to the impact of the pandemic outbreak in the country on their jobs and lives, received emotional counselling to overcome their anxiety and manage the situation and future more effectively. YourDOST has offered its emotional counselling sessions in Medinipur (West Bengal), Kalimpong (West Bengal), Delhi, Dehradun, Kaithal, Erode, Namakkal, Coimbatore, Amaravati, Khandwa, Dhar, Barrackpore, Howrah, Sambalpur.
Speaking on the emotional counselling programme held during the lockdown, Richa Singh, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, YourDOST, said, “After providing extensive emotional counselling to the young migrant workers and health workers, we could see a tremendous improvement in their positive approach towards their lives and careers. We have so far provided counselling to over 8,000 workers of which 1,000 workers took counselling during the COVID-19 lockdown period. We have provided at least 5 sessions for each of them”.
Trained at different institutions across the country by the Nation Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), young migrant and health workers are getting employment opportunities in diverse sectors in key metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune etc. However, they have been finding it difficult to select the right option amid COVID-19 spread in India and especially in the metro cities when the situation has been particularly serious. However, after undergoing regular emotional counselling sessions by YourDOST, over a 120-day period, they have developed a positive approach towards their career opportunities and are making appropriate decisions.
Sharing his experience with the YourDOST sessions, Shantanu Nag, Mednipur (Health Worker), who now works as a general duty assistant in a hospital, said, “It was such a nice gesture from the expert when she called me and inquired about my wellbeing in the midst of this natural disaster. I am grateful that she cared about us”.
Expressing a similar experience, Nishal Raut, Kalimpong (Migrant worker), who is now employed in the food and beverage industry, said, “The expert is the best. She guides us towards our better future, and she cares about us. In this whole situation, she still calls us, texts us which is really helpful. She is always curious about what problems we’re facing and tries to guide us. We are being respected and feel loved.”
