About Soochna Seva Fellowship
Soochna Seva is all about information FOR the people BY the people themselves. The unique feature is the deployment of field agents for public information dissemination and digital empowerment of the target population. Known as Soochna Sevaks, they would be the central force of engagement in the project and would drive the success of the project towards its stated objectives

To recruit a dedicated and committed bunch of Soochna Sevaks, DEF has instituted a fellowship programme known as the Soochna Seva Fellowship for young enthusiasts who are willing to make a difference. The fellowship is for a duration of 6 months, which the fellow has to spend in the target district itself working at the grass-root level resolving issues and performing the required tasks.

After completion of the 6-month period, the fellow has to submit a detailed report inclusive of all documents, case studies, hotographs and videos. Based on a subsequent performance assessment, the tenure of the fellow may be extended purely at the discretion of the organization.

Apply to become a Soochna Seva Fellow
The Soochna Seva fellowship is a 6 month fellowship offered two times a year. Fellows serve full-time at any one of the five districts Guna (Madhya Pradesh), Tehri (Uttarakhand), Barmer (Rajasthan), West Champaran (Bihar), Ranchi (Jharkhand). Fellows will go door to door to introduce and explain the public schemes to the targeted community members/households which they always deserved but was never aware of them. It will be the responsibility of the fellows to facilitate them throughout the process.

Fellows would connect with the target groups and act as change agents. Support households through the full cycle- from delivering information, advising on suitable schemes, guiding them through application process and relentlessly following up on the progress and document the best practices and cases that would aid in shaping the roadmap of the project in the future.

Last date for submission of online form is 30th of November 2014

Roles and Responsibilities

A Soochna Sevak is supposed to diligently discharge the following responsibilities:-

• Fellows should represent DEF and its mission of ‘Soochna Seva’ to the target groups.
• Fellows need to lead and uphold the activities designed by DEF for them to accomplish the program goals.
• Fellows should routinely communicate with target audience and deliver information door-to-door to ensure that they have equitable access to information regarding public schemes. They are required to guide people in filling up the requisite forms for applicable schemes and in choosing proper channels for availing benefits.
• Fellows are required to follow up on the status of availing of public schemes by the beneficiaries and assist them in each successive step.
• Fellows should establish appropriate tools and mechanisms and generate new research approaches to disseminate public scheme information to the wider range of target audience.
• Fellows should report progress on the assigned tasks to the Block Coordinators and should help core team while visiting important locations
• Fellows should generate and maintain necessary documentation and reports and deliver the same to DEF.\
• Fellows are required to document case studies and shoot videos on interesting scenarios and update the same via social media tools, whenever asked to.
• Fellows need to do primary survey and capture data, whenever required.
• Fellows should attend Gram Sabha meetings to understand the ground issues better and to diagnose possible zones for improvement.
• Fellows are required to spread digital literacy among the communities and train them on basic tools.
• Fellows should take care of all the equipment that DEF will provide them for their fellowship. It includes laptop/ mobile/ SIM card/ vehicle/ camera/ pen drive etc.
• Fellows must maintain the confidentiality of DEF and the associated projects. (Fellows will be abide by the rules and protocols designed by DEF for its employees).

Benefits
The fellow is entitled to a remuneration of Rs.6000/- per month during the tenure of his fellowship. The fellow is expected to ideally reside in the block in which he is deployed, as such DEF would not reimburse accommodation & travel costs. The fellow is expected to bear the same out of his remuneration. Upon successful completion of all the requirements of the fellowship programme, he would be issued with a fellowship certificate of appreciation

Since the project is a collaborative effort between DEF & European Union, it would be a notable addition in the resume for aspiring candidates in developmental/social work/rural management sectors. But most importantly, the experience of being involved in a project that is going to change the very face of information delivery in India would be a rewarding and enriching experience

The learning would be immense, as working in hand with the communities would expose the fellows to the realities at the ground level. Moreover, since the fellow is expected to simultaneously perform a number of roles and liaise with many people, it would be a wonderful management experience. Above all, it would be gratifying and giving something back to the society for what the fellows deliver is not mere information, but an opportunity that could change lives forever.