INTERNSHIP PROGRAM – Ashadeep India

A major component underlying Ashadeep’s various endeavours has been sensitization of the population at large regarding mental health. Students pursuing internship from Ashadeep are constantly encouraged to become young ambassadors in the field of mental health so that greater awareness can be created regarding otherwise neglected issues of mental health and mental illness. For intership program at Ashadeep you can contact us at societyashadeep@yahoo.com

Home is not where the bloodline exists , it is where acceptance of the authentic self is.
As a person who has Anthrophobia (fear of people) induced anxiety issues, I have learnt a lot at Ashadeep. Being a student of social work at TISS Mumbai , I always wondered about how in our classes the work that Ashadeep has been doing is never even brought up. This is why a few of us came here for our Rural Block Fieldwork. At the first look, we thought that Ashadeep was only working with institution-based spaces. However, it was only by the second week that we came to know the Ashadeep has a vast body of work and functions at multiple levels of interventions and welfare. We spent three weeks at its Boko Centers – Navachetana (transit camp for women with mental illness who were picked up from streets), Udoyon (home for men with mental illness who were picked up from streets) and Home Again (home for persons with mental illness who have could not be reintegrated but have the minimal functionality). The people were so accommodating that though at first I struggled somewhat because of my Anthrophobia , later I was comfortable and now, I consider them as my extended family. I am really grateful that Ashadeep had also given me the flexibility to work at my own pace and derive fruitful results out of it. All of the interventions that we had done at the centres had a homely charm and the residents were the major reason behind its success. Thank you Ashadeep for letting me be a small part of their big world !
Forever grateful,

— Ashapurnaa , 2nd year , MA-SW in Mental Health , TISS Mumbai.

Hello,

I have hereby, written the internship experience. Thanks for the wonderful experience.
When you pay attention everything is your teacher. People are as wonderful as sunsets if you let them be. When I look at sunset, I do not find myself saying, ‘Soften the orange a bit on the right hand corner.’ I do not try to control a sunset I watch with awe as it unfolds. My working with person with mental illness in Boko and children with developmental disorder in the Day Rehabilitation centre in Ashadeep, Mental Health NGO in Assam, was an experience that while challenging at times, was invaluable in so many ways. I got opportunity to involve more, more than I ever imagined.

— Abhiyanta , MA SW in Mental Health , TISS Mumbai, Country: Nepal.

In September 2017, I had the great opportunity to volunteer at Ashadeep with the personal motivation to learn more about psychosocial rehabilitation for persons with mental illness in India.

Three weeks I spent in the day rehabilitation centre and special school for children with intellectual impairment by using different creative therapies like art, play, yoga and dance. In the starting, I thought it will be quite a challenge to connect with the children. However, I realized and experienced that not the language but the way we show understanding, compassion and patience with each individual child and support them in their unique capacities as its best, is the only fruitful approach.

By contributing my efforts without a professional background, the time at Ashadeep enriched my personal development in many ways for which I am very grateful.

Thanking you.

— Theresa Utecht , TISS Mumbai