The Social Impact Fellowship
A short, hands-on fellowship that turns a young person's interest in social work into real, work-ready skill — a bridge course followed by a three-month field practicum inside a working old age home. Leading to the Certificate in Elder Care & NGO Practice.
You can't learn to care for people from a slide deck.
Every year, thousands graduate wanting to change the world — and hit the same wall: nobody hires someone who has only read about the work. The classroom hands you theory. The sector asks for proof. This fellowship is the bridge between them. For three months you do the real thing — inside a working old age home, beside real elders, on real fundraising campaigns — until “I want to help” becomes “I know how.” You walk out with a certificate, a portfolio, a reference, and something no exam can give you: the quiet confidence of having actually done it. The first cohort is deliberately small. The doors that open early are the first to close.
Claim a seat in the first cohort
If your education taught you everything except how to begin, this is for you. Anyone 18 or over who is serious about the social sector — students, final-year and recent graduates, and career-changers. BSW and MSW students are especially welcome, and the practicum can count toward university field-work [subject to a partner MoU]. No prior experience is needed; we select for fire in the belly, not marks on a sheet. Bring a working knowledge of English and/or Telugu, a willingness to show up in person in Visakhapatnam, and a genuine respect for the dignity of older persons. That is enough.
One core track, three applied tracks
Foundations of Social Work & Elder Care
Values and ethics, the ageing process, communicating with elders, the helping process, documentation, and how a small NGO actually runs — across five core modules.
Digital Fundraising & Story-Selling
Telling a beneficiary's story with dignity, the digital channels that reach donors, and planning and running a real campaign — measured honestly.
NGO Management & Compliance
Governance, the essentials of compliance (12A, 80G, CSR and FCRA at a conceptual level), and leading small projects and teams.
Data, M&E & AI for Impact
Measuring what matters — outputs, outcomes and impact — and using data and AI tools responsibly, with no resident information in public tools.
Two phases, one journey
A certificate, a portfolio, a foot in the door
A recognised certificate
The Certificate in Elder Care & NGO Practice, issued by RBL Foundation's Vanaprastam [in association with an academic partner].
A practicum completion letter
Documenting your hours and rotations — for university credit or articulation [per partner MoU].
A real portfolio
Your capstone micro-project, a fundraising piece, and field documentation you can show an employer.
A reference and a network
A reference letter and, for top fellows, introductions to partner NGOs and CSR teams, plus a continued pathway at Vanaprastam.
The shape of it
Items in [brackets] are being finalised and will be confirmed before the cohort opens.
A pipeline of work-ready talent
Every cohort produces young people who have already done the work — assessed, supervised and certified. Partner with the Fellowship to place students, hire associates, fund a cohort, or source vetted candidates.
Colleges & universities
Give your BSW/MSW and other students a credit-bearing field practicum and a credible bridge to employment. [MoU]
NGOs & social enterprises
Hire pre-screened associates in fundraising, programmes, M&E and communications — people who can start on day one.
CSR teams & foundations
Fund a cohort, or source talent to run your community programmes. Your support is 80G tax-deductible.
Recruiters & talent consultants
Tap a curated, certified shortlist of social-sector candidates with verified field experience.
Talk partnerships: vanaprastam@gmail.com · +91 96666 22288
Download the complete programme brochure
The full curriculum, the data behind the programme, the certificate, and how to partner — a seven-page PDF. Tell us who you are, and download it now.
Your seat won’t wait
The pilot cohort is limited to [15–20] fellows, and applications are read as they arrive. Read this page and the curriculum, send the short application below, and we will invite shortlisted applicants for a brief conversation. Selected fellows receive a joining note with dates and a reading pack. If this is you, don't wait for a deadline to decide — the early seats fill first.
1. Read
Read this page and, if you can, the full curriculum, so you know what you're signing up for.
2. Apply
Send the short application — your details, education, why you want to join, and your availability.
3. Talk
Shortlisted applicants are invited for a brief, friendly conversation.
4. Join
Selected fellows receive a joining note with dates and the reading pack.
Questions?
Fellowship application
Tell us a little about you and why you want to join. No marks or prior experience required.