Sahyogi (Care Beyond Compare)
There was an ever growing demand for caregivers the actual availability of trained caregivers lagged far
behind despite running of caregivers training programmes through several Non Government Organizations (NGO)s
over the years. The
National Trust
reviewed the ground realities and launched Scheme of Community Based Caregivers Training with a view to provide good quality training to interested persons for becoming caregivers to the needy persons with disabilities. Accordingly, a new scheme of Caregivers Training & Deployment called Sahyogi was conceived superseding the existing scheme. The salient features of the scheme are as follows :
A. Training Module
1. There will be a totally new training module addressing the needs of Persons With Disabilities (PwD)s on one side and caregivers on the other keeping in mind the paradigm shift in disability issues and approach towards them in conformity with the United Nations Convention For Rights Of Persons With Disabilities (UNCRPD).
2. There will be different levels of training of different duration. The most basic level (Level-1) will be of 25 days of classroom training followed by 4 months on the job training. The next higher level (Level 2) will be of 5 months. Still higher levels (Level 3) will be evolved in due course. These different levels will ensure career progression of Caregivers on the one hand and their need based skill development on the other hand.
3. Training Modules will accordingly incorporate provisions for career progression & eligibility conditions for different levels.
4. All caregivers will be called Sahyogi 1/2/3 as per their levels.
B. Training Arrangement
1. There will a National Level Resource Persons Team for training of trainers who will in turn train different levels of caregivers starting with Level 1.
2. Actual cost of developing training modules and training the trainers will be provided on case to case basis.
3. Every trainee must be screened and enrolled before training.
C. Structural Arrangement
1. There will be a Care Givers Cell (CGC) in every selected NGO.
2. There shall be a TPA
/Nodal agency at the national level for effective co-ordination and management of network of CGCs and smooth
implementation of the entire scheme. TPA will be required to setup a Nodal-CGC (NCGC) in
New Delhi.
3. A Corpus for the scheme shall be set up by the
National Trust
for which a separate
bank account may be opened in due course.
4. Every CGC will be responsible to carry out both - training as well as deployment of
caregivers. However, CGC may outsource training work in consultation with the
National Trust
But in either case, it will be the responsibility of CGC to ensure successful training & deployment of
all the caregivers.
5. Every CGC must have computer, printer, digital camera, phone, fax and internet.
Non-recurring (NR) Grant of Rs. 1,00,000/- each shall be given to set up such cells.
6. NR Grant of Rs. 20,000/- shall also be given to each CGC for carrying out
initial publicity/ awareness drive. However, subsequent publicity etc. will have to be done by CGCs at
their own cost.
7. To meet initial recurring cost, seed money of Rs. 1,00,000/- will be given as working
capital. No further recurring grant shall be given to CGCs which has to be generated by themselves under
the scheme.
8. CGCs will be at liberty to fix their own fees/ charges but all financial transactions
in/out of the Corpus shall be done only at the base rates fixed under the scheme and any loss/gain due to
any different rate fixed by any CGC will accrue to that CGC only.
9. There shall be a separate bank account of CGC and all financial transactions must be
through this bank account.
10. Every CGC will be required to contribute 10% of their revenue under the scheme to the
Corpus by 31st March of every year after initial exemption for 3 years.
11. TPA can be provided Rs. 1,50,000/- for setting up
the Nodal-CGC (NCGC) which will also include the cost of software development for on-line processing &
tracking.
12. TPA can be provided recurring grant @ 10% of what all
CGCs would actually get at the basic rate as given under the scheme. However this amount will be
payable only on deployment of caregivers,
D. Application & Enrollment of Caregivers
1. Any person who is interested to become a caregiver can apply to CGC of the area.
2. Any Regd. NGO can also recommend/ refer applicants.
3. On receipt of application, CGC will inquire and ascertain the antecedents of applicants and their suitability & willingness to work as a caregiver. Police verification may be carried out wherever necessary.
4. Only such applicants whose antecedents are satisfactory will be enrolled by CGC. A complete database of all such enrolled applicants shall be maintained by CGC.
5. An incentive @ Rs.250 to CGC and @ Rs.50 to referee (regd. NGOs/CGC) shall be given for every new applicant who finally gets enrolled and who either successfully completes the training or is already trained.
E. Demand Registration & Deployment of Caregivers
1. Every CGC shall be required to register Care-seekers i.e. persons with disabilities who are desirous of availing caregivers.
2. There shall be a Demand Registration Fee per Caregiver required from Care-seekers. Registration shall remain valid for 3 years after which fresh registration will be required.
3. CGC should coordinate and facilitate the Care-seekers to get & retain suitable caregivers.
4. There shall be first time deployment fees of Rs. 1000/- from Caregivers. Trainee-Caregivers may pay this amount @ 250 pm for 4 months during their on-the-job-training. Caregivers already trained may also similarly pay in 4 monthly installments provided their salary payment is routed through CGC.
5. There shall be no first time deployment fees from Care-seekers as this amount is already factored in Demand Registration Fees.
6. Deployment fees once paid shall remain valid for 4 months from the date of deployment. Subsequent deployment shall attract fees @ 500 from both Caregivers as well as Care-seekers.
7. The remuneration/ salary of Caregiver will be mutually decided by the Care-seeker and the Caregiver in consultation with the CGC and in conformity with all the prevalent wage laws/rules.
8. Care-seeker will have to deposit, in advance, one month salary of caregiver or Rs. 5000/- whichever is more in the Corpus as refundable but non-interest bearing security.
9. The remuneration/ salary to the Caregiver can be paid, fully or partly through CGC if so desired by the Care-seeker. CGC will be free to charge suitable fees for this, if any.
10. CGC may also start a bouquet of other/ similar services to enhance its financial viability and/or utility for the PwD, Caregivers & other stakeholders.
F. BPL PwD & Convergence with the Existing Scheme
1. The existing remuneration of Rs. 500 each by
National Trust
/NGO/State Government shall continue with/without NGO contribution of Rs. 500. But it should be restricted to BPL PwD preferably in a group.
2. In such cases remuneration to the Caregiver can be Rs.1000 per PwD (500x2) upto 5 PwDs in a group i.e. every Caregiver will care for a maximum of 5 PwD and then get upto Rs. 5x1000=5000/- pm.
3. There will be two types of group- one who can perform economic activities and the other who cannot.
4. A group of BPL PwDs who can perform some economic activity can be called Self Help Group or SHG. The SHG so formed shall be required to become self-sufficient to meet the cost of Caregiver within two years.
5. In case of BPL PwD with severe disability or below 18 years of age, a group still should be formed called Special Disabled Group or SDG for deployment of caregivers. Remuneration to the Caregivers in such case even after two years, will be paid out of the Corpus generated under the scheme.
6. All the fees & charges shall similarly apply to SHG/SDGs as in case of APL Care-seekers & Caregivers except for the Demand Registration Fee which will be @ Rs.400 per BPL PwD and salary of Caregivers which will be @ Rs. 1000 per BPL PwD. However, payment in all such cases shall be done from the Corpus.
7. Separate grant for making such payment will be provided by the
National Trust
and State Govt. as the case may be in due course. CGC will be however required to limit the number of caregivers/SHG/SDG according to the budget sanctioned & provided.
The National Trust is a statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government
of India and set up under the National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy,
Mental Retardation & Multiple Disabilities Act (Act 44 of 1999)
www.thenationaltrust.org.in
nationaltrust@nic.in