ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing ArtsISSN (Online): 2582-7472
Exploring Skills That Can Be Imparted to Physically Challenged Youth for Self- Reliance Madhu Bala Singh 1, Dr. Nargis Fatima 2, Dr. Ekta Sharma 3 1 Research
Scholar, Textiles and Apparel Designing, Ethelind College of Home Science, Sam
Higginbottom Agriculture Technology and Sciences (SHUATS), Prayagraj-
211007, India 2 Assistant
Professor, Textiles and Apparel Designing, Ethelind College of Home Science,
Sam Higginbottom Agriculture Technology and Sciences (SHUATS), Prayagraj- 211007, Uttar Pradesh, India 3 Associate Professor and Head Department of Textiles and Apparel
Designing, Ethelind College of Home Science, Sam Higginbottom Agriculture
Technology and Sciences (SHUATS), Prayagraj- 211007,
Uttar Pradesh, India
1. INTRODUCTION Specially-abled individuals encompass a wide range, from physical barriers to societal prejudices. Addressing these hurdles is not just a matter of convenience but a moral imperative. By dismantling these obstacles, we unlock the potential of numerous individuals who possess a wealth of talents, skills, and perspectives that can significantly contribute to our society. It's essential to create an environment that fosters inclusivity, support, and equal opportunities for all, ensuring that everyone can contribute their unique gifts to the world. Johnstone et al. (2019). According to Division for Inclusive Social Development (2018): There are over 650 million people with disabilities in the world, which is almost 10 percent of the world's population. People with severe or moderate disabilities constitute a certain percent of the population in less developed regions of the world and 7 percent in more developed regions. In India out of the 121 Cr population, 2.68 Cr persons are 'specially-abled' which is 2.21 percent of the total population. According to Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016): “Person with a disability means a person with long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment, which hinders his full and effective participation in society equally with others.” Disability reflects the interaction between features of a person’s body and the society in which he or she lives. types of disabilities are- ·
Physical: Complete/partial loss of a physical function
(e.g., walking, motor skills) or part of the body (e.g., amputation) ·
Learning: Cognitive deficits affecting academic
performance. ·
Developmental: A type of disorder that occurs during the
child's developmental period and results in difficulties in personal, social,
academic, or occupational performance. · Sensory disorders: when any of the senses - sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste, and consciousness are affected. When we think about
disability, the focus is often on the illness rather than the person suffering
from it. “Operational, vocational, environmental, social, health, and human
rights issues are just a few of the numerous challenges that persons with special
needs face”. Abdulraqeb et al. (2023). From this moment on, it becomes the main reference point
for needs and solutions that can satisfy them. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (2012) likely highlights the
importance of inclusive employment strategies for persons with disabilities as a means to unlock their potential and harness the
demographic advantage for sustainable development. This underscores the urgency
and significance of policies and initiatives that foster an inclusive
workforce, enabling every individual, irrespective of their abilities, to
contribute to and benefit from the nation's progress. “Employment stands as a
crucial pillar for the independence and autonomy of individuals with
disabilities. Securing access to decent work is not only a fundamental human
right but also holds significant economic benefits, as highlighted by the International Labour
Organisation (2015) People with disabilities need skills to engage
in livelihood activities. But they start with several disadvantages. Their
families and communities may assume that they are unable to engage in such
activities. They often lack access to basic education, making them unqualified
to join skills training courses. These disadvantages frequently result in a
lack of skills, as well as low confidence, expectations, and achievement. Khasnabis et al. (2010). Meeting
vocational training needs more efficiently, collectively, and sustainably
supports a person- and ecosystem-cantered approach that helps individuals
achieve quality of life. The solution to this
problem is to understand the situation of the specially-abled and take measures to support them in terms of empowerment and
livelihood opportunities and to guarantee them a dignified life Skill development is one of the ways that lead a
specially-abled person to a decent job and ensures their independence in their
future lives. “In India, the skills and potential of most
people living with disabilities remain untapped, underutilized, or
underdeveloped. Vocational training is one of the potential determinants of
employment among People with differently abled” Pillai & Shaji (2016) A specially-abled
person needs better access to primary education and vocational training that
meets their needs, abilities, interests, and opportunities. Appropriate and
effective vocational training promotes the skills of specially-abled person and enables them to
participate in the labour market together with others. Every specially-abled person is different depending on the type and degree of
disability. Therefore, the area of training that
each person needs should be carefully selected. Vocational
education as the term itself denotes the students receiving this are
specialized in a particular trade/ vocation and skills and therefore they have
more chances of getting gainfully employed and a better place as compared to
others. It makes an individual responsible and independent, traditional and
lack of skill developing courses lack in this sphere. This education provides
stable jobs as these are the jobs whose demand is never fulfilled. Mishra & Rani (2018) The difference between
current and required skills allows us to determine the need for professional
development and to assess the quality of life of the selected respondents. To fulfill the needs more effectively, collectively, and
sustainably, a person- and ecosystem-centered
approach is crucial to help individuals achieve a quality of life. Quality of
life is a patient-reported outcome that has broad meaning. A general
understanding of good quality of life includes personal well-being, good
health, and satisfaction with life. The
quality of life of a specially-abled person depends on
many factors, such as the type of
family, living conditions, occupation of their family, social skills,
education, and the potential that they develop in life. Poor health conditions and impairments are one of the reasons
for the limited activity of specially-abled
persons and the poor financial situation of the entire family. Drozdz (2020). In
the present study, an initial assessment of the potential and interests of the specially-abled youth was carried out, which determines
further action to be taken. It is often important to motivate and encourage the specially-abled to employ their potential and their abilities
due to their apathy and demotivation. A specially-abled
person needs special attention due to their different learning abilities, their state of
health, or any physical disability. It is essential to put efforts into
providing various opportunities to improve their quality of life and make them
self-reliant. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was conducted in Chitrakoot district, Uttar Pradesh, India. The area was selected purposively as in Chitrakoot (U.P) Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Divyang University is the first and the only university exclusively for the specially-abled youth in India and the world. A total of 150 respondents, of the age groups 19 to 29 years, were selected for the present study. A self-designed questionnaire was used for the assessment. The first section covered general information about the respondents, and the second section focused on the specific information related to their impairments, their quality of life, and competency-based thematic questions regarding existing knowledge of skill training. The data was tabulated and analysed statistically using simple percentages. 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The
results of the study are summarized under the following heads- ·
The general profile of
the respondents- The data of the
general profile of respondents are presented in Table 1. Table 1
The data among the respondents
indicates that the majority, 77.2 per cent, were women. It was noted that the
largest proportion of respondents i.e., 78.6 per cent was unmarried. Regarding
their educational status, the majority 82 per cent had undergraduate degrees,
while 18 per cent had postgraduate qualifications. The highest proportion of respondents 70 per
cent came from families whose primary occupation was farming. Additionally, the majority of respondents 70 per cent were classified
under the low-income group. Concerning family structure, 67.9 per cent of the
respondents were living in nuclear families. ·
The specific
information of respondents Table 2
Table reveals the data collected
regarding respondent’s physical limitations, the largest proportion of 41.5 per
cent of participants reported being physically impaired, specifically with
Cerebral Palsy (CP), while the second-largest group 20.6 per cent identified as
hearing impaired. Moreover, a significant majority 65.6 per cent of the
respondents reported being diagnosed with their disability at birth or within
their first year of life. This early diagnosis is attributed to the ability to
recognize fundamental developmental signs in children during their initial
stages of growth. The symptoms of the identified disabilities are detailed in
Table with the most prevalent symptom being the delayed achievement of
developmental milestones, accounting for 38.9 per cent. The leading cause of
disability, affecting 50.2 per cent of respondents, occurred during the prenatal
period. Figure 1
Table 3
The table displays data indicating that none of the respondents were engaged in
income-generating activities. Additionally, the data shows that
44.2 per cent of the additional expenditure due to disability was allocated to
aids and appliances for the respondents, while 32.6 per cent was dedicated to
medical treatment. The
majority of respondents 74 per cent, had their expenses managed by their
parents. A substantial portion of the 79.6 per cent of respondents was
accessing education through government facilities available to them. The data
indicates that 50 per cent of the respondents received healthcare benefits from
government social security schemes, while 14.6 per cent obtained aids and
appliances through these schemes. Figure 2
Table 4
Table 5
According to the data in Table 5 4.7 per cent
of the respondents were aware of entrepreneurial skill-based training, but the majority of them 94.3 per cent, had never participated
in any entrepreneurial skill-based training programs. The data indicates that
69.8 per cent of respondents were motivated to join skill-based training to
become self-reliant. A significant majority of the respondents, i.e., 75 per
cent, expressed their preference for learning skills during training related to
clothing and textile embellishment techniques. The data shows that 50 per cent,
had entrepreneurial intentions for this training, aiming to start their
businesses. Additionally, 28 per cent of the respondents expressed a desire to
become entrepreneurs. Table 6
According to the data presented in the
Table, the survey revealed various levels of awareness among respondents
regarding clothing and textile construction methods, as well as embellishment
techniques. More than half of the respondents 53.7 per cent were not familiar
with basic clothing and textile construction techniques. Among the remaining
respondents, 43.3 per cent were aware of stitching techniques, while 20 per
cent of the respondents had knowledgeable about embroidery techniques.
Surprisingly, the data indicated that a significant percentage 97.7 per cent of
respondents lacked knowledge of basic dying or printing techniques. Notably, a
substantial majority 70 per cent of the respondents were not familiar with any
local arts and crafts. On a positive note, the majority 66 per cent of
respondents showed basic proficiency in computer skills, primarily involving
internet usage and Microsoft Office applications. Table 7
The majority of respondents expressed interest in learning
clothing and textile embellishment techniques, with 75 per cent participants
selecting this option. Clothing and textile embellishment techniques
encompass a wide range of skills, including but not limited to embroidery,
beadwork, appliqué, fabric dyeing and printing, fabric painting, and surface
embellishments. 4. CONCLUSION The
present study emphasizes the importance of addressing the skill training needs
and overall quality of life for specially-abled youth,
particularly in the context of skill-oriented training related to apparel, home
furnishings, and handicraft making. The insights gained from this study
revealed varying levels of awareness, motivation, and skill proficiency among
the respondents. This demands the development of personalized training programs
aimed at bridging these skill gaps, thereby empowering individuals with
entrepreneurial aspirations. Furthermore,
the assessment of the quality of life for specially-abled
youth has illuminated the multifaceted and subjective nature of this concept.
It is evident from the data that continued support from both families and
government initiatives is vital to enhance the quality of life for specially-abled youth and to cater to their unique needs.
The significance of aids, appliances, and medical treatment in their overall
well-being cannot be inflated. Significantly,
the data indicates a demand for skill training in clothing and textile
embellishment techniques among the majority of
respondents. These techniques encompass a wide array of skills, including
embroidery, beadwork, appliqué, fabric dyeing and printing, fabric painting,
and surface embellishments. By addressing both their skill training needs and the broader aspects of their quality of life, we can foster self-reliance, entrepreneurship, and a higher standard of well-being for this precious segment of our society. It is through such initiatives that we can contribute to their enhanced efficiency, effectiveness, and self-confidence, ultimately facilitating their path to self-sufficiency and entrepreneurship, particularly for specially-abled youth seeking to build their competencies and start their enterprises.
CONFLICT OF INTERESTS None. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS None. REFERENCES Abdulraqeb, Sujathamalini, J., & Halder, T. (November 2023). Vocational Training Functional Skill Assessment for Students with Visual Impairment: Case Study Report. Alagappa University. Division for Inclusive Social Development (2018, August 27). Fact Sheet on Persons with Disabilities [PDF]. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs: Enable. Drozdz, R. (2020). Views on the Quality of Life of People with Disabilities in the Light of Their Involvement in Sport Activities. Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity, 12(5), Special Issue: Sport and Tourism, Yesterday - Today - Tomorrow, 1. https://doi.org/10.29359/BJHPA.12.Spec.Iss1.11 International Labour Organisation (2015, September 11). GED / PARDEV SEPTEMBER 2015. Johnstone, C. J., Kayama, M., & Limaye, S. (2019). Inclusion or Assimilation: Program Development in Disability-Focused Organizations in India. Disability & Society, 34(9-10), 1595-1612. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2019.1601068 Khasnabis, C., Heinicke, M. K., Achu, K. (2010). Geneva: World Health Organization. Mishra, P., & Rani, D. (2018). Vocational Education for Persons with Disabilities: An Overview. Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR), 5(5), 421. Pillai, P., & Shaji, B. (2016). A Study on the Effectiveness of Vocational Training to Students with Disabilities - A Case Study from Kerala, India. International Journal of Advance Research and Innovative Ideas in Education (IJARIIE), 2(5), 3137. Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016, December 28). Gazette of India (Extra-Ordinary). United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2012). Guarantees the Right of People with Disabilities to Mainstream Vocational Training, 2(5).
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