Many of the undergraduates of SANASA Campus come from rural communities, it is important to ensure their successful future. These driven individuals secure their education through government loans, but upon entering the job market, they often encounter significant challenges in finding employment. To address this issue, it becomes crucial to equip these students with the essential tools and skills necessary for a successful career. By providing comprehensive support and resources, we can bridge the gap between education and employment, enabling them to thrive in the competitive job market. To fulfill this gap GFF implemented the Shape the Future Program in Collaboration with Global Shapers Community Kandy Hub and SANASA Campus.

By implementing these comprehensive measures, we can equip the undergraduates of SANASA Campus with the necessary tools and confidence to overcome job market challenges and secure a prosperous future. Empowered with relevant skills, practical experience, and a strong support system, these graduates will not only enrich their own lives but also contribute significantly to the development of their rural communities and the nation as a whole.

The aim of this project is to empower the undergraduates of SANASA Campus, with the essential tools, skills, and support they need to successfully transition from education to the job market.

The goal is to bridge the gap between education and employment for these students, contributing to their personal growth, the development of their communities, and the overall socioeconomic progress of the region.

Discovering yourself -Miss Shamilka Karunanayaka

Mental Wellbeing/ Mental health session – Miss Nalanga Hettiarachchi

Confidence building and Language proficiency – Toast Masters

Digital Literacy – Mr. Kasun Sankalpa

Financial Literacy – Mr. Kavindu Kahanda

Responsible Global Citizenship – Miss Niroshini Nugawela

World and Local affairs – Mr. Devminda Abeinayaka

Career Guidance – Miss. Desika Hirukaduwa

Interviews/Networking/Etiquette – Mr. Navodya Samamarasekara

Leadership and Team Building – Mr. Ruwantha Katugaha

Two programs were conducted, focusing on Logo Designing and self-confidence vs. Charisma. The logo design activity aimed to highlight the importance of self-confidence and charisma in personal and professional development. Students collaborated to create unique logos, expressing their individual qualities. The subsequent activity on self-confidence involved a speech followed by one-minute speeches by randomly selected students, boosting their self-confidence. Both activities were enthusiastically received, fostering creativity and meaningful connections among the students. Overall, the programs successfully promoted self-confidence, creative thinking, and the showcasing of unique qualities. Active participation and enjoyment were evident throughout the projects.

This week’s lessons covered three essential topics: the debt crisis and its effects, the rights and duties of citizens, and financial wellbeing. The students actively engaged in discussions, problem-solving activities, and group presentations, enhancing their knowledge and skills.

These lessons have equipped them for creative thinking with valuable insights for a successful future. These lessons provided valuable knowledge, empowering them to become knowledgeable and responsible citizens.

Students gained essential knowledge and skills for their future careers through three main lessons: stress management, critical thinking in the digital age, and effective LinkedIn and CV building. The stress management lesson delved into crucial topics such as Depression, Anxiety, and Chronic Stress, aiming to raise awareness among students. They prompted students to consider whether they would be able to revive their hobbies and discussed the potential benefits. Emphasizing the importance of managing stress, students were encouraged to engage in activities such as traveling, trying new foods, and listening to music, all of which have been shown to alleviate stress. The session concluded with an interactive discussion, where students collaboratively devised creative solutions to help one another overcome stress.

The final session focused on equipping students with the necessary tools for professional networking. Students were guided on creating LinkedIn profiles and utilizing them effectively to connect with companies and professionals in their chosen fields. The facilitators emphasized the importance of presenting oneself professionally and showcased strategies to promote individual strengths and achievements. Students also received valuable insights into crafting impressive CVs and cover letters,

The first session also aimed to enhance personal effectiveness through various skills. Students were encouraged to develop self-organization skills to effectively manage their time, tasks, and priorities. Commitment and dedication were highlighted as essential traits for achieving success in any chosen pursuit. Relationship building skills were discussed to emphasize the importance of fostering connections with others, as these connections can often lead to unforeseen opportunities. Additionally, the significance of effective communication skills was emphasized to enhance one’s ability to convey ideas, collaborate with others, and build mutually beneficial relationships.

The second session explored into the crucial do’s and don’ts of creating a personal brand through effective communication and presentation. Participants were educated on the significance of cultivating an authentic personal brand that reflects their values, strengths, and unique qualities. The session emphasized the importance of consistent and clear communication to establish a strong and memorable brand identity.

Furthermore, the session stressed the value of building and sustaining connections that contribute to personal growth. Students were encouraged to network actively and establish meaningful relationships with individuals who can support and guide them on their chosen path. Leadership qualities were also discussed.

In the morning, the students eagerly participated in two impactful sessions that simulated real-world scenarios. The first session focused on presentations, where students collaborated in groups to develop innovative new brands. The students showcased their ideas, marketing strategies, and unique selling plans each group presented their brand to the audience, who provided constructive feedback to enhance their skills further.

The morning sessions involved practical activities, including brand presentations and mock interviews, where students gained valuable skills in teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. They presented a brand and they faced an interview. The Shape of the Future program was a transformative experience for the participating students. They expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to develop critical skills and build their confidence in a supportive environment.

The second session involved mock interviews, designed to prepare students for the challenges they may encounter in actual job interviews. With a sense of excitement and nervous anticipation, the students faced a panel of interviewers who assessed their readiness, communication skills, and ability to handle pressure. The mock interviews provided a realistic simulation of the interview process, allowing students to experience the dynamics firsthand. The interviewers posed challenging questions, evaluated the students’ responses, and provided valuable feedback to help them refine their interview techniques. Through this exercise, the students gained a deeper understanding of the expectations and demands of professional interviews.

The evening commenced with a warm welcome from the program organizers, expressing their gratitude to the guests and GFF representatives for their support throughout the program. There was a warm speech from Mr. Tharaka Munidasa (GFF International Advisor) virtually. From SANASA Campus Mrs. Oshadi Dodangoda also made a valuable speech. The work done by the Shape the Future Team for students’ personal growth and the importance of nurturing the talents and potential of the youth was emphasized.

All students participated in at least one session, and any instances of missing sessions were due to unforeseen circumstances or isolated incidents. Importantly, there were no complaints about the scheduled time slots, indicating that they were suitable for everyone’s availability.

The students thoroughly enjoyed the sessions because they were interactive and conducted in a non-traditional classroom format, which made the learning experience engaging and enjoyable. However, a few students expressed that they occasionally faced challenges in understanding and absorbing information when presented in English compared to their native language, Sinhala. They expressed a desire to learn strategies for overcoming this language barrier in future modules. This feedback suggests that when conducting sessions in the future, it might be beneficial to incorporate language support or provide additional resources to aid comprehension for those who primarily speak Sinhala.

It’s noteworthy that Tamil-speaking students actively participated in the program and did not encounter any issues with language comprehension.

Another factor contributing to occasional absences on Saturdays was the majority of students living outside of Kegalle, who returned home during weekends. Only a few students stayed in their boarding places during this time. Taking this into consideration, future planning could be adjusted to accommodate the weekend commitments of these students.

The program received a positive feedback from all participants, with only a few challenges mentioned that can be addressed for an even more effective and inclusive learning experience in future sessions.

The program received positive feedback from all the students. Eight of them praised the structure of the program, considering it to be good, while two found it to be average. Additionally, six students felt that the modules covered were appropriate, and four students thought they were very appropriate. Moreover, seven students acknowledged the usefulness of the skills trained through the program, while three found them to be very useful. It is noteworthy that none of the students had any negative responses regarding the program. Overall, the feedback indicates that the program was well-received and beneficial to the students’ learning experience.