Work in Dignity Fellowship – Aajeevika
Deadline Extended! Last date to apply 5:00 PM IST, 15th May 2023
Aajeevika Bureau (AB) is a labour rights and services organisation working to achieve a dignified world of work for communities dependent on informal, precarious work. In our journey spanning nearly two decades, our focus has been on seasonal migrants, who form a particularly vulnerable segment of workers, facing exploitative
conditions of work and socio-political exclusions in their rural homes and urban destinations.
Aajeevika’s work addresses complex challenges around access to justice, workers’ bargaining power, occupational safety, social protection, and gendered vulnerabilities that manifest within labour markets. Cutting across each of these areas of work is one powerful strategy – that of nurturing strong collectives and rights-based platforms, which work to create visibility and power for an otherwise dispersed group of workers. A large part of our work is embedded in these community institutions and spearheaded by workers themselves.
In many spaces where the state’s arm continues to fall short in reaching vulnerable communities of workers, Aajeevika has stepped in with impactful models of intervention. Our larger vision is a sustainable and systemic shift in working conditions and public provisioning systems, to ensure that informal workers can live and work with dignity, everywhere. To this end, AB actively combines practice with research and advocacy with the state and industry.
Aajeevika currently has direct presence in four states – Rajasthan, Gujarat,
Maharashtra and Karnataka. It also partners actively with several labour rights organisations and platforms across the country.
About the Fellowship
The fellowship is being introduced with the vision ofseeding and strengthening labourrights action in uncovered locations, and laying the foundation forsubsequent, longer-term work. Through the programme, we aim to provide effective training, mentoring and financialsupport to committed individuals already working in the space of labour rights, as well as those who hold no prior experience but have strong, well founded interest in moving into the said space. While the former category of fellows will be supported in deepening / scaling their existing work, the latter will be guided through the process of building labour action from the ground up. The programme is meant to be a 2-yearlong transformative journey for both – the fellows and the communities they work with.
Geographically, the fellowship will span multiple locations across the country, identified as prominent industrial hubs with limited penetration of labour action. The fellowship design allows for two formats of placement – 1. those who are already engaged in independent work in the space of labour rights can choose to continue working in the same location that their work is based in; 2. fellows who ‘ll be moving into unfamiliar geographies and initiating new work shall be placed with a partner (host) organization. The host organization will act as a local support system, providing fellows with access to relevant stake holders and structured settings to grow their work out of.
Through the year, fellows will be supported with a mix of residential and online trainings, and mentored by seasoned practitioners. While the specific nature and focus of the fellow s work on the ground could be varied depending on the needs of the community, the programme will lay a special emphasis on activating legal aid, worker mobilisation, and interventions around occupational safety and social protection, where these fit.
Fellowship offers
- Training curriculum designed and delivered by veteran activists and practitioners, with structured inputs on topics ranging from informality to legal aid and social protection.
- Consistent mentorship from experienced practitioners.
- Access to a wide network of activists, practitioners and researchers working in the space of labour and migration.
- Monthly stipend to cover living expenses(range: Rs. 20,000-30,000)
Who Should Apply?
- Are you currently engaged in grassroots work that aligns with the thematic focus of the fellowship?
- Do you have experience / interest in undertaking grassroots work aimed at securing labourrights?
- Are you already working in / interested to work in a location that’ s yet to see the spread of effective labour action, despite high incidence of labour violations?
- Are you looking for knowledge/strategical inputs or personal capacity building to support the deepening of your work with labouring communities?
- In the long run, do you see yourself working to secure dignity and rights for informal workers? We are looking for individuals who are willing to make a fairly long-term commitment to both – the community and the cause.
If you answered yes to these questions, the fellowship is for you!
Women and people with marginalized identities are encouraged to apply.
Eligibility Criteria:
- 2 to 3 years of grassroots experience.
- Age: 25-40 years
- Candidates with a Bachelors degree are preferred. Those without a degree but holding substantial ground
experience are also eligible to apply.
Application Process
Interested candidates can apply by filling out the linked application form.
We re also inviting fellow CSOsto nominate potential candidatesfrom their ecosystem. These could be strong leaders or volunteersfrom the communities you work with (please note thatstaff members who are currently on your payroll will not be considered eligible).
To nominate a candidate, please direct them to the linked application form and e-mail a reference letter to
workindignity@aajeevika.org.
Selection Process
Candidates will be evaluated through a rigorous selection process involving an assessment of written.
applications and personal interviews.
