Delhi has a population of 17 million, with half of the population living in so-called “slums” without basic living standards like tab water and electricity. While there is strong economic growth, a high unemployment rate is threatening development. Industry leaders lament the lack of skilled people needed to fill jobs and help sustain development in growth areas such as retail, hospitality and business process outsourcing.

The Society for Enabling and Training Adolescents for Successful and Healthy Adulthood (ETASHA) trains young people from socio-economically weaker communities to give them a start in careers in these industrial growth areas. They provide guidance and employability skills training as well as educational and employment opportunities for those communities in and around Delhi.

ETASHA believes that vocational training is not enough and that skills acquisition must be matched with confidence building and developing inter- and intrapersonal skills in order to assist these young people to move into organised sectors. Many of the trainees that formerly were school dropouts, unemployed or workers in the informal economy have now moved into careers in the formal sector, gaining guaranteed salaries and safe work conditions. This in turn supports their families and improves general living conditions.

The interns´ task is it to make a documentary showing the positive change made in the lives of the trainees and their families by filming the life cycle of ETASHA’s program. This includes e.g. community mobilisation, training, and the eventual placement of the trainees. Filming equipment will be sourced by ETASHA. It would be a great asset, however, if interns possessed their own, or if they could bring in experience acquiring equipment. Interns will have to identify subjects for interviews, conceptualise and write the script, film and edit the material, and finally plan events in Delhi and online to promote the film and its issues.

Excellent knowledge of documentary filmmaking, including filming, lighting, sound engineering and editing is equally required, as are professionalism and exceptional writing skills. Empathy and respect for weak socio-economic communities are also important assets.

The scheduled time for the internship is July to September 2012. Training and preparation seminars prior to the internship will be held in English. The tandem will be formed by a Slovenian participant and a German/Swiss participant.