Applications Open for the Punjab Youth Leaders Program (2021-23)

Punjab Youth Leaders Program (PYLP) launched applications for its prestigious two-year leadership development program that enables young leaders to work towards improving the quality of education in government primary schools of Punjab. The selected candidates will get an opportunity to be a part of Cohort III as a 'Young Leader' and will work closely with the district and block officials of the Punjab Education department. The program is currently operational in 2 districts - Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib with a strength of 20 young leaders covering 1400 schools and 97000 children. The program is for young, dynamic change-makers who are passionate about education, policy, governance and wish to work at the grassroots level to bring systemic reforms in public systems. The young leaders will also get an opportunity to join a community of future leaders and access a network of mentors working across fields in India and abroad.

Speaking on the occasion, Simranpreet Singh Oberoi, Co-Founder, Sanjhi Sikhiya Foundation, said, "We are looking for mission-driven young people who are interested in working with a diverse set of stakeholders by holding spaces and enabling dialogues. We believe that the youth has a lot of potential and with a dedicated leadership journey at PYLP, we aim to build a strong community of future leaders who will commit towards transforming Punjab into a land of hope, courage, and possibilities."

The young leaders will be working towards developing a shared vision for an entire education block of 50 schools in rural and semi-urban regions of Punjab. The focus of the program is on improving learning outcomes in government primary schools by forming teachers' collective, driving community ownership, and strengthening local governance.

Er. Amarjit Singh, District Education Officer (EE), Patiala shares his experience of working with Cohort II of PYLP, "I would like to thank Sanjhi Sikhiya for choosing Patiala district for the Punjab Youth Leaders Program. Their plans include organizing meetings, mobilizing, and involving stakeholders in the decision-making process. We want the Patiala district to flourish as one of the top districts of Punjab and we hope the energy that young leaders bring in will motivate everyone towards a common goal."

The last date to apply is 31st March 2021. Interested candidates can visit the website for more details and apply for the program - (www.pylp.in).

Sanjhi Sikhiya is a collective movement of young professionals that aims to transform the public education system of Punjab by enabling dialogues and forming communities. Apart from strengthening institutions and supporting stakeholders in 2 districts – Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib, the team also does policy and practice advocacy at the state level to enable effective learning and governance across Punjab.