As explained by Dr, Kiran Modi, Managing Trustee of Udayan Care, “Udayan” is a Sanskrit word meaning “Eternal Sunshine”. Udayan Care provides wrap-around support for orphaned and separated children (OSCs) and their caregivers, and aims to bring support, advocacy, and implementation services to the forefront for underserved sections of society.  Registered in 1994 as a Public Charitable Trust, Udayan Care works to empower vulnerable children, women, and youth, in 19 cities across 11 states of India. 

Starting with the establishment of one small group home or ‘Ghar’ for OHC (Out-of-Home-Care) children in Delhi in 1996, Udayan Care has expanded to 10+ OHC across various states in India.  They have an ecological model that strives to take into account the multiple needs of developing children and young adults and has developed a variety of service and policy goals including: Aftercare Transition Programs for youth leaving care; Girls’ empowerment and higher education; Vocational training and livelihood; and policy advocacy on better standards in institutional care. In 29 years, they have directly impacted the lives of about 40,000 children, women, and youth as beneficiaries as well as thousands as indirect beneficiaries through their training programs and advocacy efforts. 

PROJECT OPPORTUNITIES 

Through the Duke India SRT, students will gain experience learning about socio-determinants of health impacting Orphan and Separated children in India, OSC mental health needs, and Udayan Care’s wrap-around support model.  Across the 11-year partnership, the Duke teams have worked on three key areas: 

1. Work with leadership to support core mission goals and research activities by providing mental health screening for various resident populations, including caregivers and social workers in order to help Udayan identify areas of MH risk and resilience.   
2. Work with Udayan in recommending new program directions, developing processes to apply those recommendations, implementing and evaluating clinical services and MH interventions, and helping create sustainable operational strategies for ongoing implementation. 
3. Explore how to better develop sustainable collaborations around research methods and service capacity with Udayan Staff and local Indian Interns, students, and mental health workers. 

Example activities for Summer 2025, to be finalized with Udayan over the Fall include: 

• Continue next steps in implementing interventions started by previous SRT teams. Develop Evaluation and Assessment protocols for interventions, collect and analyze results. 
• Continue administrative, protocol, and program development with Udayan leadership for handing off key project tasks involving research methods, mental health screening, and high-risk tracking that allow more sustainable project services. 
• Interact with Home Teams including Social Workers, Counselors, and Mentor Parents guardians to better understand solutions to promote optimal care and development. 
• Develop educational materials and present implications of past and current research findings to residents.  Work with staff to develop support services for children and transitioning youth at Udayan Ghars and Udayan Ghar Aftercare Programme. 
• Distill findings from previous years, combine and help analyze past and current physical and mental health data, write reports to disseminate results for professional staff, children, caretakers, and the larger NGO community and for research journals. 
• Recommend service support programs and key interventions that have emerged from quantitative and qualitative data 
• As needed, support Udayan in screening residents for mental health concerns.  I.e., Recruit and collect longitudinal and cross-sectional data using current tools on bio-psycho-social health, including depression, anxiety, staff burn-out, mental health coping strategies, attachment, risk/resiliency, trauma, academic support, physical health, and growth and nutrition. 
• Explore, develop, and help investigate new tools for the Indian OSC population and their caretakers. 
• Examples of work done this past and previous summers: 
• Comparison of mental health needs, challenges, and strengths across different Udayan Populations. 
• Implementation and evaluation of pilot interventions and workshops on life skills, gender and sexuality, and mental health coping strategies. 
• Draft compilation of myriad Udayan programs and support services into a program chart, documentation of clients' timelines for receiving services, and identification of areas of strength as well as those that could benefit from further development and support. 
• Development of a Mental Health Program Manual and Curriculum Resources. 
• Caregiver perceptions of Mental health, knowledge, and needs. Exploration of additional caregiver and staff education, growth, and support services needed. 
• Identification of a set of Alumni who have been out of Udayan anytime from 1 month to 10 years.  Data collection of the following: a) MH screening for depression, stress, and anxiety (DASS21, PHQ9, GAD) b) Qualitative questionnaire asking about 1. Retrospective impact of Udayan, 2. challenges they have faced as former OSCs, 3. current life situation, and 4. successes and areas for growth, 5. Youth identified needs and suggestions. 

PROJECT APPLICATION PROCESS 

Please see the SRT website for information about how to apply. Any questions regarding the application, interview dates or general project information should be directed to Lysa MacKeen or Emilee Kerr. 

Selected students will need to complete the Udayan Care volunteer application form which includes a background check and ethics protocols.  

PROJECT SELECTION CRITERIA 

Language: Hindi oral and/or writing skills very useful but not required. 

Areas of Primary Importance:

• Interest in socio-emotional health of children and young adults; Passion for and ability to engage in person and virtually with children and young adults. 
• Strong interest in implementation science and social science and mental health research. Knowledge (course or experience) in research methods, data collection, and statistical analysis useful 
• Interest and experience with sustainable program development and management and development very useful. 
• Strong writing and communication skills required 
• Experience with India and/or Hindi very helpful but not required.   
• Of primary importance: Cross-cultural sensitivity and open-mindedness, interest in experiencing personal challenges and engaging in self-reflection, demonstrated ability for growth mindset, flexibility in handling unexpected challenges, empathy and respect for local and partner challenges and work barriers, sophistication and patience in understanding multiple sometimes contradictory perspectives. 
• Passionate about GH ethics and interest in applying ethical principles to personal and professional work. Strong work ethic and selfless commitment.  
• Self-motivated learner with strong team-work and organizational skills 
• Professionalism, maturity and respect, and cultural sensitivity in working with care providers, health workers, and NGO and faculty supervisors and mentors. 
• Ability to work well independently as well as in a team of peers, in an intense social and work environment. 
• Adhere to Udayan Care’s Child Protection Policy, Safeguarding Policy and Photography Policy. 

Additional Criteria and Areas of Interest:

• Interest or experience in program development, in supporting capacity building, and sustainable transfer of research and applied program skills to local students and leadership. 
• Interest in policy and advocacy, including developing policy briefs. 
• Course work and/or experience in developmental psychology, child/maternal health, and global mental health useful 
• Interest in Grant writing and sustainable local or international marketing and fundraising 

Team members will be required to participate in weekly or bi-monthly team training meetings with the Faculty advisor, community partner staff, and previous SRT student mentors, and engage actively in post-fieldwork follow-up tasks in Fall 2025.  Students will have the option of signing up for independent study credit for post-fieldwork tasks.