Mrs.Shanthi
Venkat is a graduate
in Arts and has
secured distinction
in the Diploma Course
on Mental Retardation
from National Institute
for the Mentally
Handicapped (NIMH)),
India's premier
Institution engaged
in research; education;
evaluation and other
multifarious activities
in the field of
mental Retardation.
She had worked as
a teacher in various
schools and centres
& gained valuable
experience. Her
long cherished dream
for her having her
own centre for special
children culminated
in setting up of
" Sri Vidhya
" in 1999
(Picture taken
on the occasion
of conferring of
Vocational Excellence
Award to Ms.Shanthi
by Rotarian Ms.Karien
Trieber, of USA.)
The
Beginings:-
In 1999, Shanti
Venkat, a special
educator, decided
to branch out on
her own, to begin
a school that would
make a difference
to those who are
too often left on
the margins-differently
abled children.
She was supported
by a small group
of parents of children
with disabilities,parents
who had seen her
competence at close
quarters and the
effect it had had
on their children.
Today, Sri Vidhya's
Centre has evolved
into a centre that
embodies her conviction
that such children
can be trained and
taught the skills
to manage their
lives as independently
as possible. Starting
with just 8 students
with cognitive disabilities
of varying levels,
the school now has
nearly 70 students
from different socio-economic
backgrounds, representing
a wide range of
ability and function.
The Centre has a
day school as well
as a residential
facility.
Truly
inclusive
What makes
Sri Vidhya’s
different goes beyond
its focus on the
differently abled.
It is a truly inclusive
school in that it
offers services
at no cost to many
students from the
neighbouring slums,
who would otherwise
never have access
to such facilities
or expertise.
Mission
of Sri Vidhya:-
- To impart intensive
specialized training
to students
with mental retardation
and other cognitive
disabilities.
- To make students
self-reliant,
helping them develop
various life skills,
and wherever possible,
providing
vocational training.
- To integrate
special students
into the mainstream
of
life.
- To provide
support and guidance
to parents and
family members
of students with
special needs.
- To create and
enhance public
awareness and
understanding
of cognitive disabilities,
and to promote
positive interactions
between the general
public and
those with mental
retardation.
Objectives of Sri
Vidhya:-
To impart self-help
and other basic
skills to the mentally
retarded children
To integrate them
with the other normal
children in the
mainstreamTo spread
awareness about
the facilities available
for helping the
mentally challenged
childrenTo educate
parents and others
on the need for
providing training
and rehabilitation
of mentally Retarded
Children
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