The Complete AMBA Process:

 

The AMBA concept:

Using adaptive teaching methodologies, information technology, peer-to-peer training (under supervision), AMBA economically empowers Intellectually Disabled Adults.

 

The AMBA Core Centre is the model centre that researched and developed the AMBA Concept and Learning Curriculum.  AMBA has over the years conceptualized a solution within the different challenges that come within the different levels of developmental disorders and ability. 

 

The Curriculum was developed in April 2007. 

 

The concept of Peer (other adults with intellectual disability) training and Supervision evolved in December 2007 and opened a whole new world of possibilities and self-sustenance. Intellectually challenged adults joining AMBA, benefit from learning and working around their peers, helping with their development and state of well-being.  A world for them, by them…

 

The process for starting NEW AMBA PARTNER CENTRES:

AMBA Partner Centres are easy to scale as they revolve around collaborations with existing Institutions that address the community of intellectually challenged adults. The youngsters are comfortable in this environment that fosters appropriate support and encouragement. We use their infrastructure, trainers and peers over 16 years to take the process forward. This arrangement ensures overheads are kept to a minimum.

 

Training to establish a partner AMBA Centre:

  • The Head of the Institution is invited to the AMBA core centre in Bangalore for discussion and experience.
  • Thereafter one mainstream Special Educator and two peers with moderate ability are invited from each institution to train in Bangalore.
  • The training is done in batches of 6-10 institutions over a period of 5-7 working days.
  • Seeing the different levels of ability at the core centre helps them see the end picture they need to strive for and eliminates denial and apprehensions.
  • 80% of the training is done by low to high functioning peer trainers giving them an insight into the limitations they have to work within.
  • A sustainable model of collaborating with existing organizations minimizes cost of Infrastructure, time, and incremental fixed and variable overheads.
  • We use technology to minimize travel and communication costs. We have a web based curriculum that enables easy interaction, feedback and tracking of the training process.
  • We help the partner institutions generate small revenue models to cover the additional costs of training in-house.

 

The positive effects of the training at the AMBA Core Center:

  • The visiting mainstream Special Educator and two peers settle in by the end of the first day’s training
  • The peers start to participate and train by the third day and sessions become amazingly participatory, fun and productive through to the last day of training
  • The AMBA peer trainers train the special educators on how to use the computer while another group of AMBA peer trainers take the visiting peer trainers through the non-computer experience. 
  • On the last day the mainstream Special Educator and two peers are given participation certificates where the peers are addressed as peer trainers as indeed they are.
  • The boost of confidence is visibly apparent in all three participants

 

On completing Training in Bangalore:

Training at the AMBA Partner Centre Phase 1

  • They are given a laptop with movies for their journey back; the draft Memorandum of Understanding; the AMBA curriculum; teaching aids and instruction.
  • When they get back to their centre the trainer starts training the peer trainers on the functional usage of the computer while selecting 20 students from the centre for non-computer activity.
  • The non-computer activity is executed by the peer trainers under the supervision of the Special Educator trained at AMBA
  • Three months down the line the group is divided into two teams of higher and lower ability. The higher ability are first given a small portion of instruction on how  to use the computer and in the next hour the same ten students with higher ability take their partners with lower ability and teach them the same.  We find using peers in the most effective and only way to get the lower ability to do data entry.  The experience of teaching the lower ability is a huge boost of confidence for the peer trainers.
  • This methodology of learning continues through the 100 day curriculum enabling only functional learning within:
  • Paint-enables functional usage of the Mouse
  • MS-Word-enables visual data entry
  • Excel- gives them the experience of working within cells
  • Usage of the internet is used only by the Special Educators for communication and for showing the students images of the topic for the lesson plan on that day
  • The Curriculum emphasises on error recognition and correction using peers

Training Phase 2

  • The AMBA Core Centre then guides the centres to create a perfect networked area for work training and work as per the specifications given.
  • Our Operations Director then takes access of the server and loads the simulated software and data, simulating a WORK SCENARIO.
  • A manual giving explicit directions is emailed to the AMBA Partner Centre
  • Following these instructions, the simulated work process begins in each centre.
  • The AMBA Core centre team is always available for guidance.
  • The Operations Director’s team would accept and analyse the output of work from each centre at the end of each day as in live work.  Assessing errors, timelines, professionalism and dedication.
  • Once assured of absolute accuracy and keeping of timelines the head of the institution would be invited to the core centre to sign contracts and begin work

 

Live Work:

The circumstances are different for different jobs.  AMBA team supports in setting up the job process, tracking efficiency and is available to complete the residual work if necessary.

 

The Future

We plan on setting up a PERMANENT hub to abet huge Growth and Reach. To set up a Trust owned Private Limited Company AMBA VRIKSH in a HUB and Spoke Scenario to enable and action work within AMBA Partner centres pan India.  Apart from people with Intellectual disability the Hub would also comprise regular personnel to a) service business from Day I and complete if necessary residual work from the spokes (the AMBA Partner Centres) which will be small units comprising adults with intellectual disability. b) The Hub would also do the marketing to support the partner centres with work.

A plan is in place to train, equip and transfer the work process to the partner centres giving them the lead time they require. While we would scale by increasing the number of partner centres, the number of regular personnel at the HUB would stay constant.

 

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