Wellbeing-preneurs training
Year-long fellowship program for social sector professionals dedicated to wellbeing leadership across India
Wellbeing-preneurs training
Year-long fellowship program for social sector professionals dedicated to wellbeing leadership across India
Wellbeing is becoming a growing interest among social sector professionals, especially emerging leaders. However, there are few opportunities to learn how to lead and facilitate wellbeing experiences available to those who want to learn. In 2022, together with Kshamtalaya Foundation in India, we launched our inaugural cohort of “Wellbeing-preneurs”: entrepreneurial graduates, and emerging professionals, and seasoned social sector leaders dedicated to creating wellbeing initiatives in their own contexts. These phenomenal individuals participate in both in-person and virtual trainings, receive coaching and guidance, and are practicing through hands-on leadership.
What is the community’s story?
“As a well-being fellow, I found many topics profoundly important and relatable. Being an overthinker with anger issues, this team and journey have been transformative, helping me understand and manage these aspects of myself,” says Saloni, a 2024 Wellbeing-preneur.
There’s a desire among many emerging professionals, especially in social change and education, to experience the integration of personal and systemic wellbeing. This program emerged from a desire to support those facilitating Brio and Kshamtalaya’s Hausla program for educators. Because of Wellbeing-preneurs’ excitement around these topics and desire to implement it in their own communities, it has become so much more.
Prior to leading teachers through the program, the wellbeing-preneurs participate in a weeklong residential orientation retreat. During this time, they learn and experience wellbeing for themselves through storytelling, listening, movement, and connection. They also learn about wellbeing theory and practice, as well as the evidence-based model that the Hausla program is centered on.
“The [Hausla] content of 21 days is like a rare gem. It doesn’t exist across India. This program has not only helped me personally but my family member who was suffering… I see how this content has helped her to improve her mental states,” observed Arbind, a 2024 Wellbeing-preneur.
What is our partnership about?
Brio and Kshamtalaya designed the Wellbeing-preneurs program as part of a larger initiative to integrate wellbeing into education and social change. Centered on the program Hausla for teachers, the wellbeing-preneur approach was to offer training and personal guidance to facilitators who reach out to teachers and support them through the program.
As part of their training, the Wellbeing-preneurs each lead approximately 100 teachers through the Hausla program over the course of their fellowship year. This includes holding reflective spaces, responding to questions, gathering feedback, and hosting graduation ceremonies online.
What is the impact so far?
Since 2022, Brio and Kshamtalaya have worked with 36 individuals through the Wellbeing-preneurs program, who bring their skills and experiences to a wide range of social change sectors across India.
Wellbeing-preneurs share that the program changes their how they respond to challenges. “Being a part of this fellowship has always been a very special thing in my life. Thinking about the teachers, listening their feedback especially on the graduation day always makes my day much much better. I really feel honoured to be a part of the organisation that really impacts lives,” said Aashi, a 2024 Wellbeing-preneur.
Wellbeing-preneurs are supported with a grant to launch their own wellbeing initiatives. Dilip, a 2023 Wellbeing-preneur, implemented Hausla in his own organization, Anubhuti. Anubhuti supports thousands of children who have dropped out of school. Vikram, also a 2023 Wellbeing-preneur, implemented Hausla with his team at Saahas. Saahas uses circularity to reduce waste and address the waste management gap.
Throughout Wellbeing-preneurs’ journeys, we witness a shift in their approach to leading themselves and leading others. A seasoned social sector professional, Jaya, shared that the model she learned and practiced as a Wellbeing-preneur truly supported her at critical moments. “I was having challenges at home… and then I recalled: be present, have compassion, do what matters. This changed my life,” she said.
What have we learned?
Wellbeing leadership scales deep and then scales wide. Co-creating the wellbeing-preneurs program has allowed us to witness the yearlong transformation of leaders who believe wellbeing is critical to their personal and professional flourishing. We see them go from learning simple concepts and practices to creating their own vision of wellbeing for their contexts. All the while they demonstrate care and commitment to the educators they lead during the fellowship year, even when there is external pressure, stress, and disengagement.
This transformative experience requires resources to deeply nourish individuals over a length of time. We all need community support, ongoing lessons, and opportunities to practice new skills, in order to truly change and grow. Witnessing the Wellbeing-preneurs in their growth and impact is a testament to the importance of depth so that leaders can internalize these lessons and make them their own.
Once they do make wellbeing their own, they are able to effectively create impact in their own spheres of influence. We are so proud of many who have taken their wellbeing experiences and skills to communities far beyond our reach.