Swadharma Impact Study Findings 1: Snapshot
Objectives of Impact Assessment
Since Swadharma is a transformative learning programme with the goal of self-discovery, we were keen on studying the impact it has been generating in the lives of our participants over the period of time. We observe changes during and after the unfolding of the programme but the objective of this study is to understand which are the most resilient takeaways. What are the underlying patterns? What are we able to deliver well? What are our blind spots?
The 1st Swadharma programme took place in August 2016. As of the date of this study, Swadharma has been running for 4+ years now and 8 batches have gone through, which is a substantial time for shifts to mature and the study to be meaningful.
Feedback is an integral part of our design process, and the learnings from Swadharma would help us tune our future programmes since Swadharma is a one-of-its-kind foundational programme from Auroville and has served as means of inspiration for the wider community interested in integral education. Know more about Swadharma here.
The secondary objective of the study is community building, as a kind of reminder of their Swadharma to the participants and creating a means for them to reflect on their journey. The patterns help find a sense of solidarity in the community.
Following are some general stats to lay the foundation that the responses are a fair representation of the community with an overall response rate of 38%.
The participants surveyed were from 8 batches spread over a span of 4 years to 6 months post programme, the weighted average of time since Swadharma for the survey respondents is 2 years.
Since the survey was partly composed of qualitative questions, the responses have been in some places slightly moderated to simplify for understanding, and recognising patterns, if any. Utmost attention has been paid to not lose the essence in the process.
Findings
The findings have been distributed in 4 sections:
- Snapshot
- Inner Discovery
- Outer Manifestation
- Community
The general format of the presentation of findings is the finding followed by insight or significance if any. This post only contains the snapshot section, more to follow in subsequent posts.
Snapshot
This snapshot consists of responses to 3 overview questions.
- What brought you to Swadharma?
- Your 3 biggest takeaways?
- Was Swadharma a turning point in your life?
What brought you to Swadharma?
Quoting some of the responses:
Seeking something. A strong pull towards the unknown & finding an anchor within.
I was looking for my life’s purpose or to be more specific I had completed my Undergrad and I had absolutely no idea where I was supposed to go after that.
I was at a juncture where I was feeling suffocated with the ideologies with which I was brought up. I needed perspective and clarity in my life.
I was in search of a new experience that would allow me a space to get to know myself better.
Compiled responses
The above reflects that we’re clear in our communication and the participants we receive are in alignment with the intent of our messaging, which is a call to young people who find themselves at crossroads, and wish to work on themselves towards a more awakened world.
Your 3 biggest takeaways?
The programme is based on the idea that helping young people discover who they are and what brings them alive is not only meaningful at an individual level but also essential for building a socially just, environmentally sustainable, and consciously awakened future.
The above set of compiled responses reveals a keenness in the participants to become a better version of themselves by shifting something within, which is a direct validation of the programme philosophy that stands for transformation as an inside-out phenomenon. Quoting from the messaging of the programme, “those who want to transform the world by transforming themselves.”
The nature of the takeaways has an involuted sense or is an expression of inner values, meaning something that helps an individual cultivate a deeper self-knowing and build a life that’s in better alignment with who they are and what they want in their life. This aligns well with the programme objective as well as reflects the fact that different individuals pick up different aspects from the programme as per where they are and what they need in their journey, which is a built-in acknowledgment in the programme design.
The most recurring takeaways reflect aspects touching the 3 key aspects of the programme: Self, society, and environment.
Was Swadharma a turning point in your life?
The participants were asked, looking back, do they feel Swadharma was a turning point in their life.
An average score of 4.23/5 on whether the programme was a turning point reflects that the programme is offering something very unique and innovative. It places the individual at the center of their development instead of social norms or industrial needs which is a novel and valuable experience for most individuals.
The upcoming post we will talk about the inner discovery section from the study consisting of insights such as inner shifts, hobbies reconnected to, gifts discovered through Swadharma, and more.
