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Strides Newsletter - May 2025 - Issue 227

Kaleidoscope Learning Centre

From Shashikala Subramaniam's Desk

Go into the depths of the Ocean and there is a wealth. Just so is the human heart.

- Raza (Rander Heart)

May is the month of summer rest. School closes for about six weeks. It’s an essential rhythm for children and teachers to withdraw from the daily routine and perhaps savour the joys of indoor quiet times. It is also a time for the parents to spend more time with their children planning holidays for those who can travel and engaging in activities at home or in the city. Many teachers too, took a break with their families, making the most of the holidays and creating some good memories for themselves. Some students who needed support and guidance at home were held by some of our teachers who went to them for home visits.

A true success story:

Rekha Vijayakumar was the first student from KLC who got a job and joined Writer’s Cafe in June 2024. She has been coming to school to meet her friends and counselor in between as we held and supported her through this. She had always been a very confident student in the familiar environment of the school. But this May, we had an opportunity of observing her at her job in Writer's Cafe, Royepettah Branch, working confidently, calmly with purpose, putting together an online order for Pizza, independently. Her efforts at her job and her learnings at school under the able guidance of her teachers has given her this confidence. It gave all of us at school a feeling of fulfillment and happiness that we were working with the students on the right path.

Niharikaa Dinakaran, as we had already mentioned, joined her internship with Writer’s Cafe in September 2024 for 5 months. She completed it successfully. Her performance and work were evaluated, and she has got a job there starting from July 2025. She signed her letter of appointment and accepted it. She will be working with Rekha and Sharanya both from V-Excel, in the same branch.

Internship
Appointment
Signing her appointment letter

Training for a Viable Vocation

Make best out of Waste Workshop, held on 24th May at BVB, was informative about how we can use what usually is thrown as waste into products which are of use in our day-to-day life. We had many participants from V-Excel as a whole that included 4 teachers from KLC. We are looking at having this training in the school for the other teachers so that it helps us with the Craftizen project which is in the pipeline as a community workshop project.

Our new academic year 2025-2026 will start in the first week of June for the teachers and then later for the students. Looking forward to an eventful year ahead.

Satellite Centers

From Outreach Remedial Center, Pollachi

When Caregiving Becomes Personal: A month of Respite Care for a Young Adult with Autism in my family

At our special school, we’ve always believed in going beyond conventional education—by offering care, empathy, and community for individuals with special needs. Recently, I had the opportunity to experience this not just as a service provider, but as a family member. For one month, we provided respite care for a young adult with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), who is also on antipsychotic medication. This experience touched me in ways I wasn’t fully prepared for.

As someone closely involved in special education and community rehabilitation, I thought I understood the demands of care. But living it daily—especially when the individual is your own—brings a different perspective altogether. His needs were complex, and his moods could change in an instant. There were days when his behavior was challenging, marked by intense mood swings and unpredictable reactions. In those moments, despite all my training and experience, I often felt helpless.

Yet, there were also moments of break through: a shared smile, a moment of calm, a quiet understanding. These glimpses reminded me why we do what we do. They reaffirmed the importance of compassionate care, patient engagement, and the need for safe spaces where individuals with autism and other neurodivergent conditions can be truly understood and supported.

This month-long journey wasn’t just about providing respite—it was about resilience, reflection, and renewal. It gave me a deeper appreciation for the families who live this reality every single day and strengthened my commitment to advocate for more comprehensive care options, including long-term residential support.

We need more systems in place—not just institutions, but communities that wrap around these individuals and their families with empathy, structure, and hope. As we continue to build toward that vision, I carry this experience with me: not as a burden, but as a reminder of the quiet courage it takes to care, and the profound impact we can have when we do.

Thoughtfully

Dr. Manju

Managing Trustee

OutReach Educational and Charitable Trust, Pollachi.

Vocational Training Unit

From Manivannan's Desk

Hottest month of the year May began with activities, followed by cleaning, group session in Therapy and Counselling , visit by Grundfos Global team and then ended with summer break by 2nd week.

Highlights:

Therapy Session:

Our Therapist, Mr. Vasanth, conducted a two-day group session with our VTU Trainees.

Day1: The session focused on fun and engaging activities designed to build rapport, encourage social interaction, and create a joyful atmosphere. Trainees actively participated and enjoyed the experience.

Day 2: The focus shifted to therapeutic and sensory-stimulating activities. While some trainees found the activities enjoyable and engaging, others experienced certain challenges that provided valuable opportunities for growth and observation.

Overall, the two-day session was a meaningful experience that supported both emotional well-being and cognitive engagement for our trainees.

Counselling Session:

Two-Day Group Counselling Session with VTU Trainees, teachers, and staff.

Our VTU trainees participated in a two-day group counselling session facilitated by our Counsellor Ms Jayadevi and second day Teachers and staff also participated.

Day 1: The interactive sessions with our Trainees and focused and talked about general interaction about social manner.

Day 2: The session was on healing, everybody was given clay activity, where each of them created something on their own and they shared the meaning and feelings behind their creations.

Grundfos Global Team Visit:

In the middle of the second week, the Grundfos Global team visited VTU. They engaged enthusiastically with our trainees, conducting interactive activities and games that brought joy and energy to everyone.

Cleaning initiative by Trainees:

Trainees, with the help of teachers, began cleaning tasks which included cupboards, kitchen, rooms, and windows, with a sense of teamwork and responsibility.

Art Exhibition on 15th May 2025

Trainees and teachers are gone to ZENONZEN Art exhibition at ITC Grand Chola, Guindy on 15th of May, 2025.

Charu’s Birthday & End of academic Year 2024-2025 Celebration on 16th May, 2025.:

On our last working day, 16th May 2025, we celebrated Charu's birthday at VTU. Adrian's mother sent a delicious cake, and all trainees, teachers, and staff came together to cut the cake, marking both the birthday and the conclusion of the academic year with joy. Everyone exchanged warm wishes for a wonderful summer break.

Summer Break & Continued Engagement:

Trainee Hariharan continued attending the center during the summer break. VTU teachers ensured he was actively engaged with appropriate activities over the two-week period.

Deep Cleaning and White wash:

Deep cleaning work at Sreyes commenced on 19th May 2025, and whitewashing began on 1st June 2025 to prepare for the upcoming academic year.

Counselling & Therapy:

Counsellor Ms. Jayadevi had sessions with Trainees, Teachers and Parents apart from Group session.

Mr. Vasanth had therapy both individual and group Therapy with the Trainees.