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| Get Involved How It Works FAQ |
| Get Involved |
| If you like what we do, you can get involved in one of three ways: a) Participate in our Virtual Policy Cell – We've set up a globally distributed policy cell that provides legislative support to members of the Indian Parliament for the upcoming session of the Parliament. All you need is a few hours and the willingness to research online to find answers to the questions posed on our wiki. See the latest requests here. b) Lead a project on the ground in India – Expect to spend 2-12 weeks in India working on a well-defined development project, leading a local team and working closely with a prominent public leader. Please email us at info@democracyconnect.org if you want to explore this option. c) Sponsor a volunteer: We want to attract the best volunteers from across the world. While boarding and lodging is typically covered by the public leader we work with, you could help these volunteers with their travel expenses and a basic stipend. Please email us at info@democracyconnect.org if you want to explore this option. |
| How It Works |
| Our fundamental model is to connect political leaders with individuals across the world and local organizations who can provide inputs on policy-making and development of constituencies. It is this exchange of ideas that can bring about development that is sustainable.
Depending on the level of interaction required, we employ several methods to respond to such requests: 1-on-1 small focus groups with experts, a committed response team for urgent information needs, detailed issue briefs, course modules for deep dives in any subject area and innovative platforms that allow MPs to interact with local self-government structures.
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| FAQ |
| What’s different about your approach? We’re empowering a highly underserved but potentially high impact player in the development space. Our approach is completely non-partisan. We take a hands-on approach to working with public leaders, going beyond glossy reports and getting into the messy but essential aspects of implementation. We’re attempting to bring together global best practices in development by using technology to tap into a global talent pool. Finally, our team consists of individuals who’ve not only done extensive grassroots work and worked with state and central governments but have also started companies, worked in investment banks and advised Fortune 500 clients. Are you focusing on any specific development issues? No. We believe development cannot be done piecemeal. Our approach is to build the capacity of well-intentioned public leaders to affect change that is widespread and sustainable. Having said that, issues of economic opportunity, gender equality, education and health are often the ones we expect to run into the Indian context we operate in. What do you look for in your volunteers who want to work in India? We bring on volunteers for very targeted projects that last between 2-12 weeks. This compressed timeframe means that all volunteers need to: a) Be sufficiently aware of the Indian context to hit the ground running b) Bring specific work experiences and educational qualifications relevant to the project they’re working for c) Be comfortable with ambiguity and be highly self-motivated In contrast, volunteers who help a project remotely can be of any nationality. The key is the maturity to take ownership of tasks, timely delivery and an ability to work cohesively with a team that one may have never laid their eyes on. Do you financially support the volunteers in any way? Project sponsors typically take care of boarding and lodging at the project location. While we’re working with external funding sources to create a funding pool to defray travel expenses and pay a stipend, at this stage we expect volunteers to pay for their own travel. What if I don't have a concentrated block of 1-3 months to help with a project in India? Not a problem. Look at our wiki to see if there are any policy debates or course development programs that you could take on. Say if you have a training in finance & economics, there might be a primer needed on securities regulations. If you understand biofuels, you could help with creating a policy analysis on upcoming legislation in the area. Who's your inspiration? Sourceforge, GlobalGiving, IndiCorps, iVolunteer, White House Fellows Program. By the way, the site design is gorgeous. Who do I thank? Now that'll have to be our designer superhero, Sreejith! :) |
We first assess the nature of needs an aspirations of a political leader through formal and informal interactions. Typically, an MP begins her association with us by using our