Livelihoods

Our livelihood initiatives support individuals with mental health needs to pursue meaningful employment through diverse avenues. Through structured systems such as pay parity, flexible work conditions, and employment coaching, we ensure each individual has the support they need to thrive.

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Work, Joy and Dignity

The Banyan offers participation options through multiple meaningful pathways, creating dignified employment opportunities: job placements with employer partners or within our organisation as care staff, housekeeping personnel, monitoring and evaluation assistants, finance team members, and other institutional roles; supportive employment through social enterprises that understand mental health needs; and creative economic participation through arts and crafts units that honour individual talents across our various sites.

From Support to Self-Reliance

To ensure that employment structures are designed around the needs of the clients, key measures have been put in place, including pay parity, a flexible working environment to accommodate diverse needs, and employment coaches who provide support for the first 6 to 12 months or serve as intermediaries between the placements or the social firms in charge and the employees. These structured support systems help individuals develop skills, build consistency, and receive the necessary assistance throughout their employment journey.

Crafting Futures, Together

The SIEMAT Canteen and R’vive Café are prime examples of successful employment initiatives that have been developed in collaboration with Advantage Food Pvt. Ltd. and Chennai Mission, leveraging the expertise of Winners Bakery to create a structured and conducive employment model that benefits both the clients, and the businesses involved. By integrating structured guidance, skill-building, and long-term employment facilitation, this initiative not only provides individuals with meaningful work opportunities but also ensures the sustainability of both employees and the organisations that support them.

Employment and Work Participation Overview

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Internal Employment

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External Employment

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Total Work Participation

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Employment under Social Firms

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Work under Arts and Crafts Units acrosss sites

Stories of Hope and Resilience

Real people, real journeys—stories of resilience, recovery, and renewed hope.

This venture is our identity. It has helped us see life from different perspectives. To earn and to be part of the community is our basic right. We run this enterprise. That statement is powerful—and I feel empowered when someone calls me ‘madam.’ That’s when I understood that work isn’t always about money; it’s about roles and relationships.

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News Article

Chennai’s SIEMAT canteen turns into training centre, aiming for social change. Here’s how

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Other Programs

We offer bespoke, dignified care that addresses both clinical and social needs through interconnected programs that create pathways from crisis to community living.

NALAM

A grassroots approach combining clinical interventions with social welfare support, delivered through locally trained health workers to reach those in urban and rural communities.

Home Again

For those who are unable to return to their families or move into independent living, we offer housing with supportive services in urban or rural neighborhoods.

Magizhvagam

Hostel-like co-living spaces for those seeking a balance of privacy and community support to access dignified, structured environments where 60 residents find refuge, healing, and pathways to greater independence through collaborative living and personalized care.