The IMPACT WEEK, held in Shillong, Meghalaya from April 19th to 27th, 2023, was a collaborative effort by PRIME, Lufthansa Group, and Help Alliance. It marked the largest Impact Week to have been conducted, featuring 60 teachers, over 200 students, and 5 Persons with Disabilities (PWD) participants, making it the first inclusive Impact Week program.
The non-profit initiative aimed to promote innovation and entrepreneurship skills for sustainable growth through Design Thinking. Design Thinking is a problem-solving approach that prioritizes the needs of end-users, involving understanding needs, generating ideas, creating prototypes, and testing solutions.
The Impact Week comprised two main parts:
Train the Trainers (19th – 21st April 2023):
The Train the Trainers Workshop is a three-day learning phase where teachers from various educational institutions across the state were trained by international coaches. The workshop focused on Design Thinking techniques, including the discovery stage (Understand, Observe, Synthesis) and the Design stage (Ideate, Prototype, Test). Teams, mentored by international coaches, worked on problem statements related to topics like Youth Empowerment, Health, Waste Management, Clean Water, Sustainable Tourism, Transport, Education, and Agriculture. Participants were engaged in storytelling, active listening, research, and analysis to generate ideas. Each team created a prototype to address a social problem, which was presented on the final day.
Student Impact Week (24th – 27th April 2023):
Teachers who have been trained in the Train the Trainers workshop who are certified as junior coaches in Design Thinking, trained over 200 students from 23 colleges. The program facilitated intercultural exchange, friendships, and connections among students and mentors/coaches. PWD students actively participated, demonstrating a keen interest in the Design Thinking process. Students showcased team spirit by creating prototypes, pitching ideas to a jury, and engaging in fun competitions. Experts from various fields provided insights on solutions to existing societal issues. The event promoted collaboration among students and teachers from diverse backgrounds, working towards a sustainable entrepreneurship ecosystem.
The Impact Week brought about a mindset shift, fostering effective solutions based on sustainable business models. Participants gained not only knowledge but also friendships, connections, and innovative ideas. The event successfully promoted a collaborative approach to address real-world challenges and contributed to building a sustainable future.
