At Seedling Foundation, we often speak about creating better futures for children. Yet, lasting rehabilitation does not depend on children alone. It also depends on the adults who guide, support, and care for them every single day.
Why It Matters
Staff working in child care institutions carry immense responsibility. They navigate complex situations, make difficult decisions, and provide consistent care to children who have experienced significant adversity.
Recognising this, Seedling Foundation organised a full-day experiential training for Superintendents, Probation Officers, and staff from Homes of Children’s Aid Society across Mumbai. Facilitated by thinking coach Apurva Luthiya and life sculptor Khushboo Luthiya, the session focused not on policies or procedures, but on something more fundamental: self-awareness, leadership, teamwork, and inner transformation.
Throughout the day, Apurva and Khushboo brought remarkable energy to the room. Their ability to connect with the participants, move seamlessly from one activity to another, and keep everyone engaged helped create an atmosphere that was both energetic and reflective.
Learning Together
The day was designed around participation rather than presentations. Through interactive activities, reflections, puzzles, and group challenges, participants explored topics such as purpose, time management, solution-oriented thinking, and collaboration. The emphasis was not on finding the “right” answers, but on questioning existing habits, understanding personal strengths, and discovering new ways of working together.
The day began with many staff members understandably reserved, unsure of what to expect. As activities progressed, those initial hesitations gradually disappeared.
One activity challenged participants to ignore the instinct to imitate those around them. Instead of following actions, they had to carefully listen to instructions. What initially appeared chaotic gradually became coordinated, illustrating how clear communication and attentive listening can strengthen teamwork.
One Team
Titles and designations slowly faded into the background. Superintendents stood shoulder to shoulder with Probation Officers and other staff members, participating as equals, solving problems together, encouraging one another, and celebrating shared successes. Individuals who had been quiet during the morning gradually became active participants, while laughter, healthy competition, and collective problem-solving filled the room.
Simple exercises challenged participants to rethink time, shifting the conversation from managing schedules to managing energy, emotions, and relationships. Rather than viewing challenges through the lens of limitations, participants were encouraged to cultivate a solution-oriented mindset, remain adaptable, and appreciate the value of every individual’s contribution to a team’s success.
Some of the day’s most powerful learnings came through simple activities. During the Trust Fall, the initial response was one of hesitation and fear, trusting another person enough to fall backwards is not easy. But as participants took the leap and experienced their colleagues supporting them, the exercise became a profound reminder and reinforcement of the importance of trust in each other.
The Ripple Effect
By the end of the day, one message was echoed repeatedly by participants: they had never experienced a training session like this before. Many expressed a desire for similar programmes to be organised in the future, recognising that opportunities for personal reflection and professional growth are just as valuable as technical capacity building.
For Seedling Foundation, this reaffirmed an important belief:
Rehabilitation is not achieved solely through programmes designed for children. It also requires investing in the people who shape children’s daily experiences.
The Seedling Foundation team participated alongside the CAS staff throughout the day, taking part in every activity and experiencing the same moments of reflection, challenge, laughter and learning. It was a reminder that we too are part of the system we seek to strengthen, and that continuous learning and inner growth are important for all of us.
When caregivers, educators, Probation Officers, and institutional leaders feel motivated, connected, and equipped to lead with empathy and purpose, children benefit from stronger relationships, healthier institutional cultures, and more supportive environments.
