think
Science for critical thinking

speak
Communication for impact

feel
Wellbeing for personal growth

Background

When discussing skills, we naturally consider the acquisition of new, previously unexplored abilities, often prompted by socio-economic factors such as education, employment, and the changing landscape of the job market. This holds especially true in emerging economies. While hard skills in specialised domains like science, engineering, technology, education, banking, and healthcare constantly evolve, certain skill sets remain universally applicable across time, place, and profession, often referred to as Soft Skills, Life Skills, or World Skills, encompassing unwavering components like Values, Goals, Communication, Relationships, Critical Thinking, Teamwork, and Leadership.

At AVENUES, we perceive them as enduring human-driven competencies, inspired by our innate potential to become the best version of ourselves today and to lay the groundwork for a promising future, terming them "Human Skills for the Future." Aligned with the National Education Policy's vision of cultivating well-rounded individuals with rational thinking, compassion, resilience, scientific aptitude, creativity, and ethical values, APEX is dedicated to nurturing the crème de la crème of human potential through programmes fostering self-esteem, interpersonal and public speaking proficiencies, and scientific acumen in adolescents and young adults.

Gaps Addressed

School Dropouts

High dropout rates in the state particularly at the secondary school level

Self-expression

Inability to express thoughts and emotions with confidence and clarity

Interest in Science

Lack of interest and poor performance in Science and Maths

Self-worth

Poor sense of self-worth and recognition of personal strengths

Cultural Pride & Identity

Limited access to cultural awareness and wellbeing programmes

Vision

APEX is conceived from the AVENUES vision to nurture personal excellence in youth early on in life through programmes that focus on building scientific thinking, wellbeing and communication skills.

Objectives

To equip young adults with the ability to express ideas and thoughts clearly, irrespective of the language, through sessions that help them frame words and structure sentences in order for their audience to understand and for them to communicate with confidence and clarity.
To develop interest in Science and Maths and an awareness of the potential in STEM related fields for personal and professional excellence, through sessions that employ science concepts to build critical thinking, creative problem solving and goal getting mindsets.
To improve cultural awareness and shared values practices through sessions that employ human values and folklore to instil cultural pride, respect for world cultures, leadership skills and global citizenship.
To build self-worth and confidence through sessions that help participants explore and recognise personal strengths, innate potential and life aspirations.
To increase awareness of the need for and availability of counselling interventions that seek to improve the wellbeing of young adults in all fronts, such as learning to accept change and dealing with pressure.

Anchors

Scientific Thinking

Fueling ideas and visions with rationality, emotional control, and scientific logic cultivates clarity in thought and steadiness in action. Embracing Scientific Thinking equips us for a promising yet unpredictable future. Adapting to change, harmonising empathy and reason, demonstrating leadership in crises, upholding discipline, and honoring values constitute the pillars of outstanding global citizens and agents of transformation.

Wellbeing

Genuine success is attained when we reach personal excellence. As human beings, we transcend mere thoughts and emotions; we are defined by our languages, innate talents, cultural heritage, resilience, and emotional well-being. By nurturing qualities such as compassion, kindness, trust, respect, and courage, we prepare ourselves for an uncertain future, harnessing the full potential of our humanity.

Communication

Central to our interventions is the conviction that communication is the linchpin for nurturing and actualising our fullest potential. Our capacity to shape thoughts, goals, and emotions, express ideas, reveal our unique personalities, and advocate our beliefs underscores the indomitable force of Communication. It is through this vital tool that we harness our inherent human power, facilitating personal growth and the realisation of our best selves.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Develop a sense of curiosity and begin to think and question critically, encouraging them to approach challenges with creative and rational thinking.
Realise the significance of how emotions influence thoughts and physical behaviour and learn how to temper rationale with empathy.
Learn how to critically set meaningful and achievable goals, fostering clear intent and direction.
Learn to not accept everything felt, heard and seen at face value, but to look at all dimensions of a situation.
Begin to ask questions without being afraid.
Begin to respect science and its significance in human life.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Learn to cultivate and nurture an image that is honest, positive, and that embraces every aspect of oneself – physical, mental and emotional.
Begin practicing self-acceptance by embracing their personal narrative, cultural heritage, and individual differences.
Engage in activities to boost their self-assurance, demonstrating competence and skill.
Develop self-compassion and start treating themselves with kindness through challenging times.
Work on managing social anxiety by empowering them to engage in social situations with greater ease.
Explore various leadership styles, recognise, and articulate their strengths, challenges, abilities, and talents.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Learn foundational aspects of interpersonal communication and the steps towards creating lasting impressions, using vocal, verbal and visual communication components.
Discover how emotions impact body language and learn to regulate emotions better to express oneself with clarity and poise.
Learn to form words and structure sentences together to frame clear and meaningful statements.
Learn to express ideas clearly and boundaries confidently and respectfully within diverse groups.
Learn to work in diverse groups, practise inclusivity and value each individual's contribution.
Learn to speak to and connect with audiences on any stage with confident and memorable presence.