Anirudh and Shivani embarked on their careers as freshers at Social Lens, nervous and excited, only to quickly discover that it was a professional environment that would expand their understanding of the social sector.
Shivani studied for her Master’s in Sociology and applies a lens that keeps the ‘collective’ at the centre of social change, while working on her assessments, she was nudged to see things differently and incorporate her insights on the field into her understanding of social change. On the other hand, Anirudh comes into the sector after a year at the Young India Fellowship programme – where he gained his first exposure to social sciences and the social sector – prior to which he completed his graduation in commerce.
After college, they were keen to apply what they had learned and soon discovered that learning never ends. One might have the misconception that learning ceases after completing formal education, but at a dynamic workplace like Social Lens, stagnation is definitely not an option. Quite literally too, as they are never in one place physically for too long – they travel frequently to project locations, and find themselves immersed in the work carried out, all the while gaining insights into communities outside their own and expanding their skills and knowledge.
At Social Lens, they discovered the value of perpetual learning and expanding their perspective. Working together in one team and being from differing educational backgrounds has helped them appreciate the importance of diverse viewpoints and explore multiple approaches to challenges they encounter. They find themselves tackling things in different ways, which often helps them in finding better solutions and with each new project, new learnings unfold.
Their ideal workplace turned out to be one that not only challenged them to give their best but also fostered continuous learning from their peers. As long as they welcomed learning, they would never be bored at work – the gradual acceptance and appreciation of the fact that the more they knew, the more there was to know.
