“Where is the book in which the teacher can read about what teaching is? The children themselves are this book. We should not learn to teach out of any book other than the one lying open before us and consisting of the children themselves.” ~ Rudolf Steiner
Skills Beyond Education™ is a dedicated team of mentors championing real and authentic project-driven learning through a self-directed, peer-assisted and mentor-led approach. Between personal and community-driven goals, knowledge is harvested by using mentoring techniques from varied disciplines, all of which are blended with the spiritual nature of the individual being.
Our boutique team of personnel, having wide interests in the field of education, empowerment and sustainability, adapt their expertise and apply their best learning practices attained from seafaring, armed forces, corporate fields, medicine, farming, educational and varied other work disciplines.
Being composed of a diversity of people with different but complementary talents, strong bonds of friendship and community-oriented thinking emerge as the by-products of our ventures. We invite you to join our team as mentors or take up complementary roles in operations, fundraising, volunteering and so on, while being ably supported and guided by the trustees of Varuna Foundation.
Above all, we invite you to join us and observe the subtle shifts in paradigms; not only in the way we learn and teach, but also in the way we live and evolve.
Captain Preetham Madhukar
A Trustee of Varuna Foundation and the Program Director of Skills Beyond Education™
He is the guide at the Will Boot Camps, an inner-strength program and has curated this work on will-forces seasoned with skills and techniques from his life learnings and experiences with adolescents and adults. He has also curated and designed the ‘Apprentice Education Program’ for adolescents and young adults.
He has sailed as a master mariner across seas and oceans for over twenty years. He brings his rich experience of working with various crew nationalities and life learnings from shipboard voyages to connect with his workshops and training programs and navigate through everyday life.
Since 2016, he has taken up his work to awaken the inner-will in people and is an avid reader, a Rotarian, Secretary of CMMI Bangalore and in recent years, drawn to Bio-Dynamic farming practices.
Natasha Menezes
A Senior Mentor at Skills Beyond Education™
She has worked as a graphic designer and school teacher in Kuwait and Mumbai before finding her niche in the Apprentice Education Program in 2019.
She enjoys nature-related activities and spending time with her two dogs. She makes time for writing and art during her day, and balances it with movement through yoga, dance or sports.
One of her goals is to integrate the concept of will in her classes and in different areas of her life.
Sangita Kamath
A Specialist Mentor at Skills Beyond Education™
Among the many roles she has taken on in life, Sangita Kamath is also a trained Biography Consultant and Life Transformation Coach. Life experiences, at various points, called upon Sangita to take on the role of ‘nurturer’ and to push her boundaries while opening up windows to different worlds. One of these windows led her to the magical and transformative world of Biography Work in 2011. She also uses Life Coaching and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to aid in the process.
Having experienced the transformation in her relationship with her self and others, Sangita is passionate about taking this work to others through workshops and individual sessions.
Rashmi Balakrishnan
A Specialist Mentor at Skills Beyond Education™
Based in Bangalore, her wanderlust for life’s experiences have taken her on various routes and detours – that of a freelance writer, women’s circle facilitator, learning design consultant and trust circle facilitator for teens and others. She uses dance, movement, drama, arts and storytelling to express herself and connect with people. She has had the opportunity to work with and experience fellowship programs, children at risk, people with disability and the LGBTQ population.
She is passionate about initiating deep conversations around various topics including gender roles, values, behaviours, human experiences and much more. Creativity is a way of life for her. She creates and holds safe and sacred spaces that allow participants to explore, engage, educate, heal and thrive in their true authentic selves. The foundational pillars of her work are inclusion, equity, community building and respect.
Losang Wangdi
Operations Coordinator at Skills Beyond Education™
Losang has served as a navigating officer on merchant ships with over 15 years’ experience in handling various shipboard safety and security matters and brings with him a wealth of experience on hazards and safe practices. He is keen on the outdoors and enjoys working with children and with deep interest in changing the culture of our society to becoming more safety conscious. Losang is the program coordinator of SBE’s operations and also coordinates it’s camps, workshops and training programs.
Atul Jain
Our Support Team at Skills Beyond Education™
After graduating from Christ University, Bangalore, Atul has been working as an analyst at one of the leading consulting firms. At Skills Beyond Education, he follows his passion of handling the social media and technology-related matters.
He is currently pursuing his masters in political science and aims to join the administrative services of our country.
SPECIALIST MENTORS:
Our team of specialized mentors bring exceptional life experiences and practicalities from their diverse work fields to mentor adolescents and young adults with 21st century life skills. Being aligned with our mission and goals, their beliefs and practices reinforce our learning programs with their own unique workshops, while collaborating with us during our training programs.
SUPPORT TEAM:
Our young, enthusiastic support team maintains the operations, technology and social media areas of our circle.