Coaching individuals / communities to motivate and develop skills
Career guidance to students & other professionals
Capacity building & raising social awareness programmes
Contribute towards village development & leadership
Long term sustainable livelihood programmes
Community service to vulnerable people in UK
About Us
'Otthulaippu' was formally launched in UK in 2014. Otthulaippu means collaboration / cooperation / working together in Tamil Language. We support already established non-government, government organisations & academic institutions in Sri Lanka by coaching their employees & communities to motivate and develop their skills to enhance productivity.
We also conduct awareness sessions of current socially hot topics and issues faced by our communities including violence against women & girls, mental health, health & well-being, social-media misuse etc.
We continue to evolve with our work with the communities as the needs take us ………
Vision, Mission & Core Values
Vision
Empowerment of communities impacted by the civil war in Sri Lanka through socio economic development & leadership
Mission
Collaboration of organisations & individuals working together with social responsibility to empower and develop individuals to create a sustainable, self-sufficient and values based society
Core Values
We are a non-political organisation and have no connection with any organisation past or present.
Our work in Sri Lanka covers the whole country where ever we find the need most
Our work is entirely humanitarian with no distinction in class, caste, religion or race.
We follow the Gandhian principles of
Non-violence through thoughts, words & deeds - ‘Ahimsa’
Peace through all 3, unknown, outside of self & self - ‘Shantham’
The workshops at Jaffna Teaching Hospital were arranged with the guidance and support of Dr Premakrishna with
the approval of Dr Sathiyamoorthy, director. All our workshops are activity based and 100% engagement from
participants is encouraged and expected.
Although our previous workshops were conducted and followed up in 2016, we feel that there is a dire need for the
medical professionals, ward assistants and management / administrative staff members to have skills development
workshops / guidance for their positive attitude towards work and personal life.
Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna Workshop for A/L Batch Year 2025 Post-workshops report - September 2024
The workshop at Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna was arranged by the Principal, Mrs Dushy Thuseetharan following
our email informing of our work resuming in Jaffna on skills development and communication via school alumni
committee member Mrs Jeyasri Premakrishna.
Scope & Coverage
Held 2 sessions, one for students and another for teachers, on 04 September 2024 between 08:30 – 14:00 at
Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna
Participants: In total, approx. 150 attended from year 9 & year 10 in one session & approx. 30 teachers in a
separate session
Tamil Language session for students and English language session for teachers
Topic(s) covered – Managing emotions
University of Jaffna, Students’ Champions Workshops Post-workshops report – August / September 2024
The workshops at University of Jaffna were arranged with the guidance and support of Career Guidance Counsellor,
Mr Gauthaman with the approval of Professor M Siyamalan, Career Guidance Director Coordinator. All our
workshops are activity based and 100% engagement from participants is encouraged and expected.
Scope & coverage
Arts Faculty Students – Batch 4
Multiple subject streams
Programme is expected to guide them towards their career through life skills
Tamil Language
Already completed their Phase 1 in Zoom in May 2021 and subsequently, individually completing pre
assessment google form questionnaire shortlisted approx. 40 students out of approx. 160 for Phase 2.
Law Faculty Students – Batch 5
Approx. 20 students were keen to continue from early 2024
Couldn’t proceed to next phase as there has been no response from the Head of Law faculty
Hindu Faculty Students – Batch 6
Multiple years / batches
To benefit the newly begun faculty especially for the Hindu religious studies and maximise the
number of beneficiaries
Tamil Language
Hard to shortlist, more students than expected attended both phases and all 4th year students also
joined the phase 3 Art faculty from Day 2 onwards. Remaining students will join Phase 3 in the next
round.
Scope & Coverage
Nursing staff members
2 Groups of approx. 25 participants each, however, workshops to cover 3 other batches on 01 September
2024 was cancelled by Nursing team eventually
Varied experience and mixed gender
Programme is expected to guide them towards skills / self-development
English Language – but during activities the participants were conversing in either Tamil or Sinhala
Not had any such previous workshop
UNRCO, Jaffna Workshop for UN Field Team Post-workshops report - February 2024
The workshop at UNRCO (UN Resident Coordinator’s Office) Jaffna was arranged by Ms Kayathiri Kumaran following her visit to University of Jaffna to observe the workshops we conducted for Law students. We understood that the UN field workers have been working in their roles in challenging times and with 10-15 years in the UN and NGO humanitarian field require some refresher sessions for motivation & work / life balance
Scope & coverage
Held on 08 February 2024 from 14:30 – 16:30 at UN/IOM Compound, 136 Temple Road, Jaffna
Participants: In total, 24 participants attended
UN Field colleagues in North (15)
UN implementing partner staff members (around 10)
Agencies: UN Field team [UNDP, IOM, UNICEF, UNOPS, WFP, UNRCO] & UN partner agencies [JSAC-Jaffna Social Action Center, OfERR Ceylon, SOND - Social Organizations Networking for Development, CFCD – Center for Child Development]
Tamil Language session
Topics covered – Self Motivation
Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna Workshop for A/L Batch Year 2025 Post-workshops report - February 2024
The workshop at Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna was arranged by the Principal, Mrs Dushy Thuseetharan following our email informing of our work resuming in Jaffna on skills development and communication via school alumni committee member Mrs Jeyasri Premakrishna.
Scope & coverage
Held on 08 February 2024 from 08:00 – 11:00 at Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna
Participants: In total, approx. 130 attended from AL Batch year 2025
Tamil Language session
Topics covered – Career Guidance
SOS Children’s Home, Jaffna Workshops for Care Givers & Children Post-workshops report - February 2024
The workshops at SOS Children’s Home, Jaffna were arranged with Ms Piratheepa Kumarasamy & the Centre Director, Mr Pathmarasa Selvarasa. The mothers, Care givers, have gone through a lot of challenges in their lives and joined SOS on the basis they do not have any immediate family or children to care for. Children have also gone through their share of challenges but have been placed in SOS for their own safety, security and well-being.
Scope & coverage
Motivational Workshop for SOS Jaffna Care Givers
Held on 06 February 2024 from 09:30 – 13:30
All 10 mothers attended, timely to fit their duties
Tamil Language
All mothers are experienced, although varied
Topics covered
My behaviour as SOS Mother – Positive Attitude
Importance of being SOS Mother – Self motivation
University of Jaffna Capacity / Skills Development Programmes for Employees Post-workshops report - February 2024
The workshops at University of Jaffna were arranged through Staff Development Centre with the guidance and support of Professor Vijayakumar, Career Guidance Counsellor, Mr Gauthaman with the approval of Professor M Siyamalan, Career Guidance Director Coordinator.
Management Assistants
Scope & Coverage
Held on 07/02/2024 from 09:00 hrs - 13:00 hrs
Approx 70 members attended
Tamil Language
Participants with varied experiences over 10 years at least
Topics covered – Positive Attitude Towards Work, Motivation to work, Etiquettes
University of Jaffna Students’ Champions Workshops Post-workshops report - January / February 2024 – Phase 1 & 2
The workshops at University of Jaffna were arranged with the guidance and support of Career Guidance Counsellor, Mr Gauthaman with the approval of Professor M Siyamalan, Career Guidance Director Coordinator.
Scope & Coverage
Third year batch Arts Faculty Students
Multiple subject streams
Programme is expected to guide them towards their career through life skills
Tamil Language
Already completed their Phase 1 in Zoom in May 2021 and subsequently, individually completing pre assessment google form questionnaire shortlisted approx. 40 students out of approx. 160 for Phase 2
Law students
Multiple years / batches
To benefit from their role as future potential law makers / advocates to serve the community at large
English Language since bilingual students
Topics covered in Phase 1 - 1 Day
Attitude towards a student’s life – education & behaviour
How to build the character with the help of education?
Motivation towards the importance of education
Questions to assist with brainstorming to come-up with ideas for speeches at the end of this activity.
What do you want to achieve academically
What behaviour are you trying to change?
What level of commitment do you have to accomplish this behavioural change?
Team compatibility - self-motivation through team work and learn to respect each other’s views
Career Guidance
Topics covered in Phase 2 – February 2024– 3.5 Days
Recap of Phase 1
Personality development
Developing the right attitude
Self-awareness
Motivation and Goal setting
Communication skills (Part – A)
Presentation skills – based on the social topics
Communication skills – Digitalisation
Social awareness – raising awareness of the topics which are impacting the society as a whole
Career Guidance – as Champion
Computer Science Final Year Students - Interview skills & Preparation Programme
At the request of Prof M Siyamalan, also conducted additional workshop for 3 hours on 29 January 2024 in the afternoon for approx. 70-80 students an Interview skills & Preparation Programme known as ‘How to Face and Ace in an interview: 3 phased learning’. This session was requested in order to prepare for the oncoming Careers Fair for the final year Computer Science students in English language.
Game Changer: Career Guidance Programme for Schools in Northern Province through effective and smart engagement of all parties involved
Provide a sustainable and transparent model through clear strategy for career guidance programmes at schools to the benefit of students for them to make an informed choice of his / her career
University of Jaffna - Students’ Champions Skills Development Workshops
Life skills development for students – phased programme
Coaching for Career Guidance Awareness Sessions at Schools
General - Capacity building workshops and awareness sessions for communities as follows
Roll-out career guidance programme for youth aged between 15 – 20 years
Schools Social Awareness Programmes covering principals, teachers, students & parents
Northern Province Health staff
Northern Province Sri Lanka Administrative Staff
Village empowerment programmes to raise awareness of gender based violence, alcohol / drug abuse and other anti-social behaviours
Empowering Women Workshops – 2016
Capacity building workshops reaching 280 women across all 5 districts in Northern Province
Phase 1 workshops to highlight the difference between the current reactive / dependent culture Vs motivated & confident women who want to start living independently
Equip them with positive attitude & being aware of self to understand own strengths
Phase 3 workshops identifying & covering further education / vocational training / income generation / livelihood projects for the same group of women and building a long term support system
Creating Social Awareness Programme amongst school teachers & children – 2016
Programme approved by the Northern Provincial Council Education Ministry to 7 schools covering all 5 districts approx 1,200 students. Through direct interaction with students, we designed the programme as follows
Phase 1: motivation and attitude towards education
Phase 2: Personality development, learning style and career guidance
Rolled out the Teaching Faculty Development programme covering leadership skills, class room management and teaching methodology for 50 teachers in June
Continue to raise awareness to students of their future choice of education, career options, to protect self from other dangers, equip them with the right skills and empower them to live a value based life style
Jaffna Teaching Hospital – ‘Service with Smile’ – 2016
programme completed covering 90 employees including consultants, doctors, nurses, health assistants, management and administrative staff members. We have also submitted a report with 30 observations and recommendations to improve the service by the hospital.
Northern Provincial Council – ‘Service with Sincerity’ - 2016
Completed covering Engineers and Accountants and further capacity building programme has been identified to multiply training to reach all staff.
Gallery
UoJ Students’ Champions Workshops Hindu Faculty Students – Batch 6 – January / February 2025
UoJ Students’ Champions Workshops Hindu Faculty Students – Batch 6 – January / February 2025
Rural Health Development – IMPACT Community Health Workers’ Capacity Development Programme in Northern Province – January 2025
Rural Health Development – IMPACT Community Health Workers’ Capacity Development Programme in Northern Province – January 2025
UoJ Hindu Faculty (Batch 6) Students – Phase 3 Champions’ Programme December 2024
UoJ Arts Faculty (Batch 4) 4th Year Students – Phase 4 Champions’ Programme December - 2024
Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna Workshop for A/L Batch Year 2025 Post-workshops report - September 2024
University of Jaffna - Students’ Champions Workshops - Post-workshops report – August / September 2024
Fisheries Dept. Students - Interview skills & Preparation Programme
University of Jaffna - Students’ Champions Workshops - Post-workshops report – August / September 2024
Arts Faculty (Batch 4) 4th Year Students – Phase 3 Champions’ Programme
University of Jaffna - Students’ Champions Workshops - Post-workshops report – August / September 2024
Hindu Faculty (Batch 6) Students – Phase 1 & 2 Champions’ Programme
Arts Faculty 3rd Year Students – Phase 2 Champions’ Programme – Tamils OnlyComputer Science Final Year Students – Interview skills & Preparation Programme – Tamils & Sinhales
Law Department Mixed Years Students – Phase 2 Champions’ Programme – Tamils & Sinhalese
Arts Faculty 3rd Year Students – Phase 2 Champions’ Programme – Tamils Only
Capacity / Skills Development Programmes for Employees
SOS Children’s Home, Jaffna
Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna
Workshop for UN Field Team
Creating Social Awareness to School Students
Empowering Women Workshops
International Women's Day Commemoration Northern Province
London Workshop to raise awareness on current issues impacting war affected Tamil Speaking woman in Sri Lanka
Meetings
Otthulaippu Song - Sudha Ragunathan
OTTHULAIPPU Website videos
Second Part
Pramila Talk
Community Advocacy Work
TAMIL COMMUNITY CENTRE & OTTHULAIPPU Collaborating together in East London for DROP-IN sessions
Free of charge service to any cross section of our community
Simply just a chat
From simple form filling job to mental health support