Helping Indian NGOs to grow Hayley Bolding, OAM

usually women,” says Hayley, recollecting the genesis of Atma.

The mission of accelerating the goals of Atma itself meant that Hayley has to often travel back and forth between India and Australia. Over the past 12 years, Atma has grown manifold. Besides a physical presence in Mumbai and Pune, it has now expanded to reach across multiple states within India, and across countries, with its online open source resources and virtual support offering.

“The more we help others, the more we know how to help better,” says Hayley happily.

How does the Atma model actually work? Atma helps organisations evaluate where they are at and make a plan moving forward. This evaluation model covers areas relating to the organisation’s governance, how they communicate their work externally, and a range of other key factors that could take them to the next level of service.

“The difference is Atma’s hands-on relationship with organisations and this could be from a minimum of one year to up to three years,” explains Hayley. “We want to help organisations grow at a pace they want to but we want to also push them towards excellence, to reach out and do more”.

A team of professionals now run the organisation in India. “My work is now leading Atma Australia. I work to raise awareness and to raise funds to support Atma’s work in India,” says Hayley who balances this with her job as Executive Director Programs for Practera, delivering experiential learning programs.

A recent grant from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to run a pilot for employability skills technology in India means another opportunity to visit India. Hayley looks forward to such opportunities to engage with and visit India.

“My involvement with the Australia India Youth Dialogue since many years helps me connect to India even back here in Australia,” says Hayley, whose second home is now India.

When asked if she has ever felt overwhelmed by the scale of issues or doubted the extent of impact Atma could make, Hayley admits, “It can feel like that often in India.”

Without romanticising her ideas or glorifying her contribution, she conveys the extent of Atma’s impact over the years with a passion, “Atma may be a drop in the ocean but it is a good drop. By not worrying about failure but making sure things that you do are of a high quality and standard, I believe we can cause a ripple. We had no idea how big Atma would grow but it is the proof that if you start small, it will grow as long the intention is genuine and authentic at the core, and you surround yourself with people who have high standards.”

Hayley says that Atma’s phenomenal growth from small beginnings has been organic. It is her passion for her beliefs that has created ripple effects and has brought people to work with Atma tirelessly to achieve their goals. However, there is no resting on laurels for this young lady. Humbled by the acknowledgement of her work through the OAM, she is also starkly aware of the unfinished work ahead. “There is always more to do,” says Hayley ready to take on more challenges.