Apni Pathshala VED | Standard Operating Procedure
Purpose
This SOP guides POD Leaders through submitting student success stories in VED. Success stories capture real student journeys and achievements — they are used for impact reporting, social media, website content, and donor communications.
How to Access
- Log in to VED. (https://ved.apnipathshala.org/login)
- Go to Success Stories from the left sidebar.
What Is a Success Story?
A success story is a written account of a student’s transformation or achievement through the POD.
It captures:
- Who the student is and their background
- What they achieved (skill, job, academic improvement, etc.)
- What made their journey special
- Photos and/or videos supporting the story
Story Types
- Good Story — A clear, positive outcome with evidence
- Moderate Story — A developing outcome, partial progress
- Developing Story — Early stage of a student’s journey, showing promise
- Unique Story — A one-of-a-kind situation or achievement worth highlighting
Story Statuses
- Pending — Submitted, awaiting admin review
- Needs Edit — Admin has flagged issues; POD Leader must revise and resubmit
- Approved — Story accepted and available to AP for use
- Rejected — Story does not meet requirements (feedback provided)
How to Submit a Success Story
- Click “+ Submit a new story” (top right of the success stories list).
- A form panel opens. Fill in the following fields.
Field: POD ★ REQUIRED
- Select the POD this student belongs to.
- Auto-selected if you manage one POD.
Field: Student Name ★ REQUIRED
- Full name of the student.
- Minimum 2 characters.
- Example: Pooja Rani
Field: Success Story Type ★ REQUIRED
Select one:
- Good Story
- Moderate Story
- Developing Story
- Unique Story
Field: Family Background ★ REQUIRED
- Describe the student’s family and socioeconomic background.
- Minimum 20 characters.
- Context makes the story impactful — explain the challenges they came from.
Example:
“Pooja comes from a family of daily-wage labourers. Her father works as a construction worker and her mother is a homemaker. The family of five lives in a single-room house. Pooja had no prior exposure to computers before joining the POD.”
Field: Detailed Story ★ REQUIRED
- The full narrative of the student’s journey.
- Minimum 50 characters.
- Write in a human, story-telling tone.
Include:
- What was the student’s situation before joining the POD?
- What skills did they learn at the POD?
- What changed? What did they achieve?
- What is their situation now?
Example:
“Pooja joined the POD in September 2025 with zero computer knowledge. Within three months, she completed the MS Office course and achieved a typing speed of 35 wpm. In January 2026, she appeared for the HSSC Clerk exam and was selected. She is the first person in her family to get a government job. She now earns Rs. 18,000/month and is supporting her younger siblings’ education.”
Field: Special Point (Optional)
- One standout fact or quote that summarises why this story is remarkable.
- Used as a pull-quote by the AP content team.
Example:
“First government job in the family. Typing speed grew from 0 to 35 wpm in 3 months.”
Field: Profile Image (Optional)
- Upload a clear photo of the student (face clearly visible).
- A default image is used if none is uploaded.
Media — Additional Photos and Videos (Optional but highly recommended)
- Upload photos or videos showing the student at the POD, their workspace, or their achievement.
- You can upload files directly OR link to existing media from the Media Library.
- Click “Submit” when all required fields are filled.
What Happens After Submission?
- The story goes to admin for review (status: Pending).
- Possible outcomes:
- Approved — Story is accepted. May be linked to Monthly Insights and used in AP communications.
- Needs Edit — Admin sends feedback. Open the story, read the feedback, update, and resubmit.
- Rejected — Does not meet requirements. Feedback provided explaining why.
Viewing and Managing Stories
The success stories page has two views.
List View (Default)
Table with columns for:
- SR number
- POD name
- Story Type
- Date
- Student Name
- Special Point
- Detailed Story
- Photos
- Videos
- Program
- Status
- Other Docs & Links
- Website
- Social Media
Filter and Search
- Filter by: Status, Category, Story Type, POD, Date range
- Search by student name or story content
Download
- Export stories as CSV or Excel for offline use.
Story Categories
Stories can be tagged with categories.
- Academic — Improvement in school performance
- Career — Job placement, internship, or career advancement
- Skill — Specific skill mastered (typing, Canva, MS Office, etc.)
- Community — Community impact or leadership
- Entrepreneurship — Starting a business or freelance work
- Other — Doesn’t fit above categories
Tips for Writing Great Success Stories
- Use real names and specific numbers: 35 wpm, Rs. 18,000/month, 3 months
- Include a before/after: Where were they before? Where are they now?
- Write as if explaining to a friend, not filling a form
- The best stories have:
- Family background
- A specific struggle
- A specific achievement
- A special point
- Add a clear photo — stories with photos get significantly more engagement on social media
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Writing only 2–3 lines in Detailed Story — aim for 200+ characters for a compelling story.
- Not including Family Background — it is required and provides critical context.
- Using vague language like “student improved a lot” — use specific numbers and facts.
- Not uploading a photo — stories without photos are rarely used for content.
- Resubmitting without reading admin feedback when status is “Needs Edit.”
Need Help?
- Contact your POD Admin for guidance on writing compelling stories.
- Use the “Request Support Call” button in any report form for technical assistance.
