How You Can Help
Some local and international charities welcome anybody who wants to gain experience as a community worker on a voluntary basis. You could be helping communities or helping people and youngsters with education and training. Bangladesh is a developing country and there is widespread poverty with over 20% of the population living below the national poverty line.
Projects
Some charities have been founded to support Bangladeshi communities throughout the country. There are fewer volunteering projects here for internationals than other countries nearby, and if you don't see anything of interest but still want to help you might want to consider donating to good causes instead.
Advice, Advocacy and Information
Advice services are dedicated to helping clients and service users to become self sufficient where possible. A number of complimentary services, like adult education courses, in line with a policy of reducing dependency are used for language/literacy support.
Community Support
Some organisations provide community support and initiatives with Bangladeshi citizens and businesses. Support ranges from advice services, through document creation to marketing and promotion. Companies can also act as advocates where needed and work in partnership with other projects where the beneficiaries are the community. Such services are delivered with the primary objective that the community continues to develop.
Training and Careers
Adult training is an increasingly important part of programs. Surveys of the community conducted highlighted that the community was amongst the most under educated in Asia, with low adult literacy and work place skills, putting it at a major disadvantage in a fiercely competitive world.
Focus is now on getting the basics right. Like all people and communities we feel embarrassed by lack of education, the inability to read or write and having skills inferior to our children. But it is a necessity that this is overcome to ensure a successful future for the community. So the projects are focused on getting basic skills improved to give people the confidence to go on to additional and/or further education, or to improve their prospects of employability.
Some organisations offer a variety of training courses:
- ESOL English - basic course to teach the language, reading and writing
- Computer & IT Skills - a course tutored to needs
- Workplace Courses - for those seeking certificate for particular Workplace skills or to help improve employability.
Young People
The Bangladesh Association was one of the pioneers for focusing on young people working closely with many of the agencies, projects, schools and statutory bodies that have sought to ensure that children from the minorities have a 'fair' chance in society. 'Youth' and ‘After School’ projects have been running for a number of years, seeking to bring sports, social and community activities to young people.
Today organisations look at the issues of young person's development in an innovative and progressive way. Working with schools and local commerce the Association is bringing new focus to young Bangladeshi's creating new opportunities, and running services that supports them and their parents in ensuring that get the best opportunity of a happy and successful life, socially, career-wise and educationally.
Elderly
With social care for the elderly, facilities to reduce isolation, so low on the list of priorities for government, local authorities and social services but help is happening to make this a new area of activity as soon as possible.
Requirements
Serving the Bangladeshi community is a rewarding experience and most organisations welcome people of all ethnic origins and do not discriminate on the grounds of race, gender, faith, sexuality or disability. If you know any Bengali language this will really help you here both with integration and also when working with local people.
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