A regular morning for Platforms for Dialogue was transformed when 42 young volunteers from 21 P4D Community Resource Centres (CRCs) got together to attend a two-day training at National Institute of Local Government (NILG) Dhaka on 12-13 April 2019. The training was organised by Platforms for Dialogue (P4D), an EU-funded project in partnership with the Cabinet Division which is being implemented by the British Council. The objective of this project is to promote a more enabling environment for the effective engagement and participation of the citizen and civil society in the decision-making process and accountability mechanism.
The overall aim of the training was to orientate the volunteers about the P4D project and clarify their roles and responsibilities in delivering various services through Community Resource Centres. Day 1 of the training was focused on basic behavioural codes, including how to attend the CRC visitors and assist them with the searches and navigation of P4D resources. Day 2 covered the operational methods, that are necessary to run the CRCs more effectively. These sessions included tactics on filing systems of CRC documents, maintaining asset inventories, maintaining the registration of entries and online entries of visitors.
“The CRC volunteers can play a very important role to make citizens aware about P4D’s project activities, Orient them about the social accountability tools and encourage them to participate in the local decision-making process,” said CSO Lead Najir Ahmed Khan in the opening ceremony.
Jess Magson, P4D Project Director said, “as volunteers, you work from the front line in our working areas. In that sense, you are the face of P4D to others. I can’t stress enough how vital a role you play to this project, not to mention what a great service it is that you provide for your community.”
The volunteers are mostly students and more than 50% of them are female. They are using their free time to help their communities. Their involvement in P4D Community Resource Centres emphasises local ownership and resonates with P4D’s motto to present the CRCs as a place for the locals by the locals.
“It was very useful for us as we now have a thorough understanding of the project, its resources and how to relevantly recommend them,” said Yesmin Akter, a CRC volunteer from Panchagarh. “I thank P4D for giving us an opportunity to serve our community,” said Shahjada Sarowar, a CRC volunteer from Khulna.
This publication was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Platforms for Dialogue and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.