We are lucky enough to publish an article in the John O’Groats Journal every week and so we’re sharing them again with you…
Issue One
Following on from last years successful Caithness/Malawi Global Xchange programme, myself and seventeen other enthusiastic young people recently arrived in Caithness to begin a new volunteering exchange programme, which this year is between Caithness and Chittagong in Bangladesh.
Aged between 18 and 27 the team, who are from all over the UK and Bangladesh, are living with host families in the county whilst volunteering with the following organisations: Home Aid, Wellington Enterprises, Wick Youth Club, Pultney Town People’s Project, The Ormlie Centre, Haven, Horizons, Wick Family Centre, Stepping Stones, Keiss Primary School, Pultney Town Academy and the Highland Rangers
Alongside out work placements we will participate in and help with, other community projects. A few weeks ago the team began regenerating the derelict ground outside the Boys Brigade Hall in Wick. Working alongside Boys’ Brigade Leader Marc Macdonald and after several tough weekends of digging, shovelling, building and planting; we transformed the site into a garden and picnic area for the Boys’ Brigade to enjoy.
Over the coming weeks we will hold numerous Community Action Days whereby we will work on similar projects to the Boys’ Brigade Garden, which are aimed at benefiting the local community.
This year’s Global Xchange team are eager to get involved in local activities and experience as much of Caithness as possible in the time we will spend here. Recent activities have included Salsa classes in Wick, traditional music nights in Thurso, a church concert and Harvest Festival in Watten and a very long walk around Dunnet Head with the Caithness Waybaggers. It is the Bangladeshis first time in the UK so it is a particularly exciting time for them. They are also hoping to share their culture with the residents of Caithness and so in November we will hold a Community Day and locals will be invited to sample aspects of Bangladeshi culture.
We hope that before we depart for Bangladesh in December we will have had a positive and lasting impact on Caithness. Each week a member of the team will update you on our work and experiences in the community.
Rebecca John
Issue Two
The Pulteney Town People’s project (PPP) offers something to Wick residents of all ages. Founded in 2002 with the aim of improving the area by providing services and facilities to the Wick community, PPP is currently led by 19 members of permanent staff and continues to grow in size, strength and diversity. Since the arrival of the Global Xchange (GX) team in Caithness in September, two GX volunteers – Tofazzal Liton (Bangladesh) and Kathleen Murray (Northern Ireland) have been immersed in the project under the guidance of Amalie Cormack, the Young People’s Services Manager.
The Wick Training Centre provides informal training opportunities ranging from landscape gardening and wall papering, to computing, facilitated by the up-to-date computer suite. As a Learn Direct Centre, the project also provides access to over 600 courses, including certified programmes in Language skills and Health and Safety. With classes running in the morning and evening, the centre caters for people of all ages, lifestyles, and interests. ”The busy schedule and well attended classes are testimony to the local demand for this type of provision” Kathleen Murray observed. PPP has recognised this, and the training centre is due to expand with the completion of a new computer suite before Christmas. Kathleen has also enjoyed participating in the Hobby Groups which she finds add a delightful dimension to PPP. ” The attention to detail given to the handiwork in these wonderfully sociable classes is obvious in the quality of the craft produced, which is both breathtaking and inspiring”. Classes cover a wide range of crafts, from quilting and card making, to knitting and fine art, and are well attended with at least 50 participants each week. Whilst some of the groups are conducted under professional guidance others function as a space for participants to socialise and make whatever crafts they wish.
Tofazzal Liton has especially enjoyed volunteering with local children in the Morning and Afterschool Club (MAASK). The program provides affordable care for children outside school hours, in an environment where they can develop their communication and social skills through supervised play. The Carnegie Trust Project which works with unemployed adults have recently been joined by Liton, who, under the leadership of Colin has had the chance to improve his gardening skills through the group’s current work on-site. Through his participation in the Family Group sessions under the guidance of Cheryl, Liton has also had a chance to share Bangladeshi culture with local families, and learn more about how our society is structured.
Both GX volunteers have been impressed with the innovative approach and dedication of the PPP staff to the project. Liton attributes PPP’s success to the fact that each member of staff is responsible for different elements of work within the project, explaining that this structure allows team dynamic fluidity and thus endows the project with the ability to grow and adapt to the needs of the community.
Given the good attendance of the classes and schemes, it is obvious that there is local demand for the project. PPP looks set to play an important role in the future development of the area now that planning permission has been granted for a brand new community and regeneration centre complete with its own vocational unit, cafe, crèche, community hall and office space for local businesses.
Tofazzal Liton and Kathleen Murray
Issue Three
It felt like a slow start for some of the Global Xchange volunteers currently residing in Caithness, but things are finally in full swing. Working in Home Aid Caithness, we- Michael Modhu and Bridget Holtom- adjusted to the relaxing and homely atmosphere of the charity shop very quickly. we now work alongside the various other volunteers who silently and modestly work hard for the community. Home Aid provides essencial household furniture and domestic items to people in the area who struggle to survive on a low income. the local chairty ensures equality by enabling indivinduals of all circumstances to get by.
Michael says “I appreciate my job because the money created here is recycled into the caithness system. Truly a worthwhile organisation for people, not profit. Theres nothing like it in Bangladesh.” We’ve already settled into out individual floors; Michael with the books, Bridget with the clothes and promote the organisation wherever we go. Bridget feels “Theres a lovely feeling within the shop. I have the opportunity to work amongst the kindest people-both staff and customers-and get first pick of all the great bargains!”
mote the organisation wherever we go. Bridget feels “There’s a lovely feeling within the shop. I have the opportunity to work amongst the kindest people, both staff and customers and get first pick of all the great donations!”
There’s less than 4 weeks to go until the Global Xchange (GX) team leaves Caithness for the second leg of their journey in Chittagong, Bangladesh starting our journey in the capital Dhaka. This past week has allowed us all not only to share our skills, but mainly our culture – especially Cathnesian Scottish Culture. This week’s segment is written by Piers Brown of Manchester and Isaba Farheen of Bangladesh.
Half our week is also spent working with Alison…….in Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland. The national charity provides care and support throughout the county for people affected by these conditions, as well as their families and other carers. The system encourages integration into the community and creates opportunities for social action. Our work there consists of helping individuals affected by strokes; assisting them during communal games and joining in with group discussions. We both feel the work is interesting, challenging and invaluable as we interact with real people in a very real way. Bridget says “I’ve found that conversation, even when difficult, is the most powerful tool. Just through talking I’ve gained something from everyone involved. Each memory is so precious and is beautiful when shared, I’ll never underestimate the power of words again…”Michael is in his element here, “This type of work is something I’ve always wanted to do. Anyone in this situation deserves access to such care and support and I hope to spread what I’ve learnt in my own community.”
Our team recently returned from a long weekend away in the Orkney Isles, marking a half way point in our Caithness journey. Despite the rain, wind and hail the experience was exactly what the group of 18 needed, in order to unite. Activities included both nationality groups attempting to cook the other’s traditional meal, a historical hunt which helped us explore the ancient treasures on the West mainland and various sessions where we evaluated our time so far and planned for the future to come.
After much honest discussion we re-emerged with clear minds, determined to fulfil our potential, both as a team and within the Caithness community.
Bridget Holtom and Michael Sylvester Modhu
Issue Four
The week began with around a dozen performances by young people at Wick Youth Club – the accordions and dancing all in motion. The event climaxed with Haggis and Tatties, and another Ceilidh attempt! You could call it mediocre! The first snow of the mainland this autumn hit a couple of days later, with Caithness waking to the sound of 9 Bangladeshi’s screaming with sheer delight due to their first experience of snow. As the week came to an end and the weather clearing up, it was Halloween. The decorations were everywhere, some strange costumes (Farm Girls and Roadkill mixed with Zombies and Devils!) and a very still, dark night.
Together we have been volunteering for Ormlie Community Association. The centre opens Tuesday to Thursday for 6 to 14 year olds from the near community. It has been interesting, very interesting, though this not strange for the OCA – established 10 years ago, since having an undeniable impact on the area through innovation. Just last week marked the opening of Macaluay Terrace – transforming an empty, dull space into something with Ormlie’s handprint – a community effort for the benefit of the community. Our team joined us at the Ormlie Centre for Halloween on Friday night, following a fun week of Halloween parties, carving pumpkins and bobbing for apples! The centre was marvellously transformed on a par with Thurso Fire Station, and was free for the local guises to come and join in.
Since arriving in September, we’ve worked with both the Tuesday and Thursday groups at the centre, but unfortunately have missed 2 weeks due to the school holidays. However, it has been very productive. Before our arrival, using the facilities on site, the young people researched both of our cultures to give us a very warm welcome when we finally met them. The first week was spent like this – getting to know each other and the main cultural differences. From this we learnt a lot about their likes and dislikes, but mainly about Ormlie. We were both impressed to see a renovated room with great facilities for the older young people. Together they had designed it – furniture and all, chose the colours, made the artwork and found the best places to purchase the resources funded by the Highland Council Community Learning and Leisure Department. It is a very relaxing room and will be put to good use for years to come, also very appealing to people like us!
In the next couple of weeks until we leave, we will be supporting visits from Enable Link – who work with children with learning disabilities, and organising a cultural night on the 18th of November for the groups, (Bangladeshi food, games, clothing and craft works available to taste and see) for Ormlie to experience Bangladeshi culture, and producing some artwork with the groups for them to remember us by. We hope that all of the young people we have met can come on that evening so that they can share her experience, knowledge and culture.
Piers Brown & Isaba Farheen
