FIVDB-RAISE outreach meeting in Sunamganj highlights skills and jobs for young people

A community outreach meeting of the FIVDB-RAISE project has been held in Sunamganj to present opportunities for skills development and employment for young people. The meeting set out before local residents the training and work opportunities available to young people under the project.

In the haor-dominated district of Sunamganj, people's livelihoods depend on nature for a large part of the year. Creating lasting employment opportunities for the district's young people has therefore long been an important question. It was against that backdrop that the outreach meeting was organised with skills development at its centre.

The main purpose of the outreach meeting was to inform young people and their families directly about the project's services. Often, even where opportunities exist, eligible young people miss out for lack of information. Taking that information to the community level is an attempt to close that gap.

The idea of skills development received particular emphasis at the meeting. Rather than simply searching for a job, the focus was on making oneself fit for work, so that after training a young person can secure a place in a real workplace.

Employment opportunities were also discussed at the meeting. If a link can be built between training and work, the pressure on young people to migrate to cities falls, and it becomes possible to open income routes while staying in one's own area, those concerned believe.

In a disadvantaged region like Sunamganj, a large share of young people face uncertainty about work even after finishing their education. Removing that uncertainty requires a combination of training, information and opportunity, and an outreach meeting is one medium for that combination.

Another aspect of community outreach is building trust among local people. When project representatives go into an area and speak directly, young people and guardians get the chance to ask questions and clear doubts, which is far more effective than official publicity alone.

For the young people present, the meeting was an occasion to think about their own future plans. Gaining an idea of which skills raise demand in the job market will help them in the decisions they take next.

If such initiatives succeed at the local level, their benefits are not limited to the participants. When one young person finds a route to income, the economic condition of their family changes too, which sends a positive message to the whole area.

All in all, the outreach meeting in Sunamganj is an important step in raising awareness about skills and employment for young people. What remains to be seen is how many young people can use the opportunities presented at the meeting to connect with real training and employment.