Make a change in the community you live in!

MIE met up with Lamees Hafeez, a BME (black and ethnic minority) Volunteer Development Officer for an organisation called Platform 2.

Platform2 is a global volunteering scheme for 18 to 25 year olds who wouldn't otherwise be able to visit a developing country and get involved with global issues of justice and poverty. It is funded by UKaid from the Department for International Development and is run by Christian Aid and BUNAC.

With all this in mind, I went to meet Lamees to find out a bit more about the story behind Platform2....

Somia: “So Lamees, could you give me an overview of what Platform2 is?”

Lamees: “Well, if you are aged between 18 and 25, have (or are eligible to have) a UK passport and are resident in the UK today, then you could be volunteering in India, Nepal, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa or Peru. Platform 2 is a global volunteering scheme which gives young people the opportunity to visit a developing country and to make a difference to the lives of those living there.

Somia: “Could you tell me a bit about your role?”...

Lamees: “Platform2 has 10 VDOs based around the country, recruiting volunteers for the Platform2 trips and looking after them and engaging them on their return. My job is more UK wide and although it has a stress on recruitment, I am also there to help engage the Muslim returnees so that they do not become inactive and have the same opportunity to tell their stories and share their experiences as others. My job is basically to make the Muslim Youth aware of this opportunity whether it is through direct contact at events, fairs and stalls or through networks that Muslims may belong to or through the Media.

Somia: “When was Platform2 set up?”

Lamees: Platform2 was set up at the beginning of last year, in February 2008.

Somia: “What is the inspiration behind Platform2?”

Lamees: The inspiration behind Platform2 is that of allowing people to experience what it is like in a developing country and learn from it. It is to make this experience widely available. Platform2 also aims to get young people involved in important issues like politics and global affairs such as poverty and climate change so that they can make a difference in the world.”

Somia: “Why is the work that Platform2 does important?”

Lamees: “Well as mentioned in the previous question Platform2 gives young people opportunities to go to developing countries and try to make a difference to the lives of people that live there. Platform 2 is attempting to make a difference in our world. Our volunteers may not change the world in the short time they are overseas but it’s not necessarily about that. It’s about how they have changed as people. The youth are our future and we should invest in them so that they can then come back and start to make a difference in the issues that are important and this is the vision of Platform2.

Somia: “Why should people volunteer for Platform2?”

Lamees: “Many reasons. There are many benefits for volunteering with us. Youth today are marginalised from many areas. Platform 2 can help youth engage in issues which are important. Platform 2 is opening up opportunities for young people to make a difference. Through its activities it is creating awareness and teaching young people not to be apathetic to things that are happening in the world such as poverty and climate change. Another benefit of volunteering for Platform2 is that you get to know and live with a family for 10 weeks, an experience which a lot of volunteers come back from and remember for the rest of their lives, an experience which changes them.

Somia: “Which group of people volunteer for Platform 2?”

Lamees: “A mix of people really, but mainly it's students or young people who are unemployed or just have a gap to fill in their lives.”

Somia: “How long do the studens volunteer for?”

Lamees: “10 weeks.”

Somia: “What if someone wanted to volunteer with Platform 2, but could not for the whole duration of 10 weeks?”

Lamees: “Volunteering for the 10 weeks is an important part of the experience. The 10 weeks provides the foundation for our volunteers to make a difference to the lives of others. The 10 weeks actually make the volunteering into an experience rather than just a holiday that the first couple of weeks often feel like, and if you think about it, it can take at least a couple of weeks for the volunteers to settle down into their new community in terms of getting to know them and building relationships with them.

Somia: “Finally then, which parts of the world does Platform 2 send volunteers to?”

Lamees: “ Platform 2 is involved in sustainable projects in many different countries around the world, some of which are Peru, South Africa, Kenya and Ghana in which we are involved in building a community centre and Library. We also send our volunteers to Nepal and India. So in all we cover a real diversity.

So there you have it... Platform2 your platform to change the world!