Bangladeshi
Bangladeshi Families Project
The Bangladeshi Families Project has been running for the last 13 years, serving the Bangladeshi community to meet their needs. Our aim is to encourage the community to be more independent with their choices, by raising general awareness about their environment and local services and increasing their knowledge on social issues, education, health and other issues affecting Bangladeshi families. Through the many different projects and activities such as exercise classes, ESOL classes, and computer classes.
The Bangladeshi Families Project provides a very valuable service for the community, aiming to encourage a healthier and balanced lifestyle and providing an arena, where disadvantaged groups can benefit from the opportunities and improve their skills.
As well as the services listed below, we offer on-going work with the wider Bangladeshi community includes organising public meetings and consultations on key topics such as youth issues and drugs awareness. Also we continue to work with Camden by organising community consultation sessions on environment, streets and lighting and other subject areas.
Exercise Sessions
Our exercise sessions are continuing to be very popular among both men’s and women’s groups and across a broad range of age groups who are now taking up exercise. We run a gym session which includes aerobic and gentle exercise and massage classes for older women. These classes have enabled the group to get a better understanding of how the body and mind function and how regular exercise can benefit them.
Basic Advice and Assistance
Delivering advice and information which enable the community to gain access and benefit from services, resources and knowing their rights, continues to be a major part of our work. Camden Welfare Rights Unit and (a recent addition) the pension service continue to provide regular advice sessions at our centre.
Adult Training and Education
In partnership with Westminster Kingsway College, Mary Ward Centre and Sure Start Coram parent centre, we are running a number of onsite classes at Chadswell to provide basic education and training for local people.
ESOL Class
English classes for both men and women are organised in a very supportive environment. The women’s English classes are running three days a week at our neighbourhood centre, and men’s ESOL class takes place every Wednesday morning at Chadswell. Many of the students on this course are supported and encouraged to continue with their learning by enrolling at Kingsway College or other further education sites.
Alongside ESOL Classes we have also been running classes in:
- Sewing Class and Dress Making Course
- UK Online Computer Training
- Parenting Skills Course
- Personal and Self Development Class
- Jewellery Making Course
Health Sessions
Bengali Women s Health Advice Session
We provide a weekly Bengali doctors advice session at Chadswell. An informal and friendly environment has been created for women who come and get advice on health matters and discuss medication prescribed by the GP. Many of the women who come to these sessions find it very helpful because they have an opportunity for an informal chat with a Bengali speaking health specialist who offers one-to one services and invites group discussion on various aspects of women’s health and their families general health too.
Healthy Eating and Nutritional Class
Alongside the doctors session on Friday we organise regular healthy eating and nutritional classes for the women’s group at Chadswell. The class runs for six weeks (per term) so that women can enjoy making the food as well understanding why our body needs certain types of food nutrition more than others. The other aspects these classes focus on are children’s eating habit and how the mothers can help their children eat more healthily by incorporating more fruits, vegetable and dairy products in their diets.
After School Homework Club
Our after school project has been running now for three years. The aim of the project is to help children from ethnic minority groups in Camden who are underachieving academically with particular emphasis on local Bengali children.
We have created a friendly atmosphere for children to get help and support with their homework in subject areas such as maths, English, science and other national curriculum subjects. The classes are taught by volunteers and paid tutors.
Older People
Follow this link for more details of our work with BME Older People.