Basti Rams new home

Hello! We are now officially in our new office yay!
 

It has definitely lived up to expectations and we are all so happy in Basti Rams new home :)

We are sharing offices with the National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS). NCVYS work with and support many voluntary youth organisations. All work done by members of NCVYS is for the benefit of Young people in England. Basti Ram are members of NCVYS along with almost 300 other voluntary or charity organisations – sharing an office with them means we will have access to some exciting opportunities and contacts for the future.

 Everyone here seems lovely - We have already made some new friends! :)
  

 

Although we were sad to say goodbye to Ilford, being in Old street has its perks – We can’t wait to explore the area. Pop in and say hello if you are around…You might even get a cuppa out of us!

Sumeet :)

DVA Meeting and so much more!

Hello everyone!

Sorry I've been a bit quiet since my first post, I've been busy with a tonne of uni work and I'm still learning the ropes here at Basti Ram HQ.

Last week, Cassie and I attended the Diaspora Volunteering Alliance (DVA) annual general meeting in Holborn.

The DVA are an organisation set up to bring together UK organisations with a common interest - aiding diaspora volunteers to support and partake in projects in their countries of origin. Essentially, they are an umbrella organisation which aims to support smaller charities and NGOs interested in working towards projects abroad - Basti Ram are members of the DVA, along with a number of other charities.

The meeting was an experience for me, mainly because this was my first ‘professional’ meeting since being with Basti Ram. It was interesting to hear from other charities with similar aims to Basti Ram, as well as getting a bigger picture of challenges faced by charities, presented by chairmen of the DVA. We were also given an hour or so to mingle, which gave me and Cassie a chance to network with potential organisations to work with, in the future.
One of the things I really liked about the day was the experience of working outside the office and hearing about similar aims other organisations have. Charities often struggle due to a number of difficulties, like funding, staffing etc. I felt that the DVA meeting boosted some morale and helped us all throw some ideas around. It was a pleasure meeting so many people from all different backgrounds and I have to say, it was such a nice feeling to introduce myself as 'Sumeet from Basti Ram'! 

Overall, it was an enjoyable day which got even better by lunch time! We were given a variety of meat stews, some gorgeous rice (which Cassie particularly enjoyed!), potatoes, plantain (my favourite!) and loads of side dishes - definitely the highlight of the day!

Happy belated Diwali to those who were celebrating over the weekend J We have been invited to a Diwali event run by the Asian Peoples Disability Alliance (APDA) later on this week which is looking to be great. APDA are also members of the DVA so the meeting was a great opportunity for me to meet some key workers prior to the Diwali event on Thursday.

In other news, we’re moving to a new office! We’re moving from Ilford to Old Street. We’re all really looking forward to the move and can’t wait to be there in a couple of weeks. My next post will be from the new office...exciting stuff!

Sumeet

Interning at Basti Ram

Hello!

My name is Sumeet and I am a new office intern at Basti Ram.

I am currently in my final year studying Sociology at the University of Roehampton. As part of my course, I am required to do a placement for three months at an organisation of my choice. I have volunteered in the UK and abroad for many years and have a keen interest in projects run by Basti Ram, such as Beyond Boundaries, which attracted me to volunteer here.

I will be assisting existing staff with general administration duties (well, I’ll try to!), as well as attending fairs and events.

You will be hearing a lot more from me with new blog entries being posted as much as possible; I’ll keep you all updated on my progress in the office, as well as more information on upcoming projects from Basti Ram.

Sumeet :)