“We love to listen to our customers and for this reason we would be delighted to hear from you if you would like a bespoke fair trade product made especially for you.”

June 2023 - Newsletter Video Blog Summary

June 2023

video to be added

This month I continued to heal from my shoulder procedure (January 2022) and am learning to live with pain in my right shoulder.

I participated in the 2 day Loneliness Learning Programme organised by the Civil Society Consulting team

Attended the Fairtrade Foundation UK June 2023 Catch Up Zoom webinar.

Celebrated Eid Al Adha with my siblings.

Civil Society Consulting UK Loneliness Programme, June 23, pic 1 edt with Sabeena Z Ahmed

The Downward Spiral Diagram

Credit: Civil Society Consulting UK

2 day Loneliness Programme June 2023 with

Civil Society Consulting UK

This was the first time I had attended and participated in a free 2 day programme with the Civil Society Consulting organisation and team.

Many thanks to Natasha, Rebecca and Francesca for inviting me to participate.

There were approximately 13 participants and we spent the first day working the the handbook and theory.

Civil Society Consulting UK Loneliness Programme, June 23, pic 2 edt with Sabeena Z Ahmed

The Downward Spiral Diagram

Credit: Civil Society Consulting UK

Productivity Slide

Credit: Civic Society Consulting UK

Connector Services and other approaches slide

Credit: Civic Consultancy Society

Reflection

WHAT I ENJOYED!

I enjoyed working with the other participants. The small group setting was perfect.

We all had time to introduce ourselves and were given time for feedback during each session.

It was inspiring to hear from peers and how they have implemented Loneliness initiatives/programs in their respective organisations.

The CIC team were incredibly professional, warm, friendly and empathetic.

Their warm personalities made it easier to break the ice and participate in conversations.

As a learner with visual impairment and disabilities I felt safe, comfortable and happy to contribute to the conversations during the program.

Rebecca was brilliant as the IT expert/facilitator, she increased the size of the fonts for me to read the content.

As a visual learner, I was happy to see diagrams in the course content. This broke up the text and made it easier to read the booklet.

I particularly found (the Downward spiral and Upward spirals of loneliness, p 17) useful for my work/advocacy.

I have a suggestion and recommendation regarding the case studies (20-24).

It would be fun and interesting for the CIC team to commission videos, using actors depicting the scenarios in each case study.

Write each case study as a role play, which would be an interactive activity for participants during the course.

I am a visual learner and there was far too much text in this program.

I struggle to look at screens for long periods of time. It was tiring for my eyes.

Moving on.

I found the 'PROMISING APPROACHES FRAMEWORK' on p 29 of the handbook very useful.

YES! It was colourful, easy to understand and informative and educational for my fair trade advocacy work.

Once again I have another suggestion.

I would love to see all the organisations featured as, Connector Services, Direct Solutions and Enablers and System Level Approaches case studies e.g. (AGE UK WIRRAL, WELL BEING MOYLE, THE CHINESE COMMUNITY CENTRE BIRMINGHAM etc, translated to videos.

It's so much more interesting as a learner to see people in action at work helping others successfully.

Maybe CIC could invite organisations and their grass root leaders and finance officers to speak at the next loneliness program.

It's always good to speak to experts in the field and provide participants with the opportunity to have an interactive Q&A.

Funding is always a huge cause for concern for any new initiative and having a warm friendly finance person or expert in funding and grants would be beneficial and useful for those starting in the funding/grants competitive field.

Monitoring and evaluating is a critical part of any initiative and investors needs to see how their money is being spent.

Impact surveys are paramount and show a true reflection of the work being conducted and how it has been implemented.

I will need to work hard to convince decision makers and loneliness measurement tools will be necessary as part change making strategies.

Thank you for sharing the UCLA and the The De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scales for international audiences and projects.

The final activity was very useful and beneficial and I am truly grateful to Natasha, Francesca, Fran from Carers Trust UK for taking time out in the break out room to listen to all my woes and issues.

I thoroughly enjoyed this program but feel it needs a few tweaks for me and those of us with visual impairments and those of us who learn better via visual learning approaches and methods.

I will have to conduct research to discover what loneliness programs Waltham Forest Council has implemented over the years.

All the above. It will take time for decision makers to accept social entrepreneurs and hijabis and practising Muslims like me on the Committee Boards.

I will have to conduct research to discover what loneliness programs Waltham Forest Council has implemented over the years.

It will take time for decision makers to accept social entrepreneurs and hijabis and practising Muslims like me on the Committee Boards.

My Barriers

The questions below were asked on the feedback survey after the course.

My Barriers

Race/Discrimination - particularly, Islamophobia.

Yes, as a British born 2nd generation Pakistani/Indian I have faced discrimination all my life. Yes! including at the World Fair Trade Organization. Nothing surprises me any more!

Envy - Jealously from other fair trade campaigners

Education - Being articulate and obtaining more qualifications has intimidated others in the past.

My HIJAB has caused immense problems for me but as a practising Muslimah, I can only educate and inform those who have a very warped perception of Muslim women.

I am not oppressed or subjugated.

Many thanks for inviting me to participate in the Loneliness Program.

I feel honoured and privileged to have participated.

Fair Trade Catch Up Zoom Webinar June 2023

This webinar was organised by the Fairtrade Foundation UK.

Eid Al Adha 2023

What is Eid Al Adha?

Credit and Source: Twinkl Educational Publishing

I spent a quiet Eid Al Adha with my siblings.

Thank you for reading my blog wherever you are in the world!

Peace and blessings

Sabeena

Further Reading and Links

Civil Society Consulting

Fairtrade Foundation UK

Eid Al Adha

Twinkl Educational Publishing YouTube Channel

Also in The Little Fair Trade Blog

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My right shoulder was very painful and inflamed and I struggled to write this blog.

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Joined the August 2023 webinar about storytelling with World Pulse.

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July 2023 - Newsletter Video Blog Summary

This month I continued to heal from my shoulder procedure (January 2022) and am learning to live with pain in my right shoulder.

I was very poorly and couldn't post about Plastic Free July 2023 everyday but hope to add short videos soon.

I attended a Zoom webinar titled 'The role of faith organisations tackling loneliness' organised by the Civil Society Consulting team.

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Six Items Challenge 2023 in English and Urdu with Labour Behind the Label and Sabeena Z Ahmed

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog.

I'm Sabeena, a social entrepreneur, fair trade campaigner and educator.

So here I am for the 11th consecutive year participating in the Six Items Challenge with Labour Behind The Label.

AIM

My aim is to raise awareness about Fast Fashion, Garment Workers and decent wages and good working conditions online/offline.

میرے بلاگ پر جانے کے لیے وقت نکالنے کے لیے آپ کا شکریہ۔

میں سبینہ ہوں، ایک سماجی کاروباری، منصفانہ تجارت کی مہم چلانے والی اور معلم ہوں۔

لہذا میں یہاں مسلسل 11ویں سال لیبر کے پیچھے لیبر کے ساتھ چھ آئٹمز چیلنج میں حصہ لے رہا ہوں۔

مقصد

میرا مقصد فاسٹ فیشن، گارمنٹ ورکرز اور معقول اجرت اور آن لائن/آف لائن کام کرنے کے اچھے حالات کے بارے میں بیداری پیدا کرنا ہے۔

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June 2023 - Newsletter Video Blog Summary

June 2023

2 day Loneliness Programme June 2023 with

Civil Society Consulting UK

Fair Trade Catch Up Zoom Webinar June 2023

Eid Al Adha 2023