Amir Khan helps ensure new resource packs a punch!
Connexions launches new role model guide to help Pakistani and Bangladeshi young people to EXCEL
Boxer Amir Khan, East Midlands TV Reporter Sameena Ali Khan and Apprentice star Syed Ahmed are just a few of the role models who agreed to be interviewed for a new publication produced by Connexions Nottinghamshire to help raise the aspirations of Bangladeshi and Pakistani young people.
This new resource, entitled EXCEL, is launched this week and it’s hoped that it will serve to inspire young people in the Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities.
The role model guide is the brainchild of Jaweria Tariq, Specialist Connexions Personal Adviser for Pakistani and Bangladeshi young people. Jaweria has been working with young people from these communities for the last two years. Her aim is to raise the profile of those people of Bangladeshi and Pakistani origin who have been successful to act as motivation for young people.
Jaweria is a member of the Connexions Nottinghamshire BME team, which is made up of specialists who work with specific groups of ethnic minorities in Nottingham city, including Dual Heritage young people, African Caribbean men and Asylum Seekers and Refugees. Jaweria's role was created to meet a growing demand for a specialist adviser to Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities.
Reports indicate that Pakistani and Bangladeshi young people are more likely to be unemployed than their white counterparts. An EOC report – Moving On Up? The Way Forward – states that Bangladeshi and Pakistani women are around four times more likely to be unemployed than white British women.
Rob Green, Connexions Equal Opportunities Manager, says: "The key point about this new resource is it will help to help raise aspirations. It will help young people and their parents and carers see south asian people in very different roles, being successful without having to compromise their culture."
Jaweria says: "I found that there wasn’t much literature around showcasing the achievements of Pakistani and Bangladeshi adults. It’s so important to the young people I work with that they can see how well their peers can do and how much they are able to achieve. My aim is to motivate and encourage young people to see their potential."
If young people and their parents and carers want to get hold of this free guide, they can pick one up from the Nottingham Connexions centre on Carlton Street in Hockley.
Download a PDF of the EXCEL booklet (3.9 MB)
