Experience working with CEE

 I worked at the CEE Centre for Young Black Professionals. From its name, we can understand this non-profit organization works for Black Youth. The organization’s primary goal is to help establish Black Youth professionally. To achieve this goal, it has many programs, including mental help. I have worked with youth job placement programs. Specifically, my job placement was to work with the operation team. It’s called the backend/paperwork job.

 

The key learnings in the field would be:

 

a)      Operational / Project Management:

I have learned how to work with office documents and maintain the confidentiality of all stakeholders. I have been taught what information I can share and which one not. To manage projects, the organization uses web-based software. I have never used this software before. So, I learned how to use it and manage all projects with that software. I have also collected documents from different stakeholders and kept them organized in the folder for the audit. I have checked all records in detail, and if I find any issue, I use to contact my supervisor to know the further action. CEE regularly organizes scrum meetings. The objective of this meeting is to keep bonding with the employees and refresh the mind between work pressure. I joined scrum meetings and got a chance to meet with other department coworkers of this organization.

 

 

b)     Stakeholder Communications & Relationships:

I was responsible for communicating with the youth and employers of those youth, as well as the manager of my department, supervisor, and the finance team of my organization. I had to use a proper manner to communicate with them. I have learned how to push for documents by maintaining office decorum. Ultimately, my supervisor was confident enough to let me communicate with the stakeholders without supervision.

 

c)      Problem-Solving & Critical Thinking:

Regularly I had to update the wage reimbursement information with the new paystubs. Before the audit, I had to check all files and folders to see if all the necessary documents were available and updated. If not, I had to fix them. If I found any other issues, I contacted my supervisor. When I joined meetings, I learned how to maintain good relations with everyone, how to speak and, if any questions were asked, how to respond. While communicating with the stakeholders with documents, always check them in detail, and if any issues are found, then contact the supervisor.

 

1.                  Build on this learning:

 

This job taught me how to work professionally, communicate with stakeholders, maintain files and documents, etc. These learnings will be helpful to work with any organization, including community workers’ jobs. This is the basic knowledge to work professionally in any organization.

 

2.                  Opportunities:

 

I would like to work with other racial and community people with different issues, like newcomers, housing issues, Climate Crisis, etc. I want to explore and learn more about community work to work with any community base organization and understand the overall situation.

 

I understood that if I wanted to make any changes in the community, I would need to make my plan pass by the authorities and would need funds. Like from the city of Toronto. So, my priority is to work with the City of Toronto so that I know how they work and will understand how to approach when any organization needs to communicate with them. Moreover, it will be great to work with the city to contribute my learnings and goodwill to the city community. 

 

The YMCA. It’s a big organization with many branches throughout the GTA. If I work there, I will be able to work in a different community, age group, and social services. It will be a great opportunity to learn to communicate in a diverse area and learn how they manage their work or events.

Every moment is a new moment.

Limited time was always a problem for me because I wanted to do too many things in a day and achieve many things at a time.

Now, the situation has become harder. I am working very slowly, and it has become impossible to complete any work. But I am OK. I have accepted the situation. I am planning and trying to do better every day.

Giving myself enough rest.

Right now, I am following Chaity's (My friend's) mom's rule. Once, she told me I pray properly by standing up when I can. If I feel too weak, I pray sitting on a chair. I don't put too much pressure on myself.

I am following that now. When I can, I work, cook, and do other jobs. But if I am not feeling okay, I lie in bed. Don't put too much pressure on me because that gives me more pain. I hope things will be under control. I don't want to fall on the bed, so I can't stand up anymore.

Why do women leave men when they have money.

 Why do some women choose to end their relationships with men who have a lot of money?

I knew some families wanted their wives, less educated and non-working. Non-working doesn't mean they don't have to work, it means they have to work at home full-time, not outside. Non-working means no earning. 

No earnings doesn't mean they can't bring money at home; it means, they can't spend time or energy outside to earn money. They can bring money from their home, parents or wealth.

What's the problem if she has the qualities to earn money? Thinking is, that she might not stay with her husband. 

So, you think, she needs money, that's why she married and stayed with a husband? Can't her family feed her? Or can't she earn her own expenses? Then, after marriage, you have to cut off her money and make her stay with you? Couldn't you give her any other reason to stay with you? Love, respect, care, support, good feelings, nothing?

You won't give anything, only take all her attention, her body, labour, creating and raising your child by her and will also cut off her wings so that she can't fly and find a suitable place to live. More over you will dishonour her by saying she doesn't do anything (Which means not earning money), and she has to live without saying anything, just listening to all the orders from you and your family. No matter how humiliated she felt, how much hard she needed to do, not having good food and rest.

And then you will say money is the only reason to break a family when a woman tries to get out of a humiliated living space?

If you loved women, you would have let her live how she wanted to. And enjoy her company and her love the way she tried to give you.

If she wants to leave you, let her go. Help her to stay safe wherever she wants. Be a man. If she doesn't want to live with you or love you, let her be. Treat her as a human, not like your pet. Respect her and her decision. Fine, someone who wants to stay with you.

Work with a peace of mind

I prefer to work in a peaceful environment without feeling rushed, stressed, lazy, or overly relaxed. It's important to me to maintain a pace that allows me to complete tasks on time without feeling exhausted or pressured. I enjoy taking my time to savour each moment.

Thanks to this approach, I've been able to complete most of my work on time without experiencing much stress. However, sometimes I've struggled to finish everything due to time constraints. I'm always looking for ways to improve myself and become more efficient.

Recently, I've started to feel overwhelmed and stressed. I have faith that everything will work out, and I'm determined to handle any challenges that come my way with grace and dignity.

Despite my relaxed demeanour, I work hard to complete my tasks on time. People often don't realize how much effort I put in until I'm no longer around to do it.

If you are relying solely on others

"If you depend on others, you'll be helpless when they leave you."

Relying on others can make you vulnerable when they eventually depart from your life. This can happen unintentionally, especially if someone has been helping you for an extended period of time. When this help suddenly stops, you may feel lost and uncertain about the future. 

However, it's important to remember that nothing is insurmountable. It's best not to rely on anyone for anything, not even your own happiness. If someone leaves or stops assisting you, it's essential to take the reins and either continue on your own or seek help elsewhere. The outcome may be better or worse, but it will be achieved regardless. Trust in a higher power to guide you through the journey. Have faith in Allah.

Keep putting out good

"keep putting out good; it will come back to you unexpectedly."

I have seen and believe good work never goes in vain. No matter how big or small or tinies good work you do, it will have a very good impact, if not in a short time, then in the long run.

If no one notice or gives you any credit, Allah will.

You may have noticed after every big disaster, or when you get hurt by someone, something very good happens to you. Believe in Karma. It's true

Biography 166: Assignments

 In our department, we needed to draw lots of maps. In practical courses, we had to draw many things, had show creativity for assignments. I was very poor at drawing. So, I started feeling troubled. My work didn't look good. 

Some of our classmate's artwork was very good. They used to help others. I never took anyone's help. Why would I? Like I can't do anything? Whatever I can, I will do it myself. My work should represent me, not anyone else. I may have some Ego problems.

What is meant to be, will happen anyway

 When I get scared, I say to myself, what is meant to happen will happen, no matter what I do.

Sometimes I am scared thinking about what that person will think? Then I say to myself if that person likes me will like me, if dislikes me, will oppose me, no matter what I do or say, no matter how I look.

These are the truth I have learned from my small life. Now, it matters to me, how I do things. I always work with honesty and try to give my best. Sometimes succeeding, sometimes not. Actually, people's feeling isn't in my hand.

Mental pressure to make things done

 Some people think mental harassment is the best way to make things done. They put pressure, lied and give false accusations, and believed this will make people do whatever they wanted to make them do.

On me, these don't work. If I felt I shouldn't do, I won't. People's harassment may hurt me, but won't make me do anything, which I felt I shouldn't.

If you want to change my mind, come up with good logic.

Biography 99: Handyperson

 When our parents were building our own house, they make sure the second floor (In Bangladesh we all called it the 1st floor or level 2) get prepared first. Because we were going to live there. Before the whole building (5 storied) was done properly, the second floor was completed and ready to live.

We had a red plastic basket. In those days, every family who has a kid used to have this kind of basket to keep toddlers staff. My mom put all the small items in it, that can be fitted in it. Then gave to me to carry to our new house, approximately two blocks away. I had to do this job several times a day, to complete the process to move to our new home.

I was mom's handy person. Whenever she needed anything to bring from the local grocery store she use to send me. Sometimes she woke me up from sleep and then sent me to the shop. Like to bring eggs, sugar etc.

We had a maid to washcloths. Then those were needed to put in the sun to dry. In Bangladesh, we don't use a dryer to dry clothes. So, I had to take them to the roof in a bucket to the 5th and then 6th floor (The roof of our new house), put them on the rope to dry and at the end of the day bring them back. Sometimes if rain comes I had to run to the roof and bring those back. I remember one day we had a new tenant on the 4th floor. They saw me carrying buckets of cloths to the roof, they thought I was the maid of the house, they wanted to ask me to clean their house too. But one of their family members recognized me as an owner's daughter, so that didn't happen.

When I grow up a little, my duty expanded to the post office too. Sending anything to the post office was my duty.

Then added giving bills. In Bangladesh previously we didn't have any choice to pay the bills online or through cell phone. We had to go to the bank. Different banks submit different utility bills. All was my job. I had to stand up hours in line to submit those.

You must be thinking, my parents like me a lot that I was their handy person. NO. I am always everyone's least favourite person. Well, when anyone needs any help they find me. They knew I will do anything to help them as much as possible. It's like you know you have a stupid to do all the jobs because an intelligent person won't work without any benefit. It won't mind. I have seen this attitude to all I know. All can't be wrong. Maybe this is my personality.

I have seen others who just said no when they were asked to do anything, but still people like them.

No, I don't want to bother how people treat me, I just do what needed to be done. To make things better. Either at home or a job or anywhere else. I never worry how much people appreciate it. I believe if anyone likes me they will like me without any effort.

Otherwise no matter how much I try, whatever I do, I can never be their first priority.

To make a better world

 

 In Bangladesh, people think going abroad means going to heaven. It's a dream of almost every person to go abroad. Most of them don't want to come back, some of them think they will come back after a vacation or study. We believe the first world, is the best in every way.

The truth is, the first world is very good in many ways. But not everything is better than 3rd world. They even don't know, in some cases, 3rd world or 2nd world is managing things much better way. There are still many rooms to improve in 1st world.

So, we should think, we are all in the same world. Anything that we do, may give an impact somewhere else in this world. We have to try to make it better. The world won't get better by itself. We have to try. Maybe a very small step will give a very big good result in future, or maybe it will go in vain. But it's worth giving a try to make things better. Or just stay not doing anything wrong.

This is not my circus

 At work, I never bind myself with my job description. If I found, things needed to be done, I did. I didn't show up that work to anyone. I felt, if the company does well, it will be good for everyone and clients will also get benefited from it.

The exception is, if my company doesn't want me to do more, sometimes the immediate supervisor doesn't want me to do extra. I stopped, mostly.

Then I looked at others and say in my mind, "These are not my monkeys and this is not my circus." If they want to make themselves down, I better let them.

This is me

When I came from Bangladesh to Saskatchewan, I expectation was pretty high. Though I knew, there will be some expected and unexpected problems. One of my friends told me, if I became choosy in the selection of work/earn money, it may take some time to find a good one. But if I start working anything or anywhere then I might get a job immediately and can have a good life with that amount of money.

So, in my mind, I didn't make any aim for a job or life. I was ready to start with anything and go on living with any work. Still, I am like that but my physical condition makes me a little selective. I can't do any standing job anymore. My feet hurt.

I know I am good at any job. Maybe I take a little time to learn my work then I can go on working smoothly. I improve the current work system and helps others to do a better job. Soon the whole branch or company starting doing good. But I'm a silent worker. I never go to my boss or superior to show what I have done. Or make any complaint about others. So, no one notices. Then for any strong reason, if I left, the whole system falls down. Nobody still doesn't know or care who they need to run things well. What can I say, if my absence doesn't bother you, maybe you don't need my presence.

But it doesn't mean I will change myself for others. I will keep doing good wherever I go. I will fix things wherever I can. I won't wait for others to appraise me. This is me, when I am somewhere, good things will keep happening around you and you will never know who is behind it.

Dog's tail.

 When I was in school, I have heard from our teachers that we are like dog's tails. No matter how much they try or in their language "No matter how many times they give massage with ghee on it", it will be bent always.

Now I understand how they actually felt at that moment. I'm living with 2 males. No matter how many times I tried to make them understand, they didn't change. They will make piles of plates in the sink, they will put their dirty shoes in other places but on the tray, they won't clean the area after taking food, will eat junk food first then no interest in meal, never put boxes or packages for recycling but everywhere in the room, within 10 seconds they can make the kitchen area like garbage, if the garbage bin is full, no need to take it out keep throwing garbages around it etc.

I have been trying hard to make things better for years. The result is, now they know, no matter what they do, someone will fix it. It's magic, and they have every right to enjoy it. They don't care what I say, sometimes get irritated. That's all but never tried to fix themselves.

People, with a heart like an ocean

Some people born in this world with a heart like an ocean. They love people, animals or anything else. Till death, they work for their love and work. Because of them, humankind takes a leap of growth. When general people get love and mercy from them, they don’t think to give anything in return. People just take advantage of these big hearts, because people think these big persons are fools to let’s take advantage of it.

We all have seen a person like this in our life. Did we do anything for them? Deep in their heart, don’t you think they wish for anything? Yes, they do, they just can’t expect it from people who don’t give the value of others work.

Disturbance

When you are working on something with full concentration, something happens, or someone comes to you to distract you. How would you feel?

These distractions give me a headache. I became angry, sometimes irritated, sometimes I misbehaved. My son, the poor boy had faced this so many times. But he is very patient. Still, he didn’t stop disturbing me, especially when I’m working.

But later I found that every time I stopped, that gives me extra time to think, to figure out a problem to fix it.

I understood, if anything stopping me, then there must be a good reason behind it. I better take it easy.

Good work is a sin

Shafeen's art

I could never think about it, that one day my good work will be my enemy. Whatever I do, I try to do it well and gradually try to improve it. I try to learn from others and from books or from any instruction or tutorial. I don’t like to waste time. So, if I am in my work place. I just keep working. If there is no major task, I concentrate on other small details where it could be improving, which are not very important. And then also spend time on cleaning. So, finally when I work, not only my work finishes well but others too. Because I help to organize their one too.

Now this great quality became my enemy. People who work around me, started scaring of me. They used to say, “If she works then we all will get fired”. They make lot of planning and plotting to make me down. Like no matter who make mistakes, all will be put on me. Always keep complaining about me. Don’t’ let me do any big work, so that management will know that I know all very well etc.

This is happened all places I worked. So, clearly, problem is me. People can’t see me go upward, or even don’t want to let me learn. Their insecurity is killing me. I don’t know how to stop it. Because no matter what, I don’t want to hurt them. That’s me. I know, I am too good for this country.

I never show up my work.

Shafeen has drawn it.

I never say I did this or that. So, it’s very easy to over look my work or take advantages of it. People are very smart. They find this attitude in me very easily then according to their need they use it. Some use my skill to get promoted, some get other benefits, like show themselves as a good team player or worker. I used to see people taking all my credits for themselves. I have patient. I just keep doing my work, use my IQ to make it better. If you don’t get it, then fine. If somehow its seen by you, then I am grateful to you.

Standing up in workplace

Maybe employers of this country (Canada, with many other countries) are very caring about their employee's health. That's why in most cases, especially who are working in junior level has no chance to sit a bit. Standing up for 8 hours in a day isn't easy. Especially who has plus size body. Every day they needed to put "ointment to kill the pain of muscles" on their feet. Sometimes after work they can't walk normally. But what else they can do but follow the countries 'standing up' tradition. Yes, it's good for health, because most of the people lose their weight after starting work in this country. :) (This system also reduces sitting arrangement costs)