Social employment desk



The Vialisa Social Employment Desk was opened in Dhaka, Bangladesh in October 2004. It offers
underprivileged youngsters the chance of employment in a healthy working environment,
encouraging self development and the full use of their capabilities (a chance they don’t often get).
As well as employment, we provide a variety of training and education courses which improve job prospects. Vialisa works in close co-operation with employers, training centers, schools and other development organisations.

Our youngsters
Our youngsters are between the ages of 15 and 21 years old and live in the slums of Dhaka, on the
street or in a shelter for the homeless. The youngsters living in the slums are often from single parent families, which place a great pressure on them to find any sort of paid work to improve their family’s financial situation. With an extra income, younger brothers and sisters might have the chance of attending school. The youngsters living on the street or in shelters are often orphans,
or have come alone from the countryside to the city. They endure long working hours for a wage often below the legal minimum.
We come in contact with these groups of youngsters through weekly visits to the slums and other
development organisations. Using trusted and familiar faces (such as community leaders, local teachers and social workers from DIC’s and shelters) speeds up the time span needed to create
a warm, confiding relationship between the target group and Vialisa.

Employment
Recruitment
Our personnel are continuously searching for job opportunities for youngsters where a certain level of knowledge and skills are required. Although street children have a minimum of experience, a challenge in their employment duties builds up confidence and allows for self growth. Once a suitable employment opportunity has been found, the employer and Vialisa discuss and agree upon
salary, working hours, training and promotion prospects. To convince the employer that he is doing a good deed giving one of our youngsters a chance, Vialisa will pay the youngster’s salary for the three month trial period.

Guidance
Vialisa provides guidance and support for the employer and employee during at least the first year of the employment process. Our social workers visit the youngsters regularly at their workplace to ensure that working conditions and regulations agreed upon are complied with by both parties. The first few months of employment can be difficult for our youngster, unused to routine and discipline. We help prepare the employer for all sorts of possible problems that can arise, therefore creating a better understanding of the situation and a supportive environment in which the new employee feels at ease to promote and develop oneself.