The First BDSG Basic Training for New Volunteers!

As part of youth empowerment in disaster risk reduction, BDSG conducted a Basic Training in September 27, 2014 in its secretariat. This was aimed for reaching another milestone towards the sustainability of BDSG. Participants of the training consist of those who have joined BDSG activities a few times and those who were completely new to BDSG. 

It was the first training conducted formally by BDSG. Usually BDSG volunteers were informally trained along with their participation in activities. Those who were more active would automatically became more skilled in designing concept of activities, in communicating, or in delivering materials in the school sessions. But it was about time to involve more skilled and committed volunteers to implement more missions of BDSG, quantity-wise and quality-wise. Therefore BDSG started to formalize its recruitment process, capacity building activities, and volunteer structure. 

This basic training would be the first step of any interested person to become a periodic volunteer of BDSG. There were 33 participants in total. The participants learned about three main topics:

1. All About BDSG, which includes overview of its vision and mission, volunteer management, rules and principles in BDSG;

2. Basics of Disaster Risk Management and Disaster Education; and

3. Overview of Approach, Methods, and Skills used in BDSG activities.

Adhit, BDSG coordinator, was introducing systems applied in BDSG

An observer from Jakarta, Tia, mentioned that the training was useful particularly for those who are not familiar with disaster risk management and she was grateful that there is a group of young people who take action in this field and who lead the training. From the point of view of one of the trainers, Priba, said that the training ran smoothly, but a one-day training would not be enough. Participants would learn best through their direct participation in BDSG activities, and therefore what’s more important after the training is to succeed the implementation of the follow up program.

The participants agreed to start conducting disaster education sessions with assistance from the technical volunteers in a school around Setiabudi and in another school around Cicadas, Bandung. After accomplishing the training, these periodic volunteers become officially eligible to participate in almost all activities in BDSG (with limited role), and after some experiences they can be trained as trainers in the ToT, where they can further became the technical volunteers who will have more privileges and roles in BDSG.

BDSG Volunteers, with the New Ones Holding BDSG Badges :)

 “It is a good start for the system of regeneration of BDSG volunteers. I think all participants could catch ideas and spirit of volunteering through BDSG. I am excited to see collaborations between new volunteers with the senior volunteers who became the mentors in the next DRR activity at schools. Keep the spirits up in promoting the << Learn, Share and Volunteer >> with BDSG!” (Mizan, Co-Founder of BDSG) 

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Message from the writer: This is a token of appreciation to all of you who have worked so hard in making another positive change in BDSG: Bang Saut, Mizan, Adhit, Tami, Rifa, Dityo, Priba, Fya, Reyno, Agung, Grace, Ivo, Leits, Oya, Iid and Pinat.

(Risye Dwiyani)