Shofa Miah

Member since March 19, 2021

> Newham resident for 20 years (originally from Westminster)

> Mum of 3 children ( 18 ,17 , 8 )

>10 years experience working for Newham Council (Artist, Interpreter, Playworker, Early years, Outreach officer, Parenting Practitioner)

>Current employment (5 Year career with Westminster City Council) Youth Council Lead and Manager for Duke of Edinburgh Awards

>Part of the Editorial Team at Newham Voices Newspaper 2020 - date.

> Founder of Ashok's Vision CIO 1193446 - Newham based Youth Mental Wellbeing Charity (www.ashoksvision.org) Providing FREE resources and opportunities to young people. Encouraging them to look after their wellbeing and have aspirations to aim high with a vision to make positive change locally, nationally and globally. Inclusive Youth Led project for Youth! (weekly plant stall at Woodgrange Market place E7, Saturday' 12-3pm - Visit us!)

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Shofa Miah3 years ago 2024 PROJECT COMPLETEDUpdate June 2024We started our FG011X Project in January 2024 - Ahead of receiving the funding from Newham we commenced by using using our resources to continue outreach and engagement. We have had a great response from the local community and the young people interested in attending our project. Our project goals and priorities were: Mental Well Being, Community Safety and Youth Development. We were voted one of the top projects by residents , this meant we were able to gain a lot of interest as soon as we started.To date we have :Run consistent market every Saturdays with Youth Leaders.Able to provide all the youth leaders with lunch at our sessions.Recruited and trained 4 market officers so we can safely deliver the stallSecured a years long contract for our market pitchSourced an in house gardener at a lower cost to oversee the project for the whole project duration.Partnered with all our stakeholders - like Community Garden and youth zone and charities.Connected with the local community hubs and schools and faith groupsWe trained 10 of our team in Mental Health Youth First Aid training and also prepared DBS and other safety measures.We have been consistent on the weekly market and continued with the maintenance and planting activities, every week. There has been a great response on Social media and we have new people following and more interestWe attended People Powered Programmes training and meeting - Our Youth Leaders were also able to give feedback in the meeting. They had training and practice on Public Speaking skills.We did other additional training like Risk assessment, child safeguarding and also first aid.We connect with Public Health Newham and are now in their directory - our FG011x is advertised in community spaces and online.We did visits to Scotland Yard Metropolitan Police Headquarters and discussed our project and VAWG and Community Safety with the Metropolitan police.We met with our Project Monitors and are in touch with them - they really support our project and they all plan to come and volunteer one day in June.We have held various focus groups and consultations on our future work - in order to meet the rest of the outcomes. This included connecting with various organisations to plan our work for Summer , Autumn and Winter.We have a temporary storage space in Forest Gate Community School, which we can access on Saturday.We have also secured storage space for the rest of the year - that we can access everyday of the week.We have created a QR Code and and easy sign up methods by online formsWe have secured dates in The Gate Library for our AVI Circle sessions with a Youth Special organisation.We have managed to find a First Aid Training company, by the recommendation of Public Health Newham, and the courses hope to be hosted in Forest Gate Community School. We also have an event being planned for VAWG in the Forest Gate Community Garden for Summer. Looking for a facilitator / organisation to deliver sessions.We have connected with an organisation to support us with the data and capturing our Youth leaders work, and setting the AVI Circle sessions. Planned to be delivered in Aston Mansfield as agreed.Again - the response has been great and we are very popular and people are praising our project in the community. Our posters are visible in the community and online also.Our popular platforms are Instagram, Linked in, Facebook and slowly starting Tiktok.Since Jan 2024 - Young people aged 11-18 years old:Saturday sessions : 18 sessions (hours : 54 hours )Youth Engagement : Attendance on Saturdays : 275—----Additional meeting and focus sessions:12 meetings - In our head office (Weekdays and weekends) 48 Young people—--10 Virtual sessions - Focus groups and consultative28 Young people—--3 meetings at Scotland Yard with Newham Young peopleKey Milestones Pending for Summer period:Secure Training dates for First Aid responder Courses4 Sessions - 50 young people to be accredited - In person trainingSet dates for the VAWG Workshops and find facilitator and arrange the event datePurchase equipment and gardening resourcesFinish remainder of training with Young people and Market officersAny questions or queries, please email or call:info@ashoksvisioninternational.org07707247150Also please come to see our presentation at The Gate Library20th June 2024 6pm at the People Powered Programme event.Thank you for reading.************************************************************Ashok’s Vision International – We are a Youth Mental Wellbeing Charity based in Newham. Our Charity was set up in memory of a young man who lost his life due mental health and isolation. Since our Launch in 2019 we have been onsite at Woodgrange Market Place, Forest Gate during weekends engaging young people in planting, biodiversity and community engagement activities.Our Mission and Vision: We are creating a world where the elements of Nature, Play and Spirituality support the mental wellbeing of our young people. Our mission is to nurture young people to reconnect with nature and biodiversity, by creating local opportunities to lead on greening and cleaning projects that impact globally.Since our establishment we have been recipients of two Community Assembly Grants 2021 – 2023 (inclusive). Through these projects we have been able to support young people to engage with nature to support their mental wellbeing through Social Action.Every Saturday on average 15 young people have access to sessional workshops related to planting, nature, and mental well-being. As part of the activity, we have access to local planters where we do litter picking, maintenance and planting new seeds and regular watering. To further develop our young people, we also provide opportunities for them to be trained in various areas of personal development and many have benefited from paid internships.Ashok's Vision International Case Study - #PeoplePoweredPlaces - YouTubeOur new proposal for Newham PPP 2023 - 24Ashok’s Vision Youth Engagement CIRCLES is an all Inclusive NEW project. This aims to deliver an innovative holistic and integrated model which has three main elements that will incorporate all three priorities for Forest Gate & Maryland. Based on the success of the last 2 projects we have delivered for Newham. We have consulted with our young people and developed a new model to deliver against the priorities they have highlighted.The Unique Nature of Ashok’s Vision International is that we have 3 levels of Youth Engagement strands: 11 and Under (those who come with parents (may bring along younger siblings Teenage cohort – up to 18 Elite Alumni – University & Work based who continue to remain engaged as peer Mentors Support and Role Models We have a Strategy to engage the existing team and recruit new members via our new proposed project:Ashok’s Vision Youth Engagement CIRCLES: Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing CIRCLES Youth Community Safety CIRCLES Youth Development and Participation CIRCLES As well as working with young people, we will also be working with parents and carers and our local key stakeholders. We hope to capture the key elements needed to keep young people reminded about the importance of looking after themselves and how can you overcome challenges in Newham. Plus how to keep involved and engaged and create some cases studies of the successes, we have seen in our own Youth Leaders journeys.Ashok’s Vision Youth Engagement CIRCLES has been designed by and will be led by our Youth Leaders for the benefit of all young people in our community. The 3 CIRCLES are as follows:1. Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing CIRCLES- ( Priority area: Health & Wellbeing)We will continue our ongoing Nature & Biodiversity activities in Forest Gate with the Youth Leaders and be visible in community outreach engagement and sign-posting with local residents. This will promote the activities we are developing for the local young people to access and participate in. This also fits in with our maintenance agreement with Newham Council’s Highways & Sustainable Team from the last two years.2. Youth Community Safety CIRCLES - (Priority area: Community Safety)Working in collaboration with our established stakeholders and partners such as; Community Garden, Woodcraft Folk and Woodgrange Market Place. We will actively engage with young people to encourage their participation in the following areas:· Youth Mental Health First Aid Training· Violence against Women and Girls Awareness (VAWG)· First Aid responder training· Youth Personal Development workshops led by our Newham based Ashok’s Vision International Alumni Professionals3. Youth Development and Participation CIRCLES -(Priority area: Community development & Participation)Workshops relating to Health & Wellbeing, Community Safety and Development and Participation. Across a variety of Forest Gate & Maryland venues.This will include a wide range of inclusive Community and Outreach events led by Youth Leaders. These events will raise awareness of volunteering, culture, interfaith and intercultural dialogue. The benefits will be how to adopt good habits and behaviours to make Newham a more pleasant place to live for young people, their families and the wider community.Our Youth Leaders at Ashok's Vision International are proud to continue to deliver on the priorities for a Fairer Newham.

Shofa Miah4 years ago Ashok’s Vision ( Newham based youth mental wellbeing charity 1193446 )For a year we have managed to consistently deliver a weekly stall at Woodgrange Market place E7, engaging over 300 young people in PLANTING sessions!Given the success of our last project, our NEW ‘’Youth Led Nature & Biodiversity Multi Project’’ will be a collaboration between Forest Gate Community Garden, Woodcraft folk, The Gate Library, Aston Mansfield and Magpie Park. We also have a connection with Newham Voices newspaper who will continue to promote our project updates across the borough.Our statistics have shown that interest has grown in learning about Biodiversity and Nature. We have dozens of local youth who turn up every week to learn about their community and help improve it! Our charity aim is to connect nature and mental wellbeing and ensure All our projects have a strong focus on progression and innovation. Our survey outcomes revealed that Newham Youth WANT to help improve the environment they live in and help make Newham a greener, cleaner, and safer space. Multi Project overview and core delivery:1. Outdoor weekly learning & planting space at Woodgrange Market place. As well as an Indoor learning workshops relating to biodiversity, nature, cleanliness and environment at Aston Mansfield Community, The Gate library, and Magpie Park Forest Lodge.2. Watering solution for existing planters in Forest Gate (working in collaboration with Community Garden and Newham Council)3. Introduce new sustainable planters with support of Newham planning team (Earlham Grove )4. Seasonal Market Festivals led by youth for the community (raising awareness of cleanliness, climate, and environment issues – Adopting good habits and make Newham a more pleasant place to live)*Having an indoor workshop space will ensure we are being INCLUSIVE and providing opportunity for all young people who may have access and additional needs to participate*Please do visit us on a Saturday @WoodgrangeMarketE7 and hear from our resilient youth volunteers about their journey so far and how much they are looking forward to improving Forest Gate as well as enhancing their learning, personal development and most importantly, their mental wellbeing via this project!Update Feb 2023Since receiving the funding we are on track with our project time line. Working alongside our stakeholders we are midway between the project cycle. Our Youth Leaders have done an exceptional job in planning the project. Building and co-ordinating the team, we got to work immediately. Everything youth lead! We held outreach events to recruit interest 5 interns hold Youth Leadership & training Everyone taking on different roles suiting our skills We secure our own Project Gardener Recent surveys outcomes: Youth volunteers who take park in our project, have not previously had any planting and nature related learning opportunities. They want to help improve the environment they live in and help make Newham a greener, cleaner, and safer space. We set out to connect nature and mental well-being and ensure All our projects have a strong focus on progression and innovation. Project spend and updates: Forest Gate Learning Zone (Big planter outside building) Dames Road corner We will maintain in collaboration with Forest Gate Community Garden Outside floor planter (by the side of Wanstead Park Station) Wood grange Road (outside Bereket Supermarket, near Wanstead Park station. Kuhn Way, Outside Forest Gate Community School. 2 New planters to be installed in Earlham Grove Outside Royal Mail Post office As per our Maintenance agreement we continue to: 1 Planting and replacements as needed 2 Pruning / dead heading etc. 3 Weeding & Watering 5 Litter clearance 6 Clearing fallen fruit 7 Reporting vandalism/maintenance issues Please come and visit us and continue supporting us in our Vision to make Newham a Greener, Cleaner and safe space to live. And to help us in our plight to positively highlight youth engagement, empowerment, and leadership.

Shofa Miah5 years ago www.ashoksvision.org (reg 1193446) Youth Led mental wellbeing and engagement project based in Newham.We are based in Woodgrange Market Place, Forest Gate every weekend. For over a year we have been providing self-care and educational resources to young people for FREE! (throughout all the lockdowns)We are also part of Newham Youth Voices newspaper - providing a voice for Newham Youth - citizen journalism.This project has been most beneficial and we continue to be active as it benefits so many young people within Newham. We now have a pool of Youth Volunteers who actively contribute and want to grow this project so it continues serving young peoples needs.

Shofa Miah5 years ago Youth Led - Forest Gate Planting ProjectImproving Community spaces, Nature, Biodiversity & Green spaces.Led by Newham based Youth Mental Health Charity – Ashok’s Vision International (1193446)We will use our permanent Woodgrange Market platform, as a weekly pop up workshop for creating handmade planters. Partnership with local experts to make planters created from recycled wood and then plant them in Forest Gate spaces. Creating an aesthetically pleasing spaces for ALL residents to benefit from. The planters will be distributed from our market stall– Creating a mini enterprise in line with our charity Vision (providing resources and engaging young people in the community)The aims of the project will be to support young people to learn about the importance of green spaces and empower and enable them to create a cleaner and greener borough where everyone has access to nature, clean air and pleasant spaces to rest, relax and enjoy.Forest Gate Planting Project – Will highlight Newham Youth in a positive light. Our Youth Volunteers have already managed to do some extraordinary work in the last 2 years with minimum funding – The reason for this was our passion, local knowledge, clever use of resources, spaces and opportunities around us. We hope In the future other boroughs, locally, nationally and international - Will learn and aspire to be like Forest Gate. Youth are often highlighted in a negative light in Newham, we oversee the talented and hard- working individuals who are doing progressive work. The pandemic has also been a cause of concern – but we have demonstrated that if young people are given the Vision, guidance, tools and adults around them are supportive - They strive to do the best for themselves, their community and wider society.

Shofa Miah5 years ago Opportunities for young people to start getting paid jobs while they are still in secondary school. Financial sense and security is an area that will benefit young people if they learn the value of earning from a younger age. It is hard to get a part time job if you are still studying and often parents and carers are struggling to provide basic resources such as clothes, education and recreational items for their children.Employers are not keen to hire someone young and part time / volunteering opportunities are very rare. There are lots of overheads for employers when working with young people, such as safeguarding and extra policy measures, so that is why they are less keen. This process needs to be developed and made easier.

Shofa Miah5 years ago Locally and Nationally, there exists Youth Councils across the country. Newham does not currently have this platform. Past Youth Council was NOT inclusive and only selective to academic young people .This was an unfair and did not represent the voice of the diverse community.A youth council must be an inclusive platform, where young people's voices are given opportunity to be heard and for them to be involved in decision making alongside council leaders/members, local businesses and wider organisations (for them to have direct links with Youth Parliament and represent all young people in the borough (no exceptions for just the academic and straight A students)

Shofa Miah5 years ago Newham needs to help connect young people who are striving to go into industries that are usually out of reach. Newham young people usually loose out on opportunities to connect with more affluent corporate companies. Introduction to the corporate world opens up new pathways for them with better networking and and career opportunities. There is talent and scope for creating future entrepreneurs/leaders who are Newham based - this can only enhance this borough's image and track record for young success.

Shofa Miah5 years ago Young people need safe spaces to learn and thrive. They need to feel safe in their own area and have the freedom of exploring their talents and creativity without restrictions. This is good for all areas of their development (physical, emotional, social, mental and spiritual)Young people’s lives are better enhanced, with opportunities to grow and thrive (get the best start / opportunities in life)