Amar Bari, Amar Jibon project celebrates its one year anniversary

Launched one year ago this week to coincide with Bangladesh Independence Day (26 March), Amar Bari, Amar Jibon (My home, My Life) project is well underway. Funded by The Dunhill Medical Trust, project leaders The Open University, supported by Bangla Housing Association and the Housing LIN have made great strides to raise awareness of the probin community in East London.

A few highlights include:

• The creation of a microsite to capture the work of the project and to aid communication and information sharing
   
• The establishment of a Bangla Research Advisory Group (BRAG). They met last month to explore coproduction as a way to involve all relevant stakeholders. BRAG members in reflecting on the value of coproduction articulated that: 

‘When we all work together the work is more robust, valuable and weighty’ and ‘Co-production sometimes takes longer but you may get a better product’.

• Two BRAG members also co-presented the project at the recent Social Sciences Impact Conference ‘Hope into Action’ held at St. Anne’s college, Oxford University. 

Currently, the Amar Bari, Amar Jibon team is recruiting bilingual community co-researchers to carry out interviews with probin and their families, with training and support. At the same time, a series of interviews with professionals, providers of services, and policy makers in the four boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Redbridge, Hackney and Newham, is ongoing as the research consortium builds background information about local provision and planning.