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Funding Guaranteed For Platform 2
In April 2009, DFID announced the commissioning of a series of reviews of its work to build support for development in the UK over the last decade. The reports were completed in July and a public consultation opened on their recommendations. The findings have led DFID to increase their funding of a number of projects including the Platform 2 initiative.
The consultation, which came to an end on the 23rd of October 2009, yielded a series of recommendations to DFID on changes to its approach and programmes for building support for development in the UK. DFID have considered the findings of the reviews and the inputs to the consultation and have set out how they plan to proceed with proposals on the Development Awareness Fund (DAF) and the Enabling Effective Support (EES) programmes.
One of the organizations that benefits under the proposed revisions is Platform2, a global volunteering scheme for 18 to 25 year olds who wouldn't otherwise be able to develop their global awareness by visiting a developing country and getting involved with global issues of justice and poverty.
Jack Martin took part in a Platform 2 initiative in Ghana last year: “The trip changed my life completely. Before, I had just finished college and was going to go on to study art at university. But then I went on Platform2, which gave me an amazing chance to live in a developing country and gain an insight into life that no tourist or backpacker will ever get and everything is paid for, without which I would never have been able to have this experience. My trip was both humbling and inspiring, the family I stayed with in Ghana looked after me so well and I’m still in contact with them and hopefully will be for the rest of my life.
I’m still living the platform2 experience. We when you get back to the UK you become part of a community of young people all over the country, from all different backgrounds yet all having shared this incredible experience. Even though you may have gone to a different country at a different time platform2 returnees still have a special bond. It’s more of a community than I’ve ever been a part of.
After getting back from Ghana I hooked up with another Platform2 returnee and after saving a bit of money we travelled together to work with an Indian NGO in Tamil Nadu. I am now on the Christian Aid gap year scheme, working on platform2 and I’ve just come back from a Christian Aid trip to Kenya. I’ll also be going to the climate change conference in Copenhagen this December. All this would never have happened without the inspiration from platform2.”