Building Bridges through Leadership Training (BBLT)

Building Bridges through Leadership Training (BBLT) is BYLC’s 10-week long signature leadership training program. Designed for HSC/Alim/A Levels and first and second year university students, the BBLT program uses a competitive selection process to enroll 42 students from the three different educational tracks, namely English medium, Bengali medium, and Madrassa, in equal numbers. The curriculum for the program draws heavily from leadership courses taught at Harvard University. The intensive training program, coupled with an experiential learning model, challenges students to critically think about leadership and apply their skills to effectuate positive change in society. In the first phase of the program, students conduct experiments, take risks, and question deeply held assumptions in the classroom. In the second phase, students have the opportunity to translate their learning into action by implementing community service projects in underprivileged communities.

Components

Building Bridges

The program seeks to build sustainable connections among youth from different backgrounds. By learning and working together, they confront their prejudices and challenge stereotypes to develop a diverse, inclusive, and powerful network of youth leaders.

Leadership Training

Participants undergo an intensive 6-week training program on leadership theory and skills. The teaching methodology includes lectures, large class discussions, small group peer consultations, structured reflections, and team building exercises.

Leadership in Action

During the remaining 4 weeks of the program, participants apply their lessons in community service. They design and implement small but realistic, measurable, and results-driven projects to serve impoverished communities.

Objectives

Create a space for students from diverse educational backgrounds to engage in meaningful dialogue and action to foster cross-cutting connections, pluralism, and inclusive leadership
Expand participants’ leadership capacity by sharpening their critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills
Provide participants with concrete experience in effective teamwork and project management, responsive community service, and active citizenship

590 Graduates

14 Programs

32500 Hours of Community Service

Khaled Saifullah

Instructor

After each program, instead of continuing to complain about problems in society, my students start to ask themselves “How can we solve them?”. Teaching leadership at BYLC allows me inspire young minds to think critically and catalyze change.

Noshin Noorjahan

BBLT 11

The BBLT program helped me develop my presentation and team building skills. During the program, I grew to be more confident at delivering presentations using logical arguments and examples. Furthermore, I am now more considerate of other’s perspectives and put my best efforts into a being a better listener. BBLT leaves a footprint in the lives of all its graduates.