In my first learning log, I will be reflecting on my initial meeting and youth forum. I will use Rolfe’s Reflective Cycle (2001), as it is simplistic in nature and will allow me to reflect on my practice in a straightforward manner. This model of reflection is broken down into three sections, what? so what? and now what?. What? I wanted to get involved with the Lagmore area youth forum to create positive and social change for the young people in the area. Lagmore is a disadvantaged area, and I wanted to help give young people a voice. I want the young people to know that people really do care, and they are not just trying to help them for their own agendas.
Doyle and Smith, enhance my view, as they argue that we are less likely to encounter service as an altruistic act of giving, than as part of a transaction. Anti Social behaviour has been a problem in the area for a while, but I don’t think it is as easily fixed as some think. In my opinion, the youth in the area have been let down by the system whether that be lack of funding or lack of services. Alinsky argues, when people feel alienated from society and democratic processes this can result in what is considered by many as ‘bad behaviour’. Over the last few months, many Syrian and other ethnic group families have moved into the local area. One of the families homes was vandalised, and attacks like these should not and will not be tolerated in the local area. My area youth worker and I came together and decided to run an OCN program to teach the young people about cultural diversity, and how to be positive active members of society. So what?
The first night I met the young people in the youth forum I was very nervous. I wasn’t sure if i would be accepted, which would have hindered me in building rapport with them. Familiarity is crucial in working with the youth because with familiarity comes trust. The young people have seen many staff come and go and they might have thought that I would not have stuck with them after a while. The youth worker thought it would be a good idea to let me spectate at the start, to learn more about the group and its processes. After a while the group warmed to me and became more accepting. Through informal discussions and sessions I soon learned that the young people had differing but equally valid views on their community, and how to make it better. There are many different views and opinions in the group but they all bounce off each other and enable peer learning. We try to educate the young people about the value of respect, and respecting different opinions and beliefs. While completing the OCN with the young people, we have a curriculum to follow. Although we have a curriculum, we create an informal surrounding so that the young people stay engaged. We ask the young people their opinions on the things we are discussing, enabling them to converse and learn from one another. Zeldin argues that ‘conversation changes the way you see the world, and even changes the world’. We told the young people about the syrian family having their window broke, and they were disgusted. This lead us to discussing what is happening in Syria at the minute and how lucky we are to have a home over our heads. Now what?
Over the last few months I have noticed the young people maturing into upstanding members of society. At the start they were easily distracted, and had tunnel vision when it came to listening to different views. I myself have learnt from them and I hope they can take some things from what I have been saying. I go back to my earlier point of the importance of familiarity, the young people know that I am not going anywhere and from that I have gained their trust on a personal level. I am hoping over time I can reach a level of trust that the young people know they can talk to me about problems they are having and know that I will do all in my power to help. Working with the youth forum has helped me develop as a community development practitioner. I can now facilitate sessions with the group and reflect afterwards on what went well, what didn’t and what I would change for next time. I still get nervous while facilitating, but that is only natural and I will improve with good practice. As a way of promoting visual learning with the young people, we have arranged an educational visit to Krakow to visit Auschwitz and Birkenau. This will lead me onto my second learning log and reflection on the visit.
In conclusion I am very much enjoying my placement, I like working with the youth as I know I can make positive changes in their lives. I am growing in confidence in regards to running programs and facilitating, although I still struggle to keep the group engaged at all times. I am under good guidance whilst on placement and I know this will put me in good stead when I finish. Upon reflecting on my learning log I can see the importance of reflection, as it stops me from making the same mistakes. Boud, Keogh and Walker describe reflection as a way in which people ‘recapture their experience, think about it, mull it over and evaluate it (Boud, Keogh and Walker 1985: 19).
Bibliography
- Alinsky,Saul, D. (1972) Rules for Radicals: a pragmatic primer for realistic radicals, USA: Wildwood
- Boud, D. et al (eds.) (1985) Reflection. Turning experience into learning, London: Kogan Page. 170 pages
- Doyle, M. E. and Smith, M. K. (1999) Born and Bred? Leadership, heart and informal education, London: YMCA George Williams College/The Rank Foundation.
- Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D., and Jasper, M. (2001) Critical reflection in nursing and the helping professions: a user’s guide. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Zeldin (1999). Conversation: How Talk Can Change Your Life. London: Harvill Press
