Day 1: Insights at Open Academy and Team Collaboration
My first work trip with Shaw Trust as the Youth Participation Ambassador was to Norwich, where I was warmly welcomed by my manager, Michael Pepperell. The day commenced with shadowing Michael at the Open Academy, where I gained valuable insight into the youth work provided by Shaw Trust. We conducted one-to-one sessions with young people, engaging in meaningful conversations to understand their personal challenges, educational concerns, and future aspirations.
The sessions highlighted the diversity of issues faced by young people, ranging from personal struggles to academic stress. Interactive games were incorporated into the sessions, which encouraged the young people to relax and engage openly. These activities proved instrumental in fostering trust and making their experience with the service more comfortable and positive.
Later, I attended my first in-person team meeting at the Children and Family Centre in Norwich. The monthly meeting provided an opportunity for all team members to share their findings and work experiences over the past month, fostering collaboration and a shared understanding of our collective efforts.
Day 2: Supporting Young People at Flegg High Ormiston Academy
On the second day, I travelled to Yarmouth to shadow Karen Smeed, another dedicated youth worker, at Flegg High Ormiston Academy. Similar to the previous day, we conducted one-to-one sessions with young people. However, the young people at this school were notably more open and forthcoming in discussing their challenges and struggles.
To address their concerns, we worked with them to develop personalised action plans. These plans allowed the young people to outline their goals, identify barriers, and strategies ways to overcome them, which gave them a sense of agency and relief. The process reinforced the importance of listening, providing support, and validating their experiences. Concerns were explored and would be shared if required.
A key takeaway from this experience was an observation shared by a young person, who expressed frustration over the lack of consistency in support services. The repeated transition between different organisations left them feeling abandoned and struggling to trust the system. This reinforced the importance of building long-term relationships with young people to ensure they feel supported, valued, and understood.
Overall Reflection and Recommendations
As the Youth Participation Ambassador for Shaw Trust, my role is to amplify the voices of young people and address their concerns through active listening, advocacy, and actionable solutions. From this trip, several critical insights emerged:
- Consistency in Support: Many young people highlighted the detrimental effects of inconsistent support services. To address this, I will advocate for more stable and long-term youth worker assignments wherever possible. Continuity helps build trust, reduces feelings of abandonment, and ensures young people feel supported over time.
- Tailored Action Plans: Personalised plans, like those created by the YESS team, empower young people by involving them directly in their own progress. Allowing young people to decide what is important to them and helps improve their own future. I would encourage the integration of such tools across Shaw Trust’s services to foster accountability and a sense of achievement.
- Strengthening Engagement through Interactive Methods: Activities like games and creative exercises help create a safe and relaxed environment for young people to express themselves. Expanding the use of such methods can enhance participation and communication.
- Feedback Loops: Incorporating regular feedback sessions with young people will ensure their voices remain central to our services. This helps us adapt our approach to meet their evolving needs.
By implementing these strategies more widely, I believe we can create a more supportive and impactful experience for young people, enabling them to navigate challenges and achieve their potential with confidence. – Ramizah Tayiba
