Fieldwork Practice Report Demonstrating Evidence of Meeting the National Occupation Standard of Youth Work - Essay Example

?Topic: Field Placement Report: Fieldwork Practice Report demonstrating evidence of meeting the National Occupation Standard of youth work NOS) A) Engaging in the development and promotion of equality and diversity intervention to safeguard peoples interest  B) Contribute to the development and implementation of youth work strategies and intervention  C) Develop leadership and management skills in line with the ethical principles of youth work and ECM(Every Child Matters)  The focus of this report is to describe my field placement experiences with evidence meeting the National Occupation Standard. Also I will give evidence on how I was able to achieve my three learning goals. The first goal was to learn about, and experience diverse and creative ways to involve and include young people, to develop leadership and management skills by working alongside project coordinators, and lastly to learn about the needs and experiences of young people in refugee communities in London.  The organisation is called Refugee Youth, and is located in Vauxhall, London. It is dedicated to breaking down isolation and combating alienation and despair amongst young refugees by supporting opportunities for their development. The organisation aims at creating an environment of friendship and belonging in which young refugees can gain strength and power, collectively and as individuals, through creative learning. To enable this programmes are designed and constructed according to a flexible structure within which young refugees engaging with the organisation can find a level of engagement that they are comfortable with. The tiers of involvement are broadly at three levels: • Food, fun and friendship: the foundation of the organisations work is the creation of a community and an environment where people can meet, make friends and have new experiences. • Leadership development: the organisation looks to create opportunities to help young people to develop new confidence and new skills through active engagement in, and leadership of specific activities and projects.  • Action to bring change: drawing on young people’s experiences the organisation supports action to bring change, create a space for young people to investigate the issues that affect their lives and push for change, often in creative ways.   Promotion of Equality and Diversity.  During my work placement with Refugee Youth I took an active part in coordinating and working alongside leaders on different activities and projects in the organisation. One example is the world remix Project which creates an inclusive environment for young people through activities and workshops. It is an on going project on Thursdays, with different activities including, cooking, games, drama, drumming, poetry, music and dance. It covered 2.31 and 2.32. The aim of this project is to create a space where young refugees can find a sense of belonging, build relations and friendship, share and explore culture and build their confidence and self-esteem, irrespective of their age, sex, religion, cultural backgrounds or status. The project aims to promote equality of opportunity and diversity for young people, and a culture that safeguards their welfare. Youth work builds emotional resilience, judgement and decision-making in young people. The youth work process places the young person in control of their present circumstances and their future. It supports young people to manage risk, recognising that adults cannot be there to do things on their behalf as they move into adulthood. I participated in coordinating the advocacy project which is designed to challenge prejudice about refugees and migrants, and to explore issues around racism, discrimination, prejudice, stereotyping, bulling and intimidation. The young people explore these issues using different media: films, drama, art, poetry. I also worked alongside leaders of this project to promote the positive contribution of young people, to make their voices heard and have their views taken into account. This created an atmosphere where people can try out opinions, find information to support a point of view and then listen to the opinions of others with sensitivity and respect. This helps them to engage in democratic decision making process. This activity has been approved by Ofsted inspection which consistently identifies the leading role for youth services in enabling young people to have their voices heard, and to develop the skills to become effectively involved in decisions about their local communities and in improving services.   As an example during one of our planning meetings the project leader wanted to have a dance one day, but the youth people wanted other activity. They suggested football, so we accepted their opinions arranged things accordingly. I organised the game and gave everybody equal opportunity to participate. Sport and outdoor activities can also help young people to develop life skills and facilitate their inclusion in society.  The organisation also provided a space where young people can explore personal concerns about health development and health risk. It provides a place where young people can learn new skills to promote a healthier lifestyle. When young people are given information they are able to use it to make informed decisions for themselves. The government strategy for children and young people’s health recognises the role of integrated support services in providing people with information, advice, healthy opportunities and support. Cooking was an everyday activity in the organisation. The young people were involved in identifying foods from different food groups, and items they liked. On the menu for each day they acknowledged the need for a balanced diet. Posters were put on the wall and I noticed a change in some of the young people eating, especially of snacks. The cooking activities enabled the young people to question what they consume, and to make informed choices. Davis (1996) (NYA2004;3) The young people cooked varieties of food from different countries. There was a display of food from different cultures in a week. People eat together like a family though they came from different backgrounds. Criteria 2.22: On one occasion during a foot ball match I prevented a girl from playing because she was not wearing trainers. I explained to her the risk involved and proposed that she should cheer the players. She was very happy with my proposal. Criteria 2.33: I had to give two yellow cards to two players in the football game. They had an argument over a goal scored. Other players acknowledged that their behaviour were very oppressive. The intervention was in line with Thompson’s (2005;1) statement on challenging discrimination.  Criteria 2.24,2.41 and 2.42 were covered whilst going through existing policies. I ensured my practice was in line with ethical principles of youth work outlined in NYA(2004); that I worked with integrity, abiding by anti-discriminatory practice, maintaining confidentiality, was aware of my limitations and worked with the regular procedures of refugee youth organisation.  Activities were developed to meet the needs of the youth. I worked alongside colleagues to directly support the youth with complex learning abilities to help in building their confidence. To identify and investigate their needs (4.11), I worked with colleagues in planning meetings; during my first week in the organisation I was just observing. The needs identified by the young people were the need to find a space where they felt a sense or belonging: Food friendship and fun; youth leadership; and action to bring about change.  Covering these criteria I fulfilled my learning gaols. (See mentors report). Projects were developed in the organisation to help address those needs. I actively participated in the following projects: World Remix, Art night and Women’s worth. (See learning agreement form). The World remix project for example was aimed at providing a platform for new young people to get involved in the organisation, and at reaching out to those who are particularly isolated and vulnerable. It created a space for isolated and vulnerable youths to feel at ease. It is also a training ground where older and more experienced young people can take leadership role, to test out their ideas. The project has developed a creative way of engaging and developed social inclusion of young people by involving them in activities like art, sport, dance, drumming film screening and debate workshops. I participated in one of the most recent workshops in Hounslow social service. It was an awareness day for organisations to show what services they provide. We did drumming, dance and explained to young people about our organisation.  The project, World Remix, offers many different activities on Thursdays, so the day before the youth people have a planning meeting to prioritise their activities. I have actively participated in the planning and evaluation meetings with staff and young people to decide on which activities should be organised. This illustrates what France (2005) states about making judgements to prioritise activities and allocate resources. This meets 4.12 and my learning goals see (learning agreement form). From this, I worked with colleagues to devise a plan for the activities (criteria 4.22 and 4.21), in accordance with considerations (Riley,2005) and based on experimental learning, and on development of activities required by Kolb’s (1976 – n1984) model.  I supported and worked along the planning and implementation of these inclusion activities (see supervision I and mentor report).  New youth work opportunities 4.23 were also identified. New outdoor games like kite making workshop, football and basketball tournaments were planned and delivered. I highlighted the activities using sport as a learning method as well as a strategy to facilitate the process for inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities. I organised the games, provided some resources like whistles and balls. And I also recruited team members for each team and match officials. I made sure that the activities were simple but effective to encourage a young person‘s learning while judiciously using time and limited resources. (Ofsted report on less effective services when programs are unrealistically set and without sufficient consideration of time and available resource, 2009:14)  The world Remix project required working in partnership with other providers of youth work activities (4.25) and work in partnership with agencies to improve opportunities for young people (4.27).Currently we are working with poets at the Southbank centre to create an installation piece for the Festival of Britain. Also in response to the needs of young people, the organisation is working in partnership with an immigration legal practitioner on a workshop on the asylum system. I participated with a team of five young people to design and facilitated a three-hour training workshop for post-graduate students at the University of Goldsmith using invisible theatre, films, games and group discussion to engage them in dialogue around the issues affecting young people from refugee communities and their professional practice in relation to this. We have also been able to increase our outreach, and make contact with some most isolated and vulnerable young people through working together with other organisations and agencies such as the refugee Home support Project, the Refugee Council, Lambeth College, Bromley College, Lambeth Social Services, Hounslow Social Services and Harrow youth Services.  Criteria 4.31, 4.32.and 4.33 were met during the implementation of outdoor activities in the world remix project. I worked with other colleagues to lead the activities, planning what could be delivered and implementing it. (see monitoring form, supervision2). Staff members worked with a group of young people to deliver the outdoor activity. Youth who were new in the organisation were happy to join in the activities. Outdoor sport was activities help the youth to develop life skills and is a strategy for their inclusion in the society. It brought about change in perception and understanding of each other. This concurs with what Jeff and Smith (1996) say “people change themselves in interaction with each other’s’’(Gilchrist 2005).  Evaluation meetings and informal discussions with staff and young people were carried out after activities.(4.41)  While working as part of the team to support different projects, I kept a reflective dairy during my placement and noted my reflections on the planning and implementation of services. (5.11). For instance activities like football in the world remix project where it takes time for participant to organise in teams. I checked how it was delivered and reflected afterwards. I knew the organisation had limited resources for this game so I came up with effective and cost-saving ideas yet. I suggested that individuals on team A should were white tee-shirts and team B, black tee-shirts.  I worked as part of the team to lead and support projects in the organisation. (See mentor report). The organisation describes itself as an organisation of young people rather than a service for young people. As part of this, involvement in agenda setting, as well as implementation and review, is crucial, on the basis that it is more difficult to expect someone to take a lead if someone else has already decided what the project is to be. I worked alongside coordinators in planning meetings, evaluating sessions running weekly activities like dancing, sports, music, drumming, poetry and arts activities. Evidence of this could be seen from the mentors report.  I was able to work as a team in the organisation to bring about social change and justice by identifying the young refugees needs, opportunity, rights and responsibilities. I was also able to gain the experience in planning, organising and taking action. Evidence is seen from the different projects and activities in which I participated. Finally I engaged in working with the team to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the action and to do all these in ways which challenge oppression and tackle inequalities.  Finally, my work in the organisation has provided me with the exposure to work as a youth worker in a refugee setting. I did work with clients and colleagues, and gained personal experience that I perceive to be a strength for me. I believe that I met and even surpassed many of my work placement goals. I went beyond my personal expectations because I exercised my passion for social and youth work. In addition to my learning objectives I gained further drive to pursue a career in youth work in a refugee and asylum setting. Read More

 

Read More