Youth Inclusion by Rebecca Brierley, Oasis Transition Support Worker
When I was younger and imagined becoming a youth worker, I pictured myself working in the context of a church youth group so I could express the fact that there is a God who loved them. But as I grew in my understanding I realized that expressing this required a much more holistic approach and that broadened my ideas about delivering youth work.
In the summer of 2005, I volunteered with Oasis, and was placed in a summer programme for year 6’s (11 year olds) put on by the local council, a theatre company, and Oasis. The young people needed help in making the transition into secondary school and it was evident that they faced many challenges – inner-city living, complicated family situations, peer pressure and bullying, and vulnerability to various forms of social exclusion. All of these challenges can feel insurmountable for a young person fearful of the transition into secondary school. My heart broke for the sheer need of positive role-models and encouragement in these young people, and so I jumped at the chance to work full-time for Oasis when the opportunity arose after that summer.
Young people referred to our Transition Support Programme meet Inclusion Workers in small groups or on a one to one basis. At primary schools, we focus on teaching about the practicalities of secondary school in sessions like; ‘Understanding the timetable’, ‘Homework tips’ and ‘Making new friends’. We aspire to present a positive view of secondary school to address the hopes and fears of the young people as well as providing an encouraging presence for them.
In the summer before the young people start at secondary school, we run summer activities including a range of creative cultural or outdoor activities designed to increase self-esteem, encourage making new friends, and teach new skills.
At secondary school, we base our sessions on the Government’s Every Child Matters outcomes and have the freedom to be more creative, catering to the particular needs of each young person. Anger management, self-image and positive friends are all examples of sessions we deliver. Our team strives to maintain consistent contact with the school link worker and parent/carer, and we provide both with a written report on the progress of the young people. We complete with our young people at either Christmas or Easter of their year 7, depending on their circumstances, and refer them on to an appropriate person/organisation if necessary.
The past two years have been a huge learning curve for me. I have been required to be creative, patient, compassionate, and persistent. I still find it difficult to end the mentoring relationship after a year of helping a young person through their individual struggles and I’ve had to learn the importance of finishing well.
I have also learnt the value of working alongside other agencies in the community, both in sharing resources and expertise and because it highlights afresh the distinct ethos at the heart of Oasis’ work.
For me, the best part of my job is seeing the changes the young people make. Like Katrina, some form close friends through our groups, some finally learn to stand up for themselves, some discover what they are good at and set new goals for themselves, and hopefully, all of them go away knowing that they are uniquely valuable and unconditionally loved.
This year our Transition Support Team are working with over 200 Young People across the three boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Greenwich in 21 Primary schools and 41 Secondary schools. Unfortunately this project is in danger of ending as the funding comes to an end. Please pray that funding can be found so we can continue to help children like Katrina in coming years.
Article first appeared in Youthwork magazine, February 2008 www.youthwork.co.uk