I was feeling nervous and pessimistic on friday morning when we were rehearsing the session for the young offenders. They were due at 11 oclock. I didnt know what to expect. I tried to be open minded. At first they all seemed very reserved and shy. Once we got them all involved in the excercises they all began to come out of thier shells a lot more and everyone seemed to be having an awesome time.
I was put in a pair with a boy called Ricardo. We needed to find out interesting facts about one another. We struggled, as Ricardo couldn't think of any facts about himself. After suggesting a few Ideas, we found out that he has 4 brothers and does boxing. It was nice getting good facts out of him and being able to have proper conversations. I enjoyed introducing him to the class and sharing everything I could remember. He couldn't remember my 2 facts without me having to do gestures to remind him. It was annoying because I literally told him a couple of seconds before. I would like to see if Ricardos listening skills get better throughout the weeks. Perhaps when he is less nervous and feels more comfortable with his surroundings he would act less reserved and seem more interested. When we were playing 'zip zap boing' (eastenders style), he wouldn't say 'oi' he would only do the arm movement. I could tell he wanted to say it, but he had something holding him back. I felt proud at the end of the session when he said he was happy to perform. As the day progressed he seemed to get happier, more relaxed and sure of himself. It made me feel like the group had made a difference that day. It was a good feeling seeing such q drastic improvement.
Not only Recardo, I believe everyone had a positive day and it was very constructive. I certainly found myself gaining confidence, I never thought I would show unleash in that environment. At the end of the day I never should have been anxious because we are not different to the turn around group at all. We have just made different choices. This session has made me feel very hopeful for the future of this term.
