Work as well as play!!!

So, just to remind you all that we are here on a vocational trip and aren’t only having fun (although we are having lots of fun!!), I thought I would blog a little about some of the vocational visits I have had and what I have learned.

I have been very fortunate in Malawi to visit two amazing youth projects that really inspired me:

NANSADI:

The first was NANSADI (National Awareness Network, Sensitisation and Development Initiative), which was in Lilongwe. The project works with young people in the community, particularly vulnerable young people. They provide HIV/AIDS counselling and sponsorship for school fees; they encourage educational and vocational participation, and teach important life and practical skills. During my visit I was treated like an honoured guest; the young people performed a drama for me around the subject of HIV/AIDS, which was all in the local language Chichowe, but I understood the message. I was then given the floor and asked if I would like to lead the project for the day, which was awesome for me and a great honour. I spoke to the young people about my job as a youth worker in England and about my journey growing up as a young person and how influential the role models in my life have been. I tried to encourage them to make the most of the opportunities they have been given and to dream big. They seemed to receive the message pretty well. Afterwards, I hung out with the young people and we took LOTS of pictures. I learned a lot from this experience about the spontaneity of youth work; the importance of being prepared and of being real – being willing to open up. I was inspired by how much the project does in the local community despite having very few resources. One of the main things that has affected me whilst being here is how much the young people here seem to appreciate what they have and this is something I think young people in the UK can learn a lot from.

Saved by the Ball:

Probably the best name for a youth organisation ever!! My second visit was to the Mzuzu Youth Association in Mzuzu, which is the umbrella organisation for around 50 youth projects. I spent time with one of these projects, ‘Saved by the Ball’. This project was set up in 2009, to train young people as coaches in minority sports tennis and table tennis. The coaches go into the primary schools and teach sports workshops and build relationships with the young people through these sports, as a result they then educate them on HIV/AIDS and drug/alcohol abuse. Young people with potential in these sports are then selected for the regional teams and compete nationally. This links in a lot with the dance classes that I teach in the UK – physical activities such as these are such a great tool for building relationships with young people and being able to address other issues.  I was really inspired by this project and the vision of the guy that set it up, Owen – during my visit I thought a lot about how I would like to move forward in my profession and pioneer new, innovative projects where I see the need for them. I was also able to learn about the challenges of setting up a new project from scratch, which was really useful for me.

These visits have been so valuable in terms of vocational learning and networking; I have made a lot of really great contacts. I’m looking forward to visiting many more exciting youth projects and continuing this reciprocal learning process.