Kids with Confidence & Motivation!

Wendy and I were really fortunate to be asked to run a workshop on Confidence and Motivation for youngsters between the ages of 12 and 16, recently - and boy did we learn lots!

Hart Development Centre are running a pilot project called "The Get With it Project" which has been set up to get youngsters off the street and to do something interesting over the summer holidays. In particular, it is aimed at combating antisocial behaviour in a positive way by providing activities such as sports tournaments, ceramic painting, health and beauty and team building games.

We had already run one workshop last year for a group of people who had been long term unemployed and obviously, we have kept in touch, as it is a great way to do something worthwhile with the skills and talents that we have, so when Wendy and Cheryl discussed this, it seemed like a great idea!

And it was! I was a little concerned over the age range (12 year old boys and 16 year old girls - big difference in what would keep them interested, as we found out!), however, we managed to choose some great exercises that meant that everybody in the room could get something from - we did a creative exercise, a physical one, one that tested the "little grey cells" and one where everyone had an opportunity to participate - a panel of "experts" taken from the group who were there to answer questions, and let me say now that some of the questions were very though provoking - such as why adults demand respect, and don't always show it?

The feedback we got was tremendous, in that Cheryl said that she was impressed how they all became engaged and how they concentrated for so long.

So what did we learn from that day - as they were as much our 'teachers' as we were theirs? Well that treating these young people like adults, tends to encourage them to behave like one. That they were still very open to puzzles like the 9 dot exercise and solved it much faster than some adults, who naturally over time become more fixed in their way of looking at the world. That anyone with the responsibility of keeping 30+ youngsters entertained needs a medal - it was exhausting!

Fab!

Music be the food of....

I recently was invited along to my local pub to listen to a band play - the Q-Tones.

I love live music, particularly if it is my favourite stuff such as R & B, soul, funk and jazz.

I have to say this band was extremely good (and well worth going to see!) as they played music to suit all tastes, country, rock n roll, funk, chart etc.

It got me to thinking, music is something that many of us enjoy and our associations with periods in our lives, events or people can be be very strong. Just hearing a piece of music, can literally transform our mood, or take us back instantly - how powerful is that? We all have one record that immediately remind us of a past love, or one that we played over and over again, when we broke up with someone.

I know for me, when I am feeling upbeat, and all is well in the world etc, there is nothing like playing a very loud song in the car and singing at the top of my voice to make me feel alive (I hasten to add, this is only ever when on my own - I am tone deaf, and unlikely to be pleasing to the ear!), or when I am feeling very low, particular songs can make me feel even more sombre, or resonate with my emotions and the way I am feeling to help me work through any difficulties.

I have long threatened to make a couple of CD's for myself, that would put together all those anthems that make me want to celebrate being alive, and use these when I am feeling right up there on top of the world, or just to play when I feeling a little like being cheered up. And then a CD that will reflect that I am going through a difficult patch, and listen to the words of songs, that just sum up where I am, and allow me to just be.....

Let me know what songs inspire you and make you want to just sing along, as it would be great to see what the most popular ones are!

I have a number of songs, and yet sometimes, some of the old ones are the best "We are the champions" by Queen, "New York, New York" Frank Sinatra (that's a great one at the end of a fab evening out on the town isn't it!) and "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers.

It is possible to change your mood with music - make sure you have your own compilation to give you that little lift, just when you need it!