Participant Review

Over the three weeks my role day to day changed. During the first week we completed various outdoor activities with a new group of people so my role involved working as an active member of a team whilst establishing new realationships with peers, for example one day during the first week we went on a long hike with 1 heavy bag per 2 people so we had to ensure we could keep each other motivated and ensure that everyone did their fair share of carrying the bags. The second two weeks were much more community based and had specific goals to accomplish so during this time my role had a more specific task such as writing a script or organising my team in order to meet deadlines.

After being placed with 12 new people and living with them for 3 weeks whilst trying to achieve goals I would say that I have built on many skills. My communication skills such as actively listening and speaking to small and large groups hugely improved. I also learnt to have patience when dealing with setbacks both personally and as a team. My leadership skills also vastly improved after having to organise the team on my particular nominated days.

I really enjoyed the fact that the programme pushed me just outside my comfort zone which helped me grow my skill set. I also enjoyed the programme as I made so many new friends that all live in close proximity to me! I enjoyed the parts of the programme that allowed us to work with the wider community that we live with however I think that at some points whilst out it was slightly chaotic due the the sheer number of participants, I think this could be overcome with either smaller groups or clearer and well communicated instructions

During the programme I felt highly valued as my specific group 'counsellor' was very professional and visibly ensured the wellbeing of everyone in my group. Also during the residentials the staff had a great focus on rewarding or showcasing achievements and general day to day good actions. However the nonresidential had less of a welcoming feel as we had less input from staff on what we were doing and social action days the September after communication and consideration for Saturday jobs or sports lessons wasn't great.

The residential parts of the programme were well organised and highly structured. Everyday was packed with activities, scheduled free time and meals/snacks. The timetabling of the groups and just numbers of participants showed a great deal of organisation had gone into it. During the non residential parts the structure was there but a lot more fluid and part of the organisation was lost. For example the lunchtimes were staggered but the putting out of food was not meaning if you had a later lunch slot there was very little food available as people had taken more than one of items or there just wasn't enough for everyone, but staggering the people in the dining hall worked well as it avoided any ovwrcrowding. The final few days were poorly organised as confirmation of venue weren't received and ended up with me calling up for details, this could be easily over come with a group email or even a post on Facebook.

I did not receive/need any training so I can't comment

I did not recieve/need any training as this was not an employer for me.

I did not recieve anything as was not a job so I can't comment

This was not a job so I can't comment

Yes

Overall I completely enjoyed myself on the programme. It was strategically put at the start of my summer holiday after leaving high school, which is a long summer, so I knew I was putting my time to good use. By the end of the programme I had tried new activities that I wouldn't get to do at home, made close friendships by living with new people -all of whom live in my neighbouring area, made so awesome memories and developed highly important skills when looking for a job.

Don't be afraid to do it because your friends aren't doing it. I did it without my friends and it gave me a better chance at making new ones. Try every activity they offer you, you never know when you'll get the chance to do it again! When packing for the first residential don't pack your favourite/branded/nice clothes they'll get dirty or you'll be too afraid to fully join in over the fear of ruining them! Also remember nights get chilly so pack warm things and finally make sure you enjoy yourself!