Obeservation assessment for Zena Hodgson

Active learning & Skills, Teenzone session

12/0/201!
" #o$ng %eo%le attended t&is session'
Session %lan(
T&e set $% of t&e session )as organised b# Zena and s&e )as able to lead ot&er
staff )ell and comm$nicate instr$ctions clearl#' Ot&er staff t&erefore seemed
rela*ed and confident in )&at t&e# )ere doing'
T&e nat$re of t&is session )as informal and t&e direction )as lead b# t&e needs
of t&e attending #o$ng %eo%le' Zena &as listened to t&e )ants and needs of t&is
gro$%, )&o %refer not to &ave a str$ct$red session )&erea%on t&e# feel
%ress$red to take %art in activities t&at &ave been %re+%lanned and in t&eir )ords
over organised' Zena did &o)ever &ave several activities )&ic& s&e &ad bro$g&t
along to t&e session for t&e members to take %art in if so desired' T&ese )ere
karaoke, s%orts in t&e main &all and Zena &ad also bo$g&t along some books
t&at &ad been donated to t&e session to give o$t as freebies'
,embers ver# m$c& en-o#ed socialising )it& friends and listening to m$sic and
gaming'
.$ring t&e session #o$ng %eo%le )ere disc$ssing a recent incident t&at t&e# &ad
&eard abo$t t&at &ad given t&em concerns over s&aring and %osting %ict$res on
t&e internet and social media sites' Zena comm$nicated )it& ease )it& t&e gro$%
and enco$raged o%en disc$ssion aro$nd t&eir concerns' Zena )as able to
c&allenge some idea/s aro$nd internet safet# and disc$ss a%%ro%riate s&aring on+
line' Zena allo)ed #o$ng %eo%le to find t&eir o)n )a# t&ro$g& t&e disc$ssion and
offered s$ggestions as to &o) t&e# co$ld kee% t&emselves safe and %rotected
)&ilst on+line' S&e also enco$raged t&e gro$% to talk abo$t t&e conse0$ences of
ina%%ro%riate s&aring and &o) t&e# mig&t consider )&at t&e# %ost and t&e
%ossible affects' T&is disc$ssion lead to ot&er iss$es s$c& as %ersonal safet#
)&en meeting ne) $nkno)n %eo%le bot& on+line and in %erson' Some of t&e
#o$ng %eo%le commented on 1on 23 strangers being more scar# t&an 4ritis&
%eo%le' Alt&o$g& t&ese comments 5 felt )eren/t meant in a racist manner, more of
a $ninformed fear of t&e $nfamiliar' Zena )as able to disc$ss and c&allenge in a
ver# sensitive and $nderstanding manner, disc$ssing t&e gro$%/s %reconceived
ideas' T&e #o$ng %eo%le )ere res%onsive to Zena/s in%$t and it )as clear t&at
t&e# felt t&at Zena is a tr$sted ad$lt t&at t&e# can talk to and s&are ever#da#
iss$es )it& &er'
.$ring t&e session Zena contin$ed to gat&er ideas from t&e gro$% as to )&at
t&e# )o$ld like to do in f$t$re sessions' 6iven t&e &ot )eat&er at t&e moment a
)ater )ars session )as %lanned )it& t&e #o$ng %eo%le for t&e follo)ing )eek'
Zena &as a good relations&i% )it& t&e gro$% and several #o$ng %eo%le told me
t&at t&e# are no) vol$nteering for Zena d$ring ot&er sessions' Ot&ers
commented t&at t&e# )ere ver# &a%%# )it& &o) t&e session )as delivered' All
t&e members at vario$s %oints in t&e sessions )ere given time b# Zena
individ$all#' S&e clearl# &as b$ilt good relations&i%s )it& t&em, remembering to
ask and remark on t&ere lives, for e*am%le sc&ool, e*ams, &olida# %lans, f$t$re
college/)ork o%tions'
On a %ersonal level, Zena disc$ssed a desire to im%rove &er connections )it&in
t&e local comm$nit#' 4eing relativel# ne) to )orking in 7re)kerne, Zena &as
alread# made some good links in t&e area becoming familiar )it& t&e .irectors of
t&e b$ilding in )&ic& t&e session is &eld, along )it& attending steering gro$%
meetings )it& t&e local to)n co$ncil' Ho)ever Zena feels s&e )o$ld like to
im%rove t&e visabilit# of A8S in 7re)kerne and )ants to b$ild & e*%and on t&e
e*isting links'
Zena &as alread# created a facebook and t)itter %age for t&e session to &el% t&is
%rocess and is looking for f$rt&er net)orking o%%ort$nities t&at $ltimatel# )ill
im%rove on t&e sessions and t&eir %rofile )it&in t&e local comm$nit#'
5 felt t&at Zena )as confident and ca%able )it&in t&e )&ole of t&e session and
clearl# en-o#s )orking )it& t&e gro$%'
9ick# Hel#ar
8evel : #o$t& )orker
Active 8earning & skills
7ontact on 0;<1<1;;<==
vick#'&el#ar>als+cic'org