Workshops & Training Archives

Trauma Informed Workshops

April 5, 2023

by admin Workshops & Training

Trauma informed workshops are educational programs or training sessions that are designed to help individuals better understand and respond to trauma. These workshops aim to provide information and tools to individuals, organisations, and communities that can help them recognise and respond to trauma in a more compassionate and supportive way.

Trauma-informed workshops typically cover a range of topics related to trauma, including the effects of trauma on the brain and body, the various types of trauma, and the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment for individuals who have experienced trauma. The workshops may also provide practical strategies for responding to trauma, such as mindfulness exercises, grounding techniques, and self-care practices.

The primary goal of trauma-informed workshops is to help individuals and organisations better understand the impact of trauma and create an environment that promotes healing and recovery. By providing education and resources, trauma-informed workshops can help to reduce the stigma and isolation associated with trauma and provide individuals with the support they need to heal and move forward.

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Transition to Secondary School

April 5, 2023

by admin Workshops & Training

Transition from junior school to secondary school workshops are designed to support young people as they move from primary education to secondary education. This transition can be a challenging time for students, as they are faced with new academic expectations, social dynamics, and routines. The workshops aim to help students develop the skills and knowledge they need to make a successful transition and thrive in their new learning environment.

Some topics that may be covered in transition workshops include:

Time management and organisational skills
Study skills and academic expectations
Coping with stress and anxiety
Developing positive relationships with peers and teachers
Understanding the school culture and routines
Self-advocacy and seeking help when needed
Building resilience and adapting to change
County Lines
Gang Awareness

These workshops are lead by trained and professional facilitators which vast experience of delivering these type of programs with positive outcomes. The sessions may involve a mix of classroom instruction, group activities, and individual reflection. Workshops may be offered during school hours, before or after school, or during school breaks to support students as they prepare for their transition.

Crippled Karma – Victims of Serious Youth Violence have a voice too

February 6, 2023

by admin Films Workshops & Training

This short film by Paul Mckenzie asks the question. What happens to the victims of violence? Far too often there are victims of senseless violence that feel that they have no voice. This follows the journey of a group of individuals that through destiny are reunited for all the wrong reasons. With the level of serious violence on our streets and in our houses, this short film is an insight into what a victim may feel like, and more strikingly what a victim would consider to be justice.

The film was made as a tool to teach young people and adults that we must take a different perspective when we consider how victims of violence are affected longterm.

he cast members included Abdi Omar a young man who was born with cerebral palsy. The opportunity helped him to overcome the stereotype that people with disabilities cannot take part in acting.

Three of the other cast members are autistic and they were also able to contribute fully towards the making of this short film called Karma.

Waist up portrait of smiling teenage boy holding books and looking at camera in school classroom, copy space

Gang Awareness Workshops

January 6, 2022

by admin London Borough of Barking & Dagenham Mentoring North Meets South Workshops & Training

Gang Awareness Workshops working in partnership with North Meets South Big Local a resident organisation led by the people of Marks Gate and North Chadwell Heath.

We exist to ensure the efficient use of a million pounds allocated to the area by the Big Lottery Fund (Local Trust), to address the unique needs of the people that live in our area. Our Steering Group of residents, consult and engage with their peers to identify what is important to people in our area. This information is used to create local plans for the area.

Physical improvement of public facilities / community assets within the area: The aim of these projects is to beautify public spaces in the area; encourage residents of all ages to use existing green / public spaces in creative ways

Social activities for residents of every age group: These projects are opportunities to bring the community together, creating avenues for residents to socialise and make connections.

Positive attitudes and opportunities: These are skills and capacity building projects which foster a “can-do” mentality within the area by encouraging residents to take responsibility for change.

Why?

In response to our community research in 2020, NMS is due to launch a gang awareness and anti- grooming project in partnership with schools within the area. Our aim is to run a series of awareness workshops in both Primary and Secondary Schools, as an early intervention programme to target young people before they are engaged with/ involved in gang or criminal activities. We have commisioned Youth Unity to deliver this workshops

Grooming awareness Workshops

An interactive transition programme which will covers how to identify grooming by gang members, being safe online and around the community, self-awareness, identity and knife crime.

The workshops will be conducted in individual tutor groups to encourage pupils to share their experience with people they feel safe with.

Sessions for parents and teachers

Gangs & exploitation awareness workshops for parents and teachers: 45mins that raises awareness of cuckooing and vulnerabilities which are signs of criminal activities

The workshops are all facilitated by Youth Unity, an organisation established to provide effective help and support to young people and adults affected by group violence (gangs), drugs and other forms of exploitations (e.g., Human trafficking, CSE & extremism).

They facilitate a series of programmes dedicated to informing parents, carers, and teaching professionals against the risks of gang culture and the dangers of specific manipulations young people encounter whether it is sexual or criminally motivated. Their work is aimed at breaking down behaviour stereotypes about young people and building bridges of quality communication that bring understanding between social groups.

Base on the evidenced feedback from clients, we have identified and implemented solutions in:

Increased staff confidence
Improved localised perspective specific to Home Grown and County Lines activity
Increased identification of safeguarding risks
Earlier identification of positive intervention opportunities
Increased engagement with the vulnerable client cohort
Increased joint information/intelligence contribution
Improved Trusting Relationships with vulnerable young people, parents/carers and deprived communities
Helping our most vulnerable have greater resilience in saying ‘no’ to Group Violence (Gangs), Drugs and Exploitation
Improved quality of bespoke professional training
Better safeguarding young people from harm and enhanced professional awareness of safeguarding risks
Increased joint information sharing and joint working, specific to those most ‘at risk’ from Group Violence, Gangs, Drugs and other forms of Exploitation
Our community cohesion festival is a community peace campaign and celebration of young Londoners’ achievements; to shine light on the positive contributions they make to society; to promote the positive benefits of community participation and social activism and to empower vulnerable young people with practical ways to remove violence from their lives.

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Transistion workshops for year 5 & 6

Need to Know resilience training for Transition Stage pupils

‘Gangs, Drugs, Violence and other forms of Exploitation’

Josh’s Story is an interactive session delivered to young people at Years 5 and 6 (aged 9-11 years), which is a particularly vulnerable group experiencing a significant stage of transition into secondary education. The session builds their resilience to saying ‘No’ to drugs and violence and helps them develop the cognitive (thinking) skills to better understand the risks they may well experience and to make the right positive choices. This is explored through the experience of ‘Josh’, his family and his friends. Josh’s Story focuses on the following areas: – friendships, always being truthful, exploring and understanding the risks associated with drugs, raising awareness of peer pressure, the impact of group violence, better appreciating the consequences of wrong decisions being made and the importance of seeking positive support from teachers and peers.

To date, feedback from schools (staff and children) has been excellent and the young people have produced the most amazing art posters. Clearly, they have been empowered to make a positive difference to saying ‘No’ to drugs and violence