This morning we spent some time down in the woods with students from one of the Colchester secondary schools on the Essex Boys and Girls Clubs Respect Project. The Respect Project is an early intervention programme for 13-14 year olds, designed to help young people in school Year 9 to increase their ability to deal with life’s problems and become more resilient. The VVU is currently providing funding for the project to take place with the Colchester secondary schools.
Describing the Respect Project, Essex Boys and Girls Clubs say that it: “Helps participants to view crisis situations in a less daunting way by re-framing adversities. Both beneficial and damaging effects of actions are recognised and the young people are taught to set reasonable and manageable goals to deal with problems. A series of challenges and coping strategies develop positive self-esteem and self-confidence.”
The first session of the Respect Project takes a group of young people out of school for the day and into the woods at Layer Marney Outdoor Centre where they take part in fire lighting, foraging and outdoor challenges. During this day long session, the young people are watched, assessed and conversations take place with them on whether they would like to have the opportunity to participate in the full Respect Project.
From the three Colchester schools taking part, 15 students will be chosen as those who will benefit most from participation. The Respect Project sessions then take place over a four-month period, during term time away from the school setting. Each session is delivered by trained youth workers who start to build up relationships with the young people and become trusted adults to them, breaking down their fears and barriers. The project then ends with a weeklong residential in the Lake District or Wales with young people experiencing life in the mountains and the challenges that come with this!
During our time in the woods, it was interesting to see how the young people behaved differently in a group to working individually, to sitting listening or being in the woods following instructions. Some of them were very confident in answering questions while others keener to get stuck into the practical. All of them were delighted when they managed to light small fires in their group fire pits – a sense of achievement and accomplishment clear to see.
We will be following this group of young people on their Respect Project journey and are excited to see the young people they become through participating. It was lovely to have been invited to join them on the first stage of their adventures!
