Dashawn, Team Programme

Dashawn took part in the Team programme after struggling to find a job. Here he tells us about how the programme taught him to respect others, communicate and control his emotions.

I was living at home with my family watching TV and playing video games, I was really bored and just unhappy.  I had applied to be part of the fire service,but I didn’t hear back. It is not easy to get a job here in Barbados, I didn’t really know what options are out there. The Team programme has really taught me to be more patient and respect other people’s opinions and be better at communicating with others. I have struggled in the past to control my anger and emotions, I usually snap very quickly.

Because of the programme I have been able to interact with different types of people which has really improved my communication skills. This has enabled me to control my emotions and be more self-aware.

During the community project I was pushed out of my comfort zone while doing fundraising and my work placement. I had to introduce myself in a formal environment and I have never done that before, I was very shy before the programme. The programme allowed us to practise this before the placement. I am proud of myself because it meant that during the placement I was able speak confidently to colleagues which I enjoyed.

During the residential I went outside my comfort zone because I learnt how to swim for the first time! The team was so encouraging, and I felt so supported. That was a real highlight for me and made me feel great!

The nature of the programme has allowed me to learn from different people. Taught me how to be a better listener and the importance of working in a team, but also how to be a supportive member of the group myself. I realised that it was a skill that I needed to develop and it will really help me in the future. I know that I will have to work with lots of different people in the future, so it’s important that I know how to respond and communicate appropriately.

Now my attitude towards getting a job and thinking about the future has changed. It sounds simple but just generally how important it is to work well with other people, I never really thought about giving back to the community, or that it would be something that I could do. Part of the problem was the lack of exposure to different careers and options on what to do next. Team has helped me do that. I did my work placement at an amazing hotel, Sandals, it was somewhere I never imagined being able to work. My attitude has changed so I am hoping that it will help me get a job and be successful. The way I speak to people has changed  and especially the way I react to things. I want to keep building on the skills that I have learnt on the programme, hopefully this will get me into the fire service. If not, at least now I know I have to keep trying.

I would tell anyone thinking about starting the Team program to do it! You will learn a lot from the programme, and it will change you, make you question things and also teach you how to be a better person.

“….during the residential I came out of my comfort zone because I learnt how to swim for the first time. The team was so encouraging and I felt so supported that I tried it. That was a real highlight for me and made me feel great!”