Personal development
For young people to survive and thrive today, they need more than just education or a job.
According to the World Health Organisation, “mental health conditions account for 16% of the global burden of disease and injury in people aged 10–19 years … and the consequences of not addressing [this] extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults.”
Opportunities for social-emotional learning and personal development run through all our programmes, and we always keep the experience of the young person at the forefront of our design. By creating learner-centred, interactive experiences, we work to equip young people with confidence, resilience and wellbeing tools to lead fulfilling lives.
Team Programme
The Team Programme is a full-time 12-week personal development programme for harder to reach young people. It aims to increase confidence, motivation and skills and as a result enables those young people to move (back) into employment, education, training, volunteering or an apprenticeship. The programme combines outdoor and community challenges with classroom-based learning, and is structurally designed to provide for active team-building, and gradually increasing skills development, including communication, reliability, confidence, motivation and resilience. Through developing these skills, young people are encouraged to think positively and pro-actively about their futures.
Personal development takes place throughout by the process of planning, action and review, and with a strong focus on team-building and helping their wider community, young people are encouraged to see their place in the world and the important contribution that they can make. The Team Programme is one of our longest running and most transformative programmes.
“Living in a tribal neighbourhood with no high school diploma and no work was difficult. I was immersed in a group of trouble makers not benefitting my community. Actually, I did quite the opposite…cause harm in my community. The Team Programme has changed things for me – I’ve gained the respect of people that I love, and the community at large. To think that just a year ago I was in these youth’s shoes and now I’m coaching them.”
Ahmad, Team participant in Jordan, 2017