The Trinity Centre - DOST Project

So in a career development conversation/ meeting with my group manager I was advised to contact the DOST project  based at the Trinity Centre located a stones throw away from where I live.

The DOST Project helps young refugess who have no family in UK so are placed in foster care etc. DOST from what I understands helps these youth find thier feet in thier new world.

I'll be filling in a volunteer application asking about what mentoring opportunities they may offer.

Breaking New Effective Routine

Lat night (Thursday 26^th Jan 2012) my lovely wife treated me to a meal out. When we got in we offered Esha Salah (prayer) and decided a family movie would be a nice break from the new routine of only watching educational documentaries and the like.

We’ve actually been skipping the whole viewing of anything, and have just got into the pattern of offering Esha Salah (prayer) and then I would read from an Islamic book which narrates live events from the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) – book title Hayatus Sahabah.

We then get to bed at a very early time around 20:30. As I mentioned we strayed from the new routine and watched a family movie. It was nice, but soon as we lay down in bed, we both told each other what a bad idea that was. We both couldn’t sleep and it took us over an hour to do so.

Getting up this morning was extremely hard work. It’s good that we experienced this discomfort as a real life experimental (all be it unplanned) test on how effective our new routine was helping our rest and recovery and in turn our energy levels.

The Artists Way

Richard my Permaculture tutor suggested a 12 week course as lined out in the book 'The Artists Way'. So I decided 'I'm in'

Every morning, very first thing I need to write three pages. The content doesn't matter just to write anything which comes to mind first thing as a awake. The other is a Artists Date. This is alone time once aweek doing somthing alone. Could be as simple as a long walk.

Two days in, I have two journal entries. These I can't read or look back on untill around week 8.

Let's see if these 12 weeks unlocks the creative genius in me.

Training: Client Affairs – Mental Capacity Act 2005

A few ago I attended a one day training course on Mental Capacity Act. The main thing I took from this training was to draft a Last Will and Testament along with a Lasting Power of Attorney stating who I want in charge of my finances and my decisions on my health and wellbeing if I should loose the mental capacity to be able to make such decisions.

Both documents can be done online and leaglly binding for about £100

SICKO by Michael Moore

Before watching this documentry about the medical health care in America. I agreed with some of the arguments for privatisation of the NHS in UK. The case made in the book 'Welfare State We're In' are strong. The core problem being the the US medical insurance companies and how they operate.

Michael Moore visits Cuba with a group of volunteers who assissted in the aftermath of 9/11 who had serious health problems which weren't being addressed in the US. The way the Cuban medical staff treated and cared for them along with the honour the Cuban fire fighters showed them brought a apple up in my throat.

Now, not only do I agree with free univeral health care I'm a supporter.

Balancing it all

Life is a balancing act most days for me. Between the usual activities I'm sure most people face. Work, family, extended family, friends & alone time. I've added gardening to produce some organic foods (shoe box sized home garden & allotment), Brazilian JuJitsu, a Diploma in applied permaculture and very poor attempt at spiritual reform. Sure there are others bits and bobs I'm forgetting.

Balancing all this in itself can and has recently been exhausting. More so on my cluttered mind then physically.

Not quite sure if cutting back is the answer. Maybe having a ponder on how I can stack some of these activities to carve out time for play.
Ideas are welcome.

Reflection of What I Gained From the Training the Trainer Course

Here is what I took away from my learning experience on the Training the Trainer course I attended over three days back in September 2011.

I experienced the importance of what I have learnt to call edutainment, which is combining education and entertainment to facilitate learning. This is not just for children but adults who can also lose focus in a learning environment. Three months on from the training I am still able to remember the training which was delivered in a game or was entertaining fashion. However I can only vaguely recall the subject matter being taught delivered by co-attendees of the course, which was monotones and lacking in energy.

I also understand the merit in a good trainer putting the hard work in at the designing stage. This will in turn reduce the amount of work to be done at the time of delivering the training. For example if good group work sessions are designed well on the day of delivering training, the trainer is then able to sit with each group and use this time to observe and possibly an opportunity for a formative assessment.  

To conclude, I have learnt to design the training well, which includes making it an enjoyable experience, entertaining and letting student’s have more discussion time and less teacher talk time.