I am posting this bit of vid (digital story-telling really) because it is a snapshot of what we did earlier this year on a property in northern New South Wales with young people and not-so-young people from all over. We did hip-hop, circus stuff, indigenous dance stuff, music…and my part was kind of helping to fit all the bits together into one whole meaningful experience for us all…beyond just having fun. Though fun we did have. And we are about to do it again! (You will need Adobe flash player to view the vid. Click here to download it).
Tomorrow we head north to meet up again, invite some new people in, do some new activities…and I would like to write a post on my return about just what was worthwhile about it all and just why we thought so. Taking young people away for an intense and exciting experience is not new to youth work. Yet are all such experiences automatically worthwhile? And what happens to people and their lives afterwards? Especially if they come from tough circumstances? I am a big fan of fun, and of challenge…I also think that, in our work with communities, we need to add as much as possible to such experiences. And so with all this in mind, when we get back I will whack up some comments and ideas about what we tried to do, if I think we achieved it and why. Cheers Pete.