UG Social Work Students and Lecturers and SALT

[Zenita Nicholson]

On October 19, 2011 at the University's Campus, Turkeyen, Guyana . 25 Social work students and two lecturers were sprinkled with SALT.Colleen and Myself facilitated the process.

The Weather Inside.

This a great way of taking  participants on the journey from outside to inside. Some participants shared that for them though the exercise was simple it was  powerful!!, as it revealed what was truly happening within them!! 

 

Using Ice Breakers.

During our CLC training,a colleague introduced a POWERFUL local ice breaker where it tells of a story of the people having the perception that we were breaking down one village to build up another ...and how the people reacted! So we did it and it was tons of fun!! Just as it was when he ( Odinga) did it with us! 

I love this ice breaker! Thank you Odinga! 

Hopes and Concerns 

The students shared their hopes and concerns, some of which are:

"Hope to get Married"

Concerned about my brother's alcoholism

"Hope of becoming a mother one day"

 Concerned about my ability to conceive a child 

"Hope that there will be equality among the citizens of the nation"

my concern is that some system be implemented as it relates to sexual abuse of differently able persons.

"Hope to see our country free from discrimination"

my concern is the amount of persons living in poverty

"I hope that human beings become more caring to each other

My Concern is that I study enough to ensure a pass in economics exam

"to have a better relationship with my mom

"it is my concern of why mom doesn't trust me

We then flowed into Dream Building. For their personal dreams we heard:

" A litter free world"

"To have a family, with a mother(myself) , husband and two children, a boy and a girl"

"to get married"

" to have my own things, a house, a car"

"to complete my education"

" to have a bright happy life, as the sun depicts in my drawing"

"to just be happy, at peace with myself, environment and close ones

""to feel contented everyday"

"to share my love with humanity"

"to have a garden"

"have a good job"

"stop discrimination, work on modernising Guyana where we have better public and private services"

"Unity for all- black, white, gay, straight, differently able, HIV + , peace and love"

"Equality Rights for ALL- One Nation, One Destiny , One People

"A Community that works- Good roads, a house, cars, happy children, a play group, a garden, a pond"

 

Because of time, we did not do the big dream building, however I talked/walked  them through it! Imagine a BIG DREAM where everyone's personal dream was part of it....what would we create?...what would we hope for?, what would we be concerned about? There was a hush hush and eyes widened! *_*. 

 

Also discussed were what is a community, what is a competent community and SALT 

It was very exciting taking them through the process and seeing them internalise the concept of SALT. At one particular moment as I was speaking, one of the lecturers was furiously making notes...:) I think this is a good sign! 

 
Whilst Colleen connected the dots in a beautiful summary --an overview of the Constellation...  new ways of thinking, new ways of working, identifying strengths...local response.....building competent communities , when she used the terms in SALT, though sporadic ....the students were pre-empting her words of the acronym! 

Peace and Love 

[Gaston]

Exactly. It's about having clarity on both sides. Good luck today with your SALT visit!

[Zenita Nicholson]

Dear Gaston, You are right, doing the dream building stimulated the community and they were thinking so what's next? As a matter of fact, some persons had naturally began to flow into the self assessment! However this was a Human Rights workshop, a one off event, where myself and Colleen saw an opportunity to stimulate the community.I have not engaged the university in any further conversation with regards to CLC, but I do know that the Coordinator for the Unit was making notes, so it must have captured her attention. I am to meet with her sometime next week , so I will take up this conversation with her. From reading your thoughts about this, I feel I need to explore taking it further or closing it off, whichever the community decides. The important thing is that they know they have one.

[Gaston]

Hi Zenita, the reason why I talked about follow-up is that you have facilitated a step that is part of a bigger process. There is added value in facilitating such a step even in isolation. Indeed, minds open up, connections between people are strengthened etc. At the same time, in most case the community might want more. They might wonder what they'll do with their dream now? That's where self-assessment and action planning comes into play. Eventually it is the local action that we want to achieve. 

And therefore, we have to be transparent from the beginning with a community on mutual commitments. Is this a one-off event (which may be just fine) or are we both committed to take this further. There is no blueprint for this, but that conversation needs to take place. Does this resonate with your experience? 

[Zenita Nicholson]

Autry, I am glad that you could feeelll the ENTHUSIAM! Makes me feel real nice!!! *_* Collen and I made a great team! It was amazing how she let me do my thing, and then added where necessary..which gave a nice strong lasting flavour to the presentations! We ROCKED!!! ...MO ah come ...Mo ah comeee soon ..stay tuned! LOL

[Zenita Nicholson]

Thank you Tricia ! xoxo

[Zenita Nicholson]

Thank you Gaston!! Follow up? What follow up...lol...Well I am now hearing of such a "thing" in CLC....thinking about it .....does make sense! I believe what e did with the University's students was to stimulate them, stretch their minds a little...make them hunger! This particular group was being trained in Human Rights ,We took the opportunity to do he exercises where we saw the need. To me it went well. Your comment have me thinking that the approach I have needs to me tailored...more strategic and direct! Please let me know if this is correct.

[Gaston]

Dear Zenita, thank you for posting including the colorful pictures. That really gives the spirit of the activity. Based on your reflections in the Blended Learning forums and this posting, you occur to me as someone who quickly learns! 

One experience I have is that often it helps to make things more concrete if we ask the group to dream in relation to a specific issue (i.e. HIV or an issue identified by the community). This facilitates in particular the next steps of the process where there will be a need for specific focus. 

One question I have: What are your ideas to follow-up with this group? 

[Autry Haynes]

hmmmm Zenita supported by Colleen. Great work (^_^). I felt the enthusiasm, the excitement of you both. Can almost see the smiles as the experience reflected in the faces of fellow students and Lecturer (at least one of them was there) as I read the post. Thank you very much. Gie me moh man!

[Tricia Francis]

Great post Zenita. I enjoyed reading it, i felt i was there and i know you and  Colleen did a great job. I know you will continue to sprinkle SALT where every you go because you are very SALTY..   : -)  <3