Hello,

                                    Thank you for your prayers and support. I hope you’re all keeping well and had a lovely Easter. I am home for four weeks and will be going back to college around April 20^th.

Two weeks before Christmas myself and half of my year group went on a leadership training course for a week with a Christian organisation called Adventure Plus. We split up into small groups of eight and did various exercises taking it in turns to lead our small group through each task safely. On the first day my group went for a walk in a forest. We had to camouflage ourselves using whatever we could find and follow a trail using a map. During parts of the walk we were blindfolded with only the leader for that day able to see. They then guided us through various obstacles to get us back to where we started. In the morning of the second day it was my turn to lead. The task we were set was to learn the sport of fencing and present a choreographed fight to two of the Adventure Plus tutors. After this, one person in the group had to describe a model duplo tower to someone who then had to describe it to someone else so they could build it themselves. We were given points for communication and how good our own model was. To our surprise we managed to build a complete replica of the original model. On the third day we had a bridge made from metal girders but each girder was only balanced in the middle. By balancing and distributing peoples weight we had to get across without people falling off the seesaw bridge. Having got across the bridge, we then had to go back blindfolded with only the leader free to see. In the afternoon I lead the group again. We had ropes tied into the shape of a spider’s web with different shaped holes. I had to get each person through a hole safely without them actually touching the ropes by choosing them a hole that they could fit through, choosing people who were light enough to be lifted and choosing people strong enough to lift. I then had to lead the exercise again with most people blindfolded including myself. Luckily a couple of people weren’t blindfolded so they could see what was going on!

The next morning I was leading again, only this time I had to plan on my own how my team would build a plane out of big planks of wood and cable ties, then talk my team through the making of it. The team managed to complete it successfully without any problems. Thankfully I wasn’t leading the last task we had in the afternoon. We had to make huge pyramid shapes out of logs and cable ties to build a bridge so we could get across an imaginary swamp. Once again after getting across to the other side we had to come back across blindfolded with only the leader being able to see. We were the only team who managed to get right the way across and were also quicker then teams who had only got halfway!

On the last day I had a debrief with one of the Adventure Plus tutors. He told me that once I had built up my confidence and assertiveness I was a really good leader who people respected and followed. He also told me that as well as being a good leader I could also follow and work under someone else’s leadership, respecting their authority. I really enjoyed my leadership-training week and learnt different styles of leadership, which was really beneficial.

The first half of this term was extremely busy this time. As we had to do a full terms work in only half. This was because we had a block placement for the rest of the term. I managed to get it all done which I was really pleased about and at the end of it I found out that I had passed all of last terms work, which was great!

For the second half of the term I worked with Bournemouth Churches Housing Association in an outreach project helping victims of domestic violence. Who could also have been homeless, drug addicts, alcoholics or abusers themselves. The project gives emotional support, advice and practical help to victims of abuse. I helped in various ways such as office work, answering the domestic violence helpline, visiting clients in their homes, attending drop ins, visiting women's refuges and did other bits and pieces. One week I went to the Butterfly Project, an art exhibition in Bournemouth showing various artwork and poems done by victims of domestic violence expressing their experiences and emotions. The exhibition was really interesting and enlightening. The placement stretched me lots, which was great and was very emotional. I enjoyed all that I did and found it all a really valuable experience.

Next term after Easter I go back to college as normal. It will be nice to see all my friends again and catch up on all our placement adventures! Thank you once again for your ongoing prayers and support. It is much appreciated.

Lots of love Hannah x