Looking ahead

Northern Lights (phase 2) is already being discussed. The key partners are exploring the possibility of seeking funding for a wider programme of activities involving more youth
projects and funders. Mean time, it is important to recognise the enormous contribution the various funders, youth workers and supporters have made to the participants lives. In particular, Artemis for funding the hire of the OYT Boatt, Wild Fox Events for the loan of their fantastic facilities for the Loch Tay residential and for MY Weekend (MYDG)’s funding of the weekly activities over the eight weeks and the Instructors supporting the group on their sail.

We’re indebted to Cash Back Funding for the MY Weekend weekly programme of activities.

Meanwhile congratulations to those who sucessfully completed the programme – two of the whom are now in fullt ime training and one volunteering with My Adventure and MYDG. Northern Lights intends to re-launch in March 2012 – no longer a pilot but a tried and tested fully fledged programme using activities and training to move young people away from anti-social or negative behaviour into having a positive outlook and taking up opportunties offered to them.

 

Alba Ventura sails back into Greenock after an epic voyage

The Alba arrived back into dock in Greenock on a sunny afternoon last Friday after five days at sea. Apart from one young person who had to be taken off the boat with a dislocated knee on the final morning, everyone completed the voyage in high spirits. The big sail ties up project Northern Lights for 2011, although the Muirhhouse Youth Development Groups work with these young people carries on…

“The biggest challenge was sailing across to Loch Fyne. It was really windy and the waves were massive and the boat was rocking from side to side, it was pretty scary.

Project northern lights has been a really big inspiration to me from the start. It has built my self confidence, helped me interact more with other young people and has made me more responsible. This is something that everybody should go out and experience, its really beneficial for young people and I hope it does carry on because it has really changed my life. It has given us hope, strength and togetherness” – Ian Wilson (age 16)

Peter Johnston, Manager of MYDG

“It went very well and the young people got a lot out of it. It was very telling that one boy really wanted to go home, he felt very pulled two ways. In the end he made the decision to stay, which says a lot for the trip. A great bond has formed in the group and they realise that this bond also brings responsibility for each other.

None of these young people have been out in the open sea in a sail boat before and the voyage has been a real challenge for the group. Many who wouldn’t normally struggle to get out of bed have had to get up at 7AM every morning. Although we had lots of refusals to do work, in the end it was all carried out. The journey has also been an emotional journey and the group at times been frustrated with themselves and each other. Some will never do this again, but they will all have memories of a very positive experience.

The young people have all achieved something here and have been able to show their leadership skills: leaders in sailing, cooking and leaders in term of just being able to carry out their duties. The voyage gave two or three young people the opportunity to really shine in a way they haven’t shone for a very long time. They were seen to be good at something and this gave them the confidence to show they were good at something.

There is something about the sea that also need needs to be acknowledged – it widens these young peoples horizons. When one of the lads has been helming he came down and said was happiest man in the world.

The community and the schools are saying that there is nothing they can do for these young people and yet the progress they have made over the course of this project has been real and measurable. For many of them their skills and responsibility had been acknowledged for the first time. One of the lads (Marcus) is even hoping to come back for bosun training with the Ocean Youth Trust and would like to volunteer for the project if it is repeated next year. “

Project Northern Lights now has cross party political support and there is lots of scope to see it expanded Scotland wide. Groups like this will need a lot of support to pull together and the next challenge is to find the funding for an even more ambitious Northern Lights Project in 2012.”

 

Progress

Its difficult to communicate with the group whilst they are on voyage as mobile phones interfere with instruments and electronic devices are vulnerable to Salt water and going over board but these two comments were heard via a crafty text (at night!)

Danny (whilst steering the boat): ‘I’m the happiest man in the world!’

And another participant spoke of the difficulty putting problems at home and in the community behind him when he said: ‘I really want to seperate what’s happening at home from being able to enjoy myself here, but its really hard.’

The voyage was so far summed up as hectic but going well and despite some challenging weather and winds they have made it up the coast of Arran, the Adrossan Sound and into West Loch Tarbet on the Kintyre Penisula.

You can track their position by clicking on

http://www.oytscotland.org.uk/vessel_track.html

and dragging squares on them to zoom in.

All aboard the Alba Venturer, Greenock

So the group busily packed last minute outdoor gear at the MYDG stores and drove to the West Coast to board their home and carriage for the next five days the Alba Venturer.The Alba Venturer has sailed over 100,000 nautical miles, including around the Scottish coastline and islands, England, Ireland, Wales, Iceland, Norway, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Spain and the Faroe Islands. But is she ready for the Northern Lights young people?!

The Yacht is 70ft (21.53m) long with a mast 83ft 9″ (25.45m) in height, she weighs 58.83 tonnes – and now shes in the care of a group of Young People from North Edinburgh (many of whom have had little if any responsibility or felt any particular reasons to get up each day) who will not only manage the boat and steer its course but cook, clean and care for one another along the way.

Settling in to the final push…

Sadly some participants left the programme deciding thy weren’t ready for the sail for a variety of reasons but others who’d been on the waiting list joined together for a team building day and group discussion at MYDG’s St Pauls Don Bosco Hall Youth facility three days before the sail. The final 6 young people along with 2 trainee staff were selected– themselves all new to the experience, along with Chris Thomson, Youth worker, and MYDG’s Manager and long term experienced youth worker Peter Johnson were selected. They  establish their aims for the sail and discussed their fears and excitement with Jan of the OYT team.  Questions like – ‘will I be sick?’, ‘what happens if I go crazy?’, and ‘what will we do if we fall in?’ all answered clearly and with good humour by Jan. It was just a matter now of packing up the ‘Voyage’ kit list and everyone meeting first thing Monday morning!

Hermitage Canyoning day

This group love water – especially waterfalls and jumps! So they took to the Hermitage and completed a series of jumps working up to a 20 metre drop into the falls themselves.

This is the sign that the group has really worked up a level of trust and support – I’ve never seen a group work together so well and unable to persuade even a nervous participant into a supported addrelin rush like this. Brett was at the ready with a throw line (which he practised rescuing people earlier) Chris and Ian checked out the water and the group made a dynamic assessment. The conditions were perfect – the water though cold was calm and the group were able to strategically position themselves in the water at key points to ensure everyone’s safety. We now had a group of spectators – some of which enjoyed asking about the programme and the group. Well done everyone. Only 12 days – 1 activity and 1 group work day left to the big sail – everyone’s very excited.

Team Challenge – Last day

Final day and the group woke up to the smell of a bacon roll cooked on the open fire. The loch looked more beautiful than ever and the group were excited about the canoe back. Jonny and Chris had a quick look at constructing a sail with the group made out of tent components – there was a good westerly to take them home so why not they thought.

What a challenging week.From the young people (participants):

‘The best thing about it was the evenings. The games and activities were more exciting. I did everything though and am particularly proud of myself because I don’t like water.’ Brett

‘The best camp I’ve ever been on in my life and I’ve been on loads’ Marcus. (Marus upon his return immediately applied to be a volunteer with MYDG and signed up to one of MYDG’s bike trainer courses)

‘The best residential I’ve been on with MYDG’ Ian

From the staff:

Some of the group struggled with the overall programme. One participant unfortunaetly aggreviated a previous injury on the high ropes course and another two, despite doing so well – indeed one of them exceptionally well at virtually all the programme couldn’t deal with the expedition and so left the course. In my 15 years experience of working with these groups  5 out of the 7 completing a course like this is a great result for Northern Lights, the funders and MYDG, we’re really pleased. We now have organised an intense team challenge and activity day for the new recruits so they can join us on the sail in two weeks. Luckily we have a waiting list so its not been difficult to find others looking for an experience like this. Its all happening very last minute due to having secured the funding from a concerned couple of Businesses but the programme itself is a good one and we witnessed young people getting so much out of the experiences and challenges – we see big changes in these young people – above all increased self awareness and much much more motivation in at 5 of them and its not over by any means,’ Jonny & Chris, MYDG Staff