Life Routes in action
Gateshead
Life Routes has provided a
timely focus for Gateshead
Council’s Youth and
Community Learning
Service as they face
changes in national and
local policy, developments
in training routes, changes
in inspection criteria and
internal reorganisation.
Life Routes consultant,
Gaynor Clarke, reports.
Five groups, involving 53 young people,
six full- and 18 part-time staff have
taken part in the Life Routes pilot in
Gateshead. Four of the groups meet as
an alternative to school. The fifth is an
informal evening session. All involve
young people whose confidence has
been negatively affected by xperiences
at home, school and with their peers,
leaving them unsure of their ability to
have control over their
actions or the actions of
others towards them.
The pilots used the Life Routes
programme to re-evaluate practice and
priorities. This rekindled a commitment
to working directly with young people
to develop skills that give them options,
including self-belief and an increased
understanding of their role in society.
The young people involved in the
programme have clear aims (‘I would
like to change people’s opinion of me’)
and have articulated how they felt at
the beginning of the programme
(‘lonely’, ‘stupid’, ‘judged’, ‘isolated’).
When they were asked what might help
them, the responses were clear: ‘Being
able to make phone calls, to be able to
go on public transport, to go into shops
and not feel shy, to have at least a few
qualifications’.
It is important for staff to have high
expectations of the young people and
set clear boundaries, which, along with
other key areas, are negotiated. Respect
for the young people and their views is
important and the responsibility of being
a good role model is clearly recognised.
When young people are able to
recognise their achievements, it is often
the turning point in beginning to make
decisions that affect their future life
chances. These are some of the
comments we have heard:
- ‘I feel proud of my actions’
- ‘I am glad to be involved in something’
- ‘I feel valued
by others’
- ‘I am getting recognition for
my good behaviour’
- ‘Even my parents
are proud of me’.