Richard Taylor | Dunbar Area Christian Youth Project #YouthWorkChangesLives

Summary

Richard Taylor, a youth worker with the Dumbarton Area Christian Youth Project, discusses his 18 years of school-based experience focusing on religious moral education and mental health support for young people. The project employs a full-time staff and relies on volunteers, including 'classroom buddies' for reading and numeracy support, and facilitators for programs like 'Seasons for Growth' to help children cope with loss and change. Taylor also highlights the 'Andy Man Club' model adapted for high school boys to address mental health and reduce suicide, emphasizing its success in creating a safe space for peer-to-peer support.

Takeaways

• 😀 Richard Taylor is a youth worker with the Dumbar Area Christian Youth Project, having worked there for 18 years.
• 🏫 His work is primarily school-based, focusing on contributing to the religious moral education curriculum and providing pastoral support, particularly for young people's mental health.
• 🙏 The Dumbar Area Christian Youth Project employs a full-time youth worker and an admin worker, with the rest of the operations run by volunteers from local churches and the Rotary Club.
• 👫 Volunteers act as 'classroom buddies', offering support in reading and numeracy, and getting to know the children on a personal level, which aids in pastoral care.
• 📚 The project runs 'Seasons for Growth', a program to help children deal with loss, bereavement, and unwanted changes in their lives, which has been beneficial for both the students and the schools.
• 💼 The 'Seasons for Growth' program requires trained facilitators and can be expensive, but it has been funded by the parent council in some cases.
• 👥 Small 'check-in' groups are facilitated by volunteers with life experience, providing a supportive environment for children to share their struggles.
• 🔒 The check-in groups maintain an open relationship with school staff, ensuring any significant issues discussed are fed back to the teachers.
• 👦 Richard also runs a young men's Mental Health Group at Dumbar Grammar School, inspired by the Andy Man Club, aimed at reducing male suicide through peer-to-peer support.
• 🏠 The young men's group meets at a local church, providing a discreet and supportive space for open discussions about mental health.
• 📈 The project is expanding with older students leading groups for younger ones, showing a positive development in peer support and mentorship.

Q & A

Who is Richard Taylor and what is his profession?

Richard Taylor is a youth worker with the Dumbarton Area Christian Youth Project, and he has been working in this capacity for 18 years.

What are the two main aspects of Richard's work in schools?

The two main aspects of Richard's work in schools are contributing to the religious moral education curriculum (RME) and providing pastoral support, particularly focusing on helping young people with their mental health.

How is the Dumbarton Area Christian Youth Project organized?

The Dumbarton Area Christian Youth Project employs Richard as a full-time youth worker and an admin worker, with the rest of the work being organized and run by volunteers, most of whom are connected through local churches and a few from the Rotary Club.

What is the role of the volunteers in the classroom?

The volunteers, acting as 'classroom buddies', come in to do paired reading and numeracy support work, allowing them to get to know the children and provide pastoral care and support.

How do the volunteers get to know the children they are supporting?

Volunteers get to know the children by being allocated to a class and spending time with them during paired reading and numeracy support, which allows the children to open up about their family situations and struggles.

What is the 'Seasons for Growth' program and how does it help young people?

The 'Seasons for Growth' program is a tool designed to help children and young people deal with loss, bereavement, and unwanted changes in their lives, such as parental separation or other uncontrollable life events.

What are 'Check-in Groups' and how do they support schools?

'Check-in Groups' are small groups of six or seven children facilitated by volunteers with life experience. They provide a platform for young people to share things they haven't with any other adult, thus supporting the school by offering insights into students' lives.

What is the purpose of the 'Andy Man Club' and how was it adapted for Dumbarton Grammar School?

The 'Andy Man Club' was set up to help reduce male suicide through peer-to-peer support. It was adapted for Dumbarton Grammar School by using the same model but under a different name, as a mental health group for young men, facilitated by a team of male volunteers from local churches.

How does the 'Andy Man Club' operate within the school environment?

The 'Andy Man Club' operates in a discreet location off school grounds, where young men can meet to share their feelings confidentially and without judgment in a peer-to-peer support setting.

What is the new development with the Lads Group in Dumbarton Grammar School?

The new development with the Lads Group is that some of the older boys are now leading a group for the younger ones, with S4 boys facilitating a group for S2 students, providing a supportive environment for them to share and talk about their feelings.

How do the young men in the Lads Group communicate their feelings?

The young men in the Lads Group use a cushion as a tool for communication; whoever holds the cushion is the only one who speaks, allowing them to share their feelings in a structured and supportive manner.