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.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Youth Work and Mental Health Support

Richard Taylor, a youth worker with the Dumbar Area Christian Youth Project, discusses his 18 years of school-based experience. His role involves contributing to the religious moral education curriculum and providing pastoral support, particularly focusing on young people's mental health. The project employs a full-time youth worker and an admin worker, with additional support from volunteers connected through local churches and the Rotary Club. Volunteers engage in activities such as paired reading and numeracy support, allowing them to build relationships with students and offer pastoral care. Richard also mentions the 'Seasons for Growth' program, which helps children cope with loss and change, and 'Check-in Groups' that provide a platform for students to share their struggles with adults who can offer support and experience.

05:04

👨‍👦 Mental Health Groups for Young Men

The script describes the establishment of a mental health group for young men in Dumbar Grammar School, inspired by the 'Andy Man Club' model aimed at reducing male suicide rates. The guidance teacher at the high school sought to implement a similar support system for struggling young men. Richard assembled a team of male volunteers from local churches and identified young men in need of support. The group meets at a local church, providing a discreet and comfortable space for open discussions about feelings. The pilot project was successful, with young men beginning to express their emotions for the first time. The group has since expanded to include older students leading sessions for younger ones, fostering a supportive environment where young men learn to share their feelings and experiences.

Keywords

💡Youth Worker

A youth worker is a professional who works with young people to support their personal, social, and educational development. In the video, Richard Taylor, a youth worker with the Dunbar Area Christian Youth Project, discusses his role in schools and his involvement in various programs aimed at supporting youth, particularly focusing on mental health and pastoral care.

💡Pastoral Support

Pastoral support involves providing emotional and spiritual care and guidance, often within educational settings. In the video, Richard highlights the importance of pastoral support in helping young people with their mental health, indicating that this is a core part of his work in schools, where volunteers offer consistent support and care to students.

💡Religious Moral Education (RME)

Religious Moral Education (RME) is a curriculum that aims to teach students about religious beliefs, moral values, and ethical decision-making. Richard contributes to the RME curriculum in schools as part of his work, which involves engaging students in discussions about faith and moral issues, fostering their understanding and development.

💡Mental Health

Mental health refers to the emotional, psychological, and social well-being of individuals. Richard's work focuses heavily on supporting the mental health of young people, including running small groups and programs like 'Seasons for Growth' to help them cope with loss and other challenges.

💡Seasons for Growth

Seasons for Growth is a program designed to help children and young people deal with significant changes, loss, and grief in their lives. Richard mentions using this tool in schools to support students who are dealing with difficult life events, indicating its value in providing structured support for mental health.

💡Volunteers

Volunteers are individuals who offer their time and skills without financial compensation to support various activities and services. In the video, volunteers play a crucial role in the Dunbar Area Christian Youth Project by providing classroom support, running groups, and offering pastoral care to students.

💡Classroom Buddy

A classroom buddy is a volunteer who supports students in the classroom by assisting with reading, numeracy, and providing companionship. Richard describes how volunteers in his project become 'classroom buddies,' getting to know the children and offering both academic and emotional support.

💡Check-in Groups

Check-in groups are small support groups where students can discuss their feelings and experiences in a safe and supportive environment. Richard explains that these groups are facilitated by volunteers who bring life experience rather than formal mental health qualifications, helping students open up and share their concerns.

💡Andy Man Club

Andy Man Club is a peer-to-peer support group aimed at reducing male suicide by providing a space for men to share their feelings and experiences. Although the club itself is for adults, Richard adapted its model to create a similar support group for young men in the local high school, helping them with their mental health.

💡Peer-to-Peer Support

Peer-to-peer support involves individuals within a similar age group or life stage providing support to one another. The young men's mental health group modeled after Andy Man Club uses this approach, where students share their experiences and feelings in a supportive group setting, helping to foster mutual understanding and support.

Highlights

Richard Taylor, a youth worker with 18 years of experience, discusses his role in the Dumbarton area Christian Youth Project.

Taylor's work is primarily school-based, focusing on religious moral education and pastoral support, particularly in mental health.

The Dumbarton area Christian Youth Project employs a full-time youth worker and an admin worker, with additional support from volunteers.

Volunteers come from local churches and the Rotary Club, contributing to the project's success.

Volunteers act as 'classroom buddies', providing support in reading and numeracy, and building relationships with students.

The project offers 'Seasons for Growth', a program to help young people deal with loss and change.

The 'Check-in Groups' facilitate open discussions on mental health without the need for formal qualifications.

Volunteers with life experience lead these groups, providing a safe space for young people to share their struggles.

The project has a positive impact on schools by providing support structures for young people facing difficulties.

Taylor highlights the importance of open relationships with school staff for effective pastoral care.

The 'Andy Man Club', a mental health group for men, is adapted for high school students to address mental health concerns.

The adapted version of 'Andy Man Club' is facilitated by local male volunteers and takes place at a local church.

The pilot project for the young men's mental health group was successful, with participants opening up about their feelings.

The group uses a cushion as a speaking object to encourage sharing in a non-judgmental environment.

The project is excited about the development of older students leading groups for younger ones, fostering peer support.

The transcript emphasizes the importance of trivial conversations alongside serious discussions in the group dynamics.

Transcripts

hello everybody my name is Richard

Taylor I'm a youth worker with the

dumbar area Christian Youth project I've

been working in this town for 18 years

now and most of my work is

school-based I I would say that first of

all I'm not an expert in this field but

I am experienced in it and take from

that whatever you want there are two

aspects to my work in school one is

uh to contribute to the religious moral

education curriculum or rme but the

other part of the work is the Pastoral

support and in particular with a focus

on helping young people with their

mental health that's in the primary

school but also in the in the other

cluster primary schools in in dumbar and

in the grammar school so the dumbar area

Christian Youth project is uh it employs

myself as a full-time youth worker and

uh we also have an admin worker but the

rest of the work is is is organized and

run by

volunteers the majority of the

volunteers are people that we have

connections with through the local

churches um and then we've also got

we've also got a handful of uh people

from the Rotary Club as well who um have

heard about what we're doing so what we

have is a team of volunteers who become

um we we haven't actually got a name for

it but kind of a classroom buddy if you

like a friend of the class and what they

will do is come in and do paired reading

um and numeracy support work that's a

that's the kind of core of it most of

the volunteers would give perhaps two

hours a week uh they'd work out a time

that uh suits them and the teacher and

what works best for both both parties um

and know and what happens is because

they're allocated to a class they get to

know the children they get to know uh

the characters in there and although

they're there to often to do the the

kind of curriculum stuff what we find is

that they get to know them and as as

they're doing the reading for example

the children they'll start to tell them

about the the families and they'll start

to share with them uh some of the

struggles that they're going through um

and of course that in itself is a

massive big uh help to them it's it's

pastoral care it's pastoral support it's

an adult who's invested and interested

in them uh and for some of them they

might be one of the few adults in their

Lives who do

care we also have uh some volunteers and

I do this myself as well uh running

small groups in the school seasons for

growth is a fantastic program it's a

tool to help children and young people

um deal with loss

bereavement uh and unwanted changes in

their lives so by that we mean things

like parents splitting up things that

are happening in their Liv lives that

they have no control over so the program

has been a huge huge help to those young

people and it's been a help to the

school as well because it means that

they've got something in place to offer

when uh a young person is struggling

with those those kind of things uh it is

quite expensive you have to train people

to facilitate it uh maybe I don't know 2

or300 pounds to do that what you might

be able to find as as we did is that the

parent Council uh uh are prepared to

fund that the other small groups that we

do in school uh are check-in groups it's

maybe about six or seven children in

each group what what's good about a

checking group is that the people

facilitating it don't necessarily have

to have any uh qualifications in mental

health um but what they can bring to it

is experience so you um some of the

volunteers that come in have had life

experience you know most most of our

volunteers are re tired folk uh they've

brought their own children they've had

their children's friends around and they

know what it's like for young people

growing up so it is I would say a really

accessible um way of supporting

schools the positive thing about checkin

groups and in fact the seasons for

growth and the classroom friends is that

when we do those groups we often find

that the young people will share with us

things that they haven't shared with any

any other adult um and so we have an

open relationship with the staff we we

we feedback to them uh anything that's

come up in discussion and uh and what we

often find is that we We join the dots

so you know a child might have been

behaving in a particular way in class

that the teacher

can't understand and then they'll come

to a checking group uh and all will be

revealed you know they might have been

having a a family argument or something

that they've not been able to talk about

to the teacher

I'd like to talk now about the work that

we do in dumbar grammar school um where

we run a young men's Mental Health Group

uh Andy man Club is a mental health

group for men and it was set up uh um to

help reduce male

suicide and it's a peer-to-peer support

group so the men sit in a group together

and uh confidentially uh without

judgment share and then I got a call

from from a guidance teacher at the high

school who said I've heard about Andy's

man club would it be possible to run it

in the high school because we're getting

a number of young men who are really

struggling with mental health and were

concerned about their safety um is it

possible to run a group in the school so

the answer was not an Andy man club we

can't use that name because that's an an

over 18s organization but what we could

do is use the same model and bring that

into the school environment and so what

did was I I I rounded up a team of

volunteers all men from the local

churches um and then we through the

guidance team we identified uh young men

who were struggling with the mental

health the venue for that is the local

church staes which is just across the

road from the school so you know less

than 5 minutes walk from the school and

you're in the Stables it's discreet it's

not in school and uh it's a it's a it's

a lovely little uh meeting space the

pilot project went really well what we

found was that the um the lads began to

talk about their feelings for the first

time and uh and the feedback from them

was that this is something they enjoyed

we we had around about 30 Lads that uh

asked to come to the group and so we

ended up splitting it we ended up with

two groups that met on the same day um

and that has continued um to where we

are

today

um I have to say people have this

romantic idea that a Lads group like

that is everybody fully engaged with it

uh I'm afraid not I mean we have a

cushion that we used to speak through

and uh if you're holding the cushion you

only you speak so have you got anything

to get off your chest no pass it on pass

it on pass it on and then maybe the

sixth or seventh one I'll pause and say

well I have actually my mom mom and dad

are arguing and I'm really really

struggling I'm worried that my dad's

going to leave us and now all of a

sudden you get all the all the boys

listening in and uh and then maybe a

couple more later somebody else will

share something else but then in between

those conversations will be football

results and there'll be uh somebody had

a burger that was undercooked or just

trivial things that perhaps are more

important to them than they are to us

one of the things that we're really

excited about with the lads group is

that we've got a new uh development with

it which is some of the older lads

leading a group for the younger Lots in

in S2 so S4 boys facilitating a group

for S2s we've just started that we've

been running it for I think three

sessions now and uh it's it's just so

encouraging to see these Lads facilitate

and uh these younger Lads learning how

to share and to talk about their

feelings