Being Part of Detached

I woke up early, unable to sleep, showered and got ready to go. Sent some emails and did some reading. Around 10 am I started to feel pretty tired and ended up falling asleep until 12:30 pm. I got up just in time to start getting ready to head to work and to try and have something to eat before I left. Part of the beauty of living so close to the centre is that I really do only live about a 2 min walk away, but because of being so close I also need to watch my time management and not cut it too close. Again today was a bit slow at the centre. I read up on the programs and was given different resources to look at. Dara, part of the EFFORT Project, gave me a resource looking at what was a national crime awareness initiative called Copping On, that due to the lack of funding over the past few years was cut. It dealt with providing resources and training for creative approaches to prevention work with young people and seemed to be very forward in how it addressed the issues. Derek also got me some resources so I could get a better understanding of the juvenile justice system in Ireland. I looked through the National Youth Justice Strategy from 2008 – 2010. I read up on young person’s probation, community sanctions, and other orders. I also started reading one of the articles Eileen had given me on juvenile Justice; all this information helping give me a better picture on juveniles in the system and about different forms of prevention, detention, and rehabilitation. Also, I started to get a better understanding of how funding works for the programs and where the money is coming from.

The Office

I have been learning more and more about the centre and have discovered that the centre it’s self is less of a drop-in centre and more of a building to facilitate the work of the specific programs. Umm, let me try and explain maybe a bit better; there is no one actually hired on as workers to directly deal with drop-ins (although the centre does allow for this at times). Everyone working here is funded under a specific project and they get their funding from different places. One of the groups doesn’t even really use the facilities but just uses the office space, the EFFORT Project team. The Project teams just work together to make the centre as accessible as possible to the community and the young people in it. If youth are bored and want to come play a game of pool, the team will try and make this possible by taking turns giving up a bit of their time to supervise them when they are able. If a young person drops in for support, team members will take turns depending on if there are relationships already there to work with that youth to assist them with whatever they need, whether it be help with a resume, filling out applications for funding or education, getting them in contact with other community supports to assist them in a specific area.

Main Area Used for Drop-In's

I had an opportunity when some youth came over to play pool to get to know them a bit and just hangout. I think one of things I will always find a bit intimidating about this work is when going into a new space with new youth, you never can sure how the dynamics are going to play out. After working in the field for 7 years and working with young people for over 10 years I still go into these situations being very mindful of letting the youth lead the dance. The youth were a bit held back and one of their first responses to learning I was from Canada and doing my practicum in Finglas was, “Why would ya come to Finglas?” I found this question to be sometimes intimidating but have got better and much faster with a response since it seems to be a common question. The youth chatted to me about school, and asked me questions about Canada. A couple of the greatest being, do I have a pet bear, or do I know Justin Bieber, good openings into a few good laughs.

More of the Flinglas

In the evening I completed my first evening-shift doing work with the Detached Team; Derek and myself went out to walk the streets of Finglas. Derek explained more about the project and how Detached's main focus was to meet people where they are at, with youth who may be 'detached' from other services like The Den or some of the other projects that they would never access. As we walked I started to get a better feel for the community. Derek asked me a great deal of questions around Canada and some of our struggles. We didn’t see too many people and the young people we did see often would just say a quick hello and continue on their way most of the time, not taking the time to stop. But there were a few of the young people that Derek met up with that made plans to come into the centre because they needed some help with forms or finding a job. Another young man, Derek let know his probation officer had called to check up on him as he said he was keeping a low profile as people were looking for him. I was able to see the relationship that was formed with the community and the Detached Team and understand that when people were in need, these would be the people they would come to because their was trust was already formed. Derek explained their role in the community and the goals of the project. We talked, walked, met some bigger players in the community, and got a feel for the culture of Finglas and some of the struggles going on within this community (lack of employment; drug and alcohol abuse; economic issues; lack of community supports). But in contrast I was able to see the passion of the workers, strengths of the community, and the bonds that hold together the families.

Dinning Room and Kitchen, where I often drink my Tea

I came home around 9 pm as we had started a bit earlier in the evening as things were slow. Just as I got in Michael called to welcome me to Ireland; it was super lovely to hear his voice and I am so excited to meet up with all my friends in Athlone. Carmel came home after helping her son Shane wallpaper some rooms in his new home. Carmel make us some supper, which again was amazing, we had a glass of wine, and chatted. I am so lucky to have the opportunity to be staying with Carmel. It’s wonderful living in the community and getting to have a view from a family living in the community. Carmel has been so open and welcoming, I really could not ask for anything better. Amazing conversation and a great cup of tea, a wonderful way to end a very full day.