The Village Challenge

A Further Challenge!

So no takers to "The Village Challenge" we put up below on 19 Jun! and another missed chance to harness any good coming out of Hope 08. Since 11 May we've had the chance to talk with folks, young and old. Without too much help, yet, most people will acknowledge, we've made some difference but mainly through pure grit and determination. There;s loads of people want to help and keep saying it. But never on our website. Some keep saying they will but never do.

OK, rant over. So one of the benches got broken and this is what some folks are focusing on and if I can live with it, why can't they? I made it and will replace it, no-one got hurt and some good came out of it - one or two of those involved had pangs of conscience and wanted to sign up for this village challenge. And what was the point of this particular bench anyway? One or two of the "kids" even lifted their feet further along on the wall while I swept up the broken glass and litter. If that doesn't worry me, why should it worry you or am I just the village idiot with too much time on my hands and no living to make?

What worries me greatly is that everyone still wants to blame someone else and won't accept what to me is a simple challenge that can hurt no one, even though they can see with their own eyes what might be possible - provided someone else does it!

We've tried words and pictures. We've even set up a soap box in the middle of Leadgate and you know what? Most folks with perhaps a dozen exceptions, still don't recognise that we've all got some part to play. We could and should work together, otherwise the "bad" guys will carry one running rings around us! Why does everything always have to be an event instead of a process? What's wrong with taking all those good things coming out of Hope 08 and helping out with a few of the simple things we've got going and doing the same things as a part of our daily lives without planning out all the good,waiting for others to make decisions which quite often and quite frankly have little to do with them?

I keep saying lots of things. Communication is still awful and its not just about words. If anyone wants to help that's easy. Get in touch and do yourselves a favour simply by tapping into all the graft that's being done. We'll put you in touch with others thinking on the same lines and help out.

Use this page and comment facility to exchange and share information around this year's Leadgate Fun Day preparation.

Follow menu links, in particular to Hope 08 Web Page, to see scope. Our invitation is to work in conjunction with Consett YMCA Consett and Leadgate Drop-In Centre to facilitate the design and delivery of an action-centred learning programme, beginning with a 1-day activity circuit to coincide with the Leadgate Area Partnership's Fun Day i.e between 11.00 a.m and 4.00 p.m on Sunday, 21 July 2008.

Our aim is to create an activity circuit that is both safe and fun, based on a series of rolling tasks involving 4 teams of between 6 -8 people in competition, learning how to co-operate and communicate in the process. Teams will be self-selecting, a mix of young and old, with different skills sets and abilities. These teams will each control their own development, selecting their own leaders, observers and briefers for each task, putting the skills they learn into practice at a concluding planning session. The activity cicuit will be directed by D Shields and teams supported by accredited facilitators

The key themes of the day will be drawn from those in the "Key Skills" powerpoint linked through next section below. These will be agreed at the next LAP planning meeting. Equipment will be provided by D Shields and tasks determined in conjunction with Consett YMCA and Leadgate Drop-In Centre youth leaders. The tasks will be selected from the menu provided by D. Shields.

Groundwork (West Durham and Darlington), Sustrans (NE), representative members of other organisations eg DDC and other members of the education, business and community support sector will be invited to attend, as either observers or participants. These are the "players" who the "participants" will proposition to help develop a continuing programme involving the recreation of the "Leadgate Caretakers" and an on-going programme of action-centred learning. This will be in the form of a proposal which will be produced by the participants and presented by these at a date to be agreed after the conclusion of the demonstration day.

Key Skills Links to Documents

Navigate through this link below to view and download documents listed

http://www.pontvalley.net/dms/index.php?id=47

Powerpoint "Key Skills Development Programme:

Example "1-day" Village Challenge Progrmme.

Example Proposal:

Money Managment Programme (if required):

Please note we will add more template forms, tasks and training aids after next meeting.

Pont Valley Net Caretakers

Navigate through this link below to view/download documents listed

http://www.pontvalley.net/dms/index.php?id=48

Draft Caretaker Brochure

Created on 19/06/2008 12:09 PM by dshields
Updated on 21/07/2008 08:24 PM by dshields