Dreamcatchers Reach Programme

We are currently working on a new project called the Dreamcatchers Reach Programme, which aims at increasing the aspirations and skill-base of young people not currently in education, employment or training. The programme is also a useful tool to re-engage young people who are at risk of exclusion or dropping out of mainstream education.

The programme focuses on building the knowledge, skills, attitudes and abilities that people need to function in society. This is achieved by equipping them with psychological and emotional tools which will help them achieve true and measurable progress in all aspects of their lives. The human development psychology programmes of the Pacific Institute underpin this programme. Participants will complete either the GO FOR IT, BREAKTHROUGH or STEPS program dependent on their age and capabilities.

Each session combines a unit of the Pacific Institute programme with opportunities for experiential learning that utilise outdoor adventure activities and community based environmental projects. The idea behind combining ‘class room’ time and outdoor activities will ensure that the skills and concepts that have been introduced to the young people through the first half of the session will be assimilated by practical application during the second half. This will ensure the skills young people learn are transferable into every day situations and across diverse environments.

We are excited about how this program will improve self-esteem and self-awareness in young people giving them increased confidence and communication skills to seek hope. We believe as the young peoples self-esteem and awareness improve they will be well placed to resist peer pressure and to remain a good citizen and a positive contributor to society.

This new project is following on from the recent Breakthrough program administered by Andy Hamill, one of the Proton Facilitators. We will be keeping you updated on the progress of this new project, at present we have pilot programmes set for Manchester and North Derbyshire. For more information or details on how you can get involved or host one such program in your area please contact us on andy.hamill@protonfoundation.com.

Breakthrough Programme

After securing funding from the Catalyst Fund; one of our Proton Associates Andy Hamill was able to deliver a ten-week programme of activities to a group of eight young people who were aged 14 and were at risk of exclusion from their school, Highfields College of the Arts in Derbyshire, UK. The programmes aim was to help these young people get back on track at school.

At the centre of this ten-week programme was the The Pacific Institutes “Breakthrough Course” which was jointly facilitated by Proton’s Andy Hamill and a colleague of Andy’s from the Dreamcatchers organisation from Manchester. Added to this core facet was a number of activities including outdoor and sporting activities, first aid course, environmental education and dry stone walling.

Activities took place in the morning and the Breakthrough Course material was delivered afterwards. The aim being to use the various activities to bring the TPI material to life and make it tangible. The aims were achieved according to Andy Hamill when he expressed: “It certainly worked. For example we took the group climbing on the second week. Many approached the climb with great apprehension, truly believing they couldn’t climb it. After some encouragement, the whole group made it up and down the crag. Their blind spot had been overcome, their own truth overturned. It is great to be able to take that back into the classroom and relate it to a situation in the groups life or an ambition they believe they can’t fulfill.”

This course was the first of it’s kind in the area and we are excited about it’s success. The group now feels more confident and realise that they are in control of their own future. They have been given the tools to overcome the barriers in their lives. In addition to this, the group gained three accreditations including a John Muir Award, First Aid certificate and The Pacific Institute’s Breakthrough Certificate.

Further funding has been secured to run a further three courses in High Peak and Derbyshire Dales area which means that a further three groups of at-risk teenagers will have the opportunity to unlock the key in their own lives to step above and beyond in achievements and their belief in their personal potential.

Andy commented recently saying, “I think there is going to be a greater demand for this sort of work within schools. The schools new SEB’s (social, emotional and behavioral skills) curriculum is going to demand it. The TPI material feeds directly into it. It presents us with a fantastic opportunity to be of a real, tangible benefit to the schools in our areas.”

If you want any more information on the ten-week programme or want to be involved in the process of seeing something similar take place in your area please feel free to contact Andy Hamill on Mobile 07962 20 55 02.