The Smart School - Youth Coaching and Mentoring Blog » School

Just add Youth Coaching

Robert Stephenson — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 13:46:13 +0000

It’s the beginning of the year, and as we get back into the swing of things a few thoughts might come to mind about how you and your students can get the best out of the year.

It’s known that everyone is doing the best they can, both teacher, students and pupils, working hard to make learning a positive experience, although sometimes this becomes challenging and support is needed. Often we are aware of the challenges, however time can often be a factor.

Sometimes the challenges that are faced by the students and pupils can be over come with their own ideas, and it is those ideas, the ones generated by the students, that have the most passion and determination behind them. When young people are facilitated in the creation of their own solutions, they are more motivated and committed, working harder to achieve their solution.

Even the most challenging of students wants to improve their lives, not always knowing the best way forward, confused with the pressure of the media, peers and even parent’s. This can lead to students finding themselves on the edges of the classroom, outside of the groups with a desire to be involved, but without the skills to interact successfully.

And often, once we find the key for these students, the person they admire as role model, a loved one they want to show how great they can be, or a skill they already have and shine at. Once we find a way of working with what they are already doing well and facilitate the expansion of this into the rest of their world and thinking, we become the inspiration for positive change. And in that change we support the creation of positive, respectful, motivated young people, with the desire to do their best, leaving behind a positive legacy and role model for others to follow.

So how do we go about creating these changes?

One of the first steps is to ask question and listen deeply to the answers. Young people want their voices to be heard and it is providing that space that can make all the difference. Teachers are often in the best place to take that first step, but time can be the challenge. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time, short focused conversations with an individual can make a big difference. Also a whole class can explore the challenges faced by a few with disassociated role play and creative approaches.

You can hire a professional youth coach to work with your young people or train your teachers in the skills of youth coaching, both on short and long courses designed to fit your needs.

If you have any questions about how youth coaching can help you create positive, motivated, inspired young people, then please get in contact.

The role of the Teacher

Robert Stephenson — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 23:18:35 +0000

A few Tuesday’s ago I was invited to be on the panel at a Teach First event, where we were exploring the idea of Leaders as Motivators. This got me thinking about the role of the teacher; the leader, the motivator, the coach, the role model, the mentor.

Teachers have a lot going on in the classroom, as well as teaching there are the behaviour challenges that they face form both the young people and sometimes their parents. There are the continual changes around what and how to teach. And then there are the tests, where the teacher is held responsible for the young people achievements/results and in turn this reflects on the schools position in the league tables.

No wonder teachers are stressed out, having trouble with their time management and life balance, and at the same time we expect them to be brilliant.

So a question might be, how does a teacher manage all these roles?

Well I think the answer is in how they lead, how they motivate, and how they inspirer those around them.

When I work in schools, it’s clear to see those teachers who understand that they are the leader in the classroom, but that doesn’t mean they are the ruler. They have conversations with the young people they teach, are strong, fair and consistent. That way the young people know where they stand, knows the rules of the classroom and the boundaries of the teacher.

The teachers that are able to engage their class in learning, through stories, personal experience, creative activities, are also motivating and inspiring. The young people are excited to learn and want to learn. However it takes time and energy to create exciting engaging lessons, which is where the time management comes in, which is an area a teacher and a coach can work on.

A lot of teachers find that they are overwhelmed with the amount of work that have placed in front of them. I wish I could cast a magic spell and make it disappear…bit that’s not quite possible yet. However what is possible is working together, working in teams so that you are able to share the workloads, share experience and share skills.

Once you have that motivated engaged classroom, the chances are that you will have no need to manage behavioural. Where you do have behaviour issues, you can take on the coaches role to explore what is needed, what’s going on in that young persons world, perhaps using the 3Fs model.

Asking questions to expand awareness, awareness by the young people of how their behaviour impacts their learning, and their future. A lot of the challenging young people I work with, have very little idea of how their behaviour will impact them in years to come. I remember talking with one young man who had been arrested for breaking windows for fun, and then, as the session moved on he realised that his actions would now stop him from travelling to America.

A teacher who is able to listen to a young persons challenge and help them find a solution through questions and a sharing of their own experience, steps into the role of the mentor. Able to both listen and share relevant experience. I’m not saying that teachers should share their life’s story with young people, but simply remember that they were young once, may have had similar challenges, and are able to give some options, ideas, and show that there is a positive way forward.

It’s not an easy life being a teacher, but it is certainly a rewarding one. We remember our great teachers, and perhaps teachers, coaches, and mentors working together can create great classrooms too.

I wonder how you might manage the various roles that are presented to you as a teacher, a leader, motivator, coach, role model or the mentor?

Taking time out to breathe

Robert Stephenson — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 09:33:41 +0000

Recently I have been busy putting lots of new programmes together in schools, youth centres, for mentoring projects as well as my own Coaching, NLP and Hypnotherapy.

As a Youth Coach and Mentor I find there is a lot of activity, in schools especially, at the start of a new academic year; coaching teachers around time management and implementation of new policies. Working with young people, enabling them to manage their new transitions within school and to new schools. Developing creative thinking and teaching.

As well as one of my new projects at Stormont House, where we are helping young people find their “Element” through creative activity and exploration, bassed on the work by Ken Robinson and in his book “The Element”.

So there is a lot going on, and I have to manage my own time and my own state too. Which reminded me of the work of David Shephard and Michael Mellows. They both place an importance on breathing. Taking time out to focus on your own breath.

I wonder if you just stopped reading for a moment and became aware of your own breathing, what you might notice?

This morning while writing my “Morning Notes”, a concept from “The Artists Way” I realised how tense I was, and how my breathing was caught up high in my chest. So I stopped what I was doing and simply took the time to focus on my breathing, nice deep breaths right down into my tummy.

A lot of us breathe with our shoulders, pulling them up to our ears as we breathe in, not realising that this doen’t really help, in fact it can make you even more tense. Simply allow your breath to drop right into your tummy and your rib cage to swing out.

By simply focusing on your breathing and letting your thoughts wonder off, coming back to your breathing, you are able to entre a far more calm and relaxed state.

So the next time you find you have a lot going on, are tense or nervous. Facing a group of challenging students, or going for an important meeting. Stop and take the time to breathe. Perhaps it might become part of your daily ritual, like meditation or yoga.

I would also be interested to hear any other techniques you might use, like counting to 10 or visualisations, so feel free to leave a comment.

“What would you choose to do if you had unlimited resources?”

Robert Stephenson — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 09:29:34 +0000

“What would you choose to do if you had unlimited resources?” was the question asked in the book I’m currently reading; Change your life in 7 days by Paul Mckenna. He says, just before asking the question, to open your thinking, to allow your mind to dream and dream big…well maybe some of those are my words too, but that’s the idea, to dream big.

So dream big I did, in fact it’s a dream that I’ve had before, it’s the one where I open a coaching centre for young people. It’s more than a coaching centre, it’s a place where young people receive coaching, creative, confidence, self esteem, career, communication training. All underpinned with the coaching ethos, to enable them to be the best they can be, doing what they love.

Working in groups and individually with coaches, NLPers, and creative practitioners. The work would explore all the senses, almost like a school…perhaps it is a school, an alternative school where the aim is to learn about self through the arts, creativity, coaching and NLP.

It would be like all the best projects I’ve ever done rolled into one. Visits to the theatre, where we explore the characters and their relationships to each other, seeing how we would play out their roles differently, returning back to the centre where we role play the events. Using a mixture of Forum Theatre, NLP, coaching and artwork.

We would also have creative development days, spending time exploring the minds of great creative thinkers from history, from present and of course the future. Young people have wonderfully creative minds, however tif hat creativity is not put to productive use it can create all sorts of problems. So we would look at how they can use their creativity in positive ways.

There are lots of young entrepreneurs projects, and I’m sure they do wonderful work. We would not only work with the young people and their ideas, we would also enable their ideas to take shape, creating role models for the future. And jobs right now, jobs doing what the young people love.

We would have healthy foods and exercise, team sports and meditation. A space where young people can discover what they are good at, where there skills lay, and a safe supportive place where they can explore their futures.

Of course this would be expensive, but it’s a dream, and while I’m dreaming lets have the very best in technology available, lets have a design space where the young people create the technologies of the future. With music and fashion studios. And at the front a shop where we sell what we create.

This is a wonderful dream, I wonder what your dreams might be? And who is there to help and support making our dreams come true?

Creating Safe Space

Robert Stephenson — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 22:11:23 +0000

I’m doing some reading this week; Change Your Life In 7 Days by Paul McKenna. I was reading it as part of my NLP and Hypnotherapy studies, and as I’m reading it a few thoughts came to mind.

As always everything I read or come across, I think about how it would work with young people, how I can change, adapt or develop it. I have this belief that whether I’m working with adults, teenagers or young children, the approach and ideas are the same, it’s just the language that changes, and it doesn’t really change, it’s just that you find the access point for whoever it is you are working with, but the content is still the same.

The book starts off by talking about our thinking, and some of us are already aware of the ideas around, what we think we create, and that our thinking creates our experiences. Henry Ford said, ‘Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re probably right’.

So this leaves me thinking about young people’s thinking, and how we enable them to have the thoughts that says they can, how do we create environments that allow them to have positive images about themselves and their abilities.

The first points of call are the parents and the teachers, they are the ones who are in contact with young people most of their formative years. So part of enabling young people to have positive images of themselves, is by enable teachers and parents, giving them the ability and skills to create the environments where these thoughts can be about what they can do, and how great they can be.

There are ideas that Paul McKenna shares about our thinking of ourselves, he calls it: The Three Selves; and at the heart of our three selves is our authentic self, the real us, the person we are deep down.

The work that I do with young people tells me that the only way you can access the authentic self is when the environment is one where the young people feel safe. So as Parents, Teachers, Mentors, Youth Coaches and Dynamic Youth Coaches, we have to find ways of creating this safe space. And a first step might be to ask the young people we work with, what would make a safe space for you?

I’m keen to hear their responses, so if you work with young people please ask and let me know their answers. In the mean time, perhaps ask yourself what would a safe space look like, feel like, sound like for you to be your authentic self?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if…

Robert Stephenson — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 18:15:03 +0000

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all this positive appreciation for sporting achievement could be transfered into the classrooms, the youth clubs, the street corners. And young people began to see how hard work and determination works.

If they could see that setting goals in the first place, was one of the first steps on the journey to achieving them and the work you put into achieving them was the second. That goals are an important part of life, being able to know what you want and move towards it, knowing what you are aiming for, able to put the hard work in and be supported in the process.

Like the sports men and women, supported by your coach, trainer, physio, family, and all the people that are in the background, enabling you to make it happen.

And I wonder how many young people feel this support around them? From school, friends, and family. How many of them have a Youth Coach to work with them, a Mentor to share their knowledge and experience.

Some schools are doing a fabulous job of supporting their young people, other schools are doing the best they can. As a Youth Coach, I want everybody, every young person to have that support, that guidance, to be in a position where they are able to see the opportunities and possibilities of the life before them, able to see the positive changes and contributions they can make.

Working with young people can be challenging, I know this to be true, however when you get past that, get to where they are, their start point and work with them. The rewards are amazing and something to be proud of, both for you and them.

I listened to the athlete, the long jumper who is now an Olympic gold medalist, Greg Rutherford, talk about nearly giving it all up, and with the help of the team behind him was able to continue. Wouldn’t it be great if we could be part of that team for young people, as teachers, coaches and mentors. Working with them to achieve their own golds, their own goals.

I work in schools, youth clubs, summer schools and on projects to be part of making this happen. Let me know where and how you work with young people to facilitate their goals and dreams, perhaps we can find ways to work together.

Circus School and the Youth Coach

Robert Stephenson — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 22:09:40 +0000

This week I’m spending it teaching young people circus skills. They range from 6 years old, up to 11. And the funny thing is that you can’t turn off being a youth coach. I’m full of energy and positivity all day long, needless to say I’m spending the evenings on the sofa unable to move…not as young as I once was

Whether you are running a coaching session or a circus skills class, there are approaches that are similar. Firstly you have to have a clear goal for all, the young people need to know what the aim of the classes are, just as in a coaching session you are exploring the issue or creating the goal.

As a coach you need to know and prepare your tools and templates, with the circus school I’m busy setting up the spinning plates as well as untangling the diablo strings. I’m sure there is a metaphor in there somewhere, about the time it takes to untangle the string in between each class, knowing that they will be tangled again…

There are two things that mostly resemble the way I coach the most when running the classes. How the young people treat each other and the language they use when attempting to learn new skills.

The young people, some of which know each other, are her to learn and to have fun. That being the case sometimes the behaviour can be quite challenging as they run around and get quite excited with the games and the equipment. However during all this it is important that they remain respectful to each other, allowing people to have a go at new things without feeling embarrassed about not being great the first time, so I spend lots of time and energy getting them to treat each other with a positive attitude, getting them to watch and change their language, to share the equipment and making sure that everyone is involved.

When the young people are trying out new skills, like juggling, they often start with the statement “Oh I can’t do this” or “This is going to be hard” And like any great youth coach or teacher, we begin by talking about giving something a go first then seeing how it goes, we talk about the idea of practice and what happens when you do. Also I spend lots of time getting them to try all of the various types of equipment until they find what they are good at.

That way they have something to shine with, as well as the new things to learn. I love what I do, even if I’m totally knackered at the end of the day. Watching the young people learn and develop is wonderful, seeing them have a great time whilst learning is just the best. Also knowing that all this fun and learning of skills will also go into them become great young people, with memories of success and being listened to. Of having a safe space to explore new things and gain confidence.

Whenever you are working with young people, explore how you can bring your own coaching skills into the experience. Perhaps you too will find that caching is possible what ever you are doing.

Why I do what I do. Part 3. Seeing the changes

Robert Stephenson — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 20:36:28 +0000

The moment I realised that something I said had the power to change somebodies thinking for the better, the positive, my world changed forever. And once I started it was impossible to stop. It’s like rolling downhill, you just build momentum until you get to the bottom and find a new hill to roll down.

During drama school I created community based arts projects. Interviewing the local community and creating plays that reflected their world. Using the teachings of Augusto Boal we attempted to become the mirror for society to view itself, what it was doing, how it was behaving and offering it the opportunity to change.

This work, like Youth Coaching, is based on the idea that the individual has to come to their own understanding about the choices they make, to become aware of who they are and their actions/patterns/behaviours. When I look back now, it’s crystal clear that this early exploration was preparing me for the work I do today. And it was the changes I saw in the people I worked with, the young people, the audiences and the workshop participants, that fuelled my passion to keep going.

Keep going…how so? I hear you cry.

Well it goes a little bit like this. You’re in a school hall with a group of 14 year olds, looking at you with that expression of come on impress me if you dare. We begin our show all about a broken family, a son drawn towards the gang world in order to fit in, find a place where he can be recognised/appreciated/noticed. Then comes the police, the arrests, the impact on the family, the responses of his mum and finally the questions he asks himself about what he did, the actions and the outcomes.

At this point the show stops and I step forward, offering the audience the chance to stop the action at any point they think our main character, the son, could make a different choice, create a different outcome. And in that moment the audience comes alive, with ideas and options, sharing their own experiences, offering advice. Both the serious and the ridiculous, and even then finding ways to twist and turn it, to create something useful. And all the while each individual is taking something different form the show/ideas.

Now I know that I didn’t change the world that day however I know I did change minds, I enabled members of the audience to think about their actions, their lives and the choices they make. And just one person rethinking their actions makes it worth it, just one person moving from joining a gang to going to college, or getting a job, becomes part of the change.

The theatre created the space that I now create as a Youth Coach, working one 2 one or in groups, the space that says it’s safe to share your thoughts, to think differently, to question what you think everybody else is up to, to make changes. And by creating this space, by enabling and facilitating the changes in the young people I work with, I make a difference, I am part of their positive change. A change that continues well after I’m gone, a bit like the ideas in the theatre show that live with us well after the curtain has closed.

Why I do what I do. Part 2. The Drama Teachers

Robert Stephenson — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 07:03:03 +0000

It’s the end of senior high and we have finished our exams. I say finished, I didn’t really take them, in fact I had no idea back then what you were supposed to be doing, no guidance or understanding of study skills. I’m sure somebody told us what to do, but that was were the problems begin, they told us.

As a Dynamic Youth Coach, it’s not about telling, it’s about asking questions, understanding who the young people are, perhaps using the Feel, Fact, Future model to get a detailed understand and create a real connection with the young people. It’s also about mentoring, sharing your own experiences so that the young people realise that you too are a person.

So picture this; I have just finished my exams, and haven’t done very well, that’s the polite way of putting . I go to see my drama teacher. Drama had been the one area where I had found an understanding, a connection with learning. I had loved being in the class and creating theatre. Turning to my drama teacher, I say;

“I haven’t done very well Miss, but I could stay on and do drama, that would be fun”

She looks at me and replies;

“Don’t bother, you’ll never make it into drama school, and even if you do, you’ll never be able to afford it, so don’t waste your time”

Step into my life my second drama teacher, a different woman completely. My youth coach, although they didn’t have that name back then. I met her at the Weekend Arts College, a place where young people got together on Saturday and Sunday mornings to do dance, drama and music classes. But it was more than that, it was a place where they showed young people that there are possibilities, that you can have dreams. And by putting in the hard work you can make a difference in your life.

They listened to how we felt about the world, and helped us create theatre that mirrored that. We looked at the facts of our worlds, what were our skills, who to turn to, where to find support, how to adapt how you behave in order to get that audition or into college. Then together we planned the future, exploring the possibilities of dance or drama school, university, becoming performers or teachers, or simply using the skills we had learnt in other working environments.

This way of working developed our teambuilding skills, our communication, our confidence and self esteem. We went from a group of young people with no ideas or hope, into a group of young adults with dreams, ideas and respect for others.

And the question I ask myself is ”which drama teacher do I want to be?”

I don’t even have to think about it. The second drama teacher. The only way to create a world where people get on and work together, is to work with young people, is to help them see the possibilities in their world. To truly listen to what they have to say, without judgement, and respond in positive, open and honest ways. To create relationships with young people where they not only want to talk to you about what is going on for them, but are also willing to listen and hear the questions you offer them.

I believe that we have to find ways to connect with young people in order to create change. And as a Dynamic Youth Coach, that’s what I do. Because if we do not connect, if we don’t listen, if we don’t offer help and support….who will?

Some are lucky enough to have wonderful, supporting and loving parents, others are not so lucky. This very morning I was at the train station where a couple were having a heated discussion about each others friends, a child of about 4 sat in between them as they smoked their joint and used the most creative language ever. This child sat their listening and watching, and learning that that’s how adults communicate, that’s the way people behave.

And I wondered who was going to be there for her, who was going to enable her to find new possibilities, help her to become a positive member of her society? The first drama teacher won’t, the second will. Perhaps that second drama teacher will be you, a youth coach, helping her and other young people see the possibilities of a different future.

Why I do what I do. Part 1 The Theatre Company

Robert Stephenson — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 23:21:56 +0000

Recently I was asked the question;

“Why are you a Life coach, a Youth Coach…why do you do what you do?”

The short answer is, it’s needed, young people growing up today, right now, need someone who is able to allow them to see who they are, the potential they have, and the steps/action needed to achieve their goals, to reach their potential.

The long answer will take a couple of posts, so lets start at the beginning, the place where the passion was first forged.

It’s back in the day and I’m at school, primary school and a few of the classes are in the main hall, a man in a white coat walks in and asks for our help. He is supposed to be meeting another scientist, who hasn’t turned up and they have an experiment that they need to do.

Now back then I had no idea that this was a piece of Educational Theatre, that he was an actor, and the design of the interactive play was to get us thinking, exploring colour and it’s parts.

To this day I still remember it, I remember colouring in the triangels on a circle with primary colours and spinning it around so fast that it became one colour, it became white. I then had the idea of putting the circle on the pottery wheel and seeing if we could get it to spin fast enough to create white. And we did.

So how did this event create the Youth Coach of today? Well firstly engagement, this event engaged me like no other before, the actors listened to us, heard our ideas, and allowed us the space to try things out. This space is the space that I now create as a Youth Coach. I work with the space to create a freedom, a non judgemental approach, like all good coaches, that enables the young people to give their ideas a go.

But not only give their ideas a go, but to have the ideas. As a young person growing up there are many challenges. One of them being the challenge to get things right. Young people grow up in a world where play and exploration are being pushed out, for the right answer. Although businesses want the creative mind, the new idea, the imagination to create new and interesting products. Lots of schools have gone into an academic right way of doing things, without the exploration, play and use of imagination.

As a Youth Coach, as a Creative Youth Coach, I bring back that space, open that space so that the young people can experiment with their ideas and their thinking. Can try new things out and do things in different ways.

As a Youth Coach you have to be engaging, you have to be able to walk into a room of young people and begin a conversation that takes them on a journey, that enables the space for creativity, thinking, exploration and curiosity to dance.

As adults we sometimes forget the power of our words, and how a little encouragement can open the door to a young persons future. Now I can’t say that it was only because of this event, but I went on to train as an actor and become a theatre in education teacher before becoming a Youth Coach, but that’s another story that I’ll share in a future post.

Right now what I want to say to you is, as a Youth Coach, as a Practitioner that works with young people, your actions, and your words have the power to turn a young persons life around. Youth Coaches are role models, and as such need to take that on, need to behave in a positive, encouraging, supportive manner from before you walk into that school, youth club or community centre. And at the end of your session or coaching, that authentic desire to inspire young people to achieve their dreams, needs to live on, needs to be visible so that as you walk down the corridor, leave the school, get on that train or into your car, the young people see that that is you, and that you want the very best for them, not just in the session, but in life.

The actors I worked with all those years ago had this, and by behaving in this way captured or ignited something in me that burns bright to this very day. For me it was the beginning of the passion, of having an idea, taking actions and seeing the idea come to life. The beginnings of knowing that with the right support and encouragement, I could have new ideas and take action to create their reality.

Back then I had no idea about Youth Coaching, and perhaps in the job you currently do, the work isn’t called Youth Coaching, but it’s enabling young people to have ideas and dreams and goals. And you might be helping them find ways to create their dreams.

So perhaps like those actors you are already a kind of life coach, and what you do will enable a young person to go a magical journey, perhaps similar to mine, where they explore their possibilities, and in doing so they become amazing adults.

If you have all the skills to do that, then keep doing what your doing. However if you are missing something, then perhaps these posts will help you find it, perhaps becoming a Dynamic Youth Coach will enable you to find that missing piece, enabling you to step into the role, to facilitate, encourage and inspirer young people to be great adults.