Update
Here is an update I wrote to my contacts at AJWS about how things are going at work. I have some pictures but am not so excited about carrying my camera around right now- I don't want it to get stolen...
I hope all is well with you. I wanted to send you an update on how things have been going in Managua at AMUCOBU.
I have been very pleased with how work has been progressing since I returned from the United States. I proposed to the staff here some of the ideas I had discussed with you when I was in NYC, and they were very open to implementing them. Last week I gave the first in a series of workshops to the staff on how to work with youth with drug and alcohol problems. First we discussed the nature of addictions, and then moved into treatment methods, particularly Harm Reduction, which I have extensive experience with from my past job. This week we will continue discussing Harm Reduction as well as practice some practical tools that they can use when working with groups of youth or individuals in counseling. Next I think we'll do some planning about how they can structure their programs here to include youth with drug and alcohol problems, because now they are not really invited to youth group events.
Also, we have had a series of activities related to the environment. I posted about one of them on my blog, with pictures, where we planted trees donated by the mayor's office. Last week I planned and facilitated a workshop with my counterpart, Gustavo, about the environmental impacts of garbage and ways to keep the neighborhood clean. This Saturday we will have a neighborhood cleanup day, with the help of the mayor's office who are providing a truck and 20 workers to help throw away and recycle trash. We formed an ecological brigade with the youth, who will go around the neighborhood on Thurs and Fri alerting families to put out their garbage, and to separate the paper, plastic, glass and aluminum. Hopefully it will go well.
I'm also continuing with English classes. I have a group of dedicated students who are motivated and perseverent. Today one of them sang a song by herself in front of the class, and another presented her, in English, using a marker as a fake microphone. It was fantastic, and very spur of the moment. Some things you just can't plan, and they turn out better than if you had planned them.
I hope all is well with you. I wanted to send you an update on how things have been going in Managua at AMUCOBU.
I have been very pleased with how work has been progressing since I returned from the United States. I proposed to the staff here some of the ideas I had discussed with you when I was in NYC, and they were very open to implementing them. Last week I gave the first in a series of workshops to the staff on how to work with youth with drug and alcohol problems. First we discussed the nature of addictions, and then moved into treatment methods, particularly Harm Reduction, which I have extensive experience with from my past job. This week we will continue discussing Harm Reduction as well as practice some practical tools that they can use when working with groups of youth or individuals in counseling. Next I think we'll do some planning about how they can structure their programs here to include youth with drug and alcohol problems, because now they are not really invited to youth group events.
Also, we have had a series of activities related to the environment. I posted about one of them on my blog, with pictures, where we planted trees donated by the mayor's office. Last week I planned and facilitated a workshop with my counterpart, Gustavo, about the environmental impacts of garbage and ways to keep the neighborhood clean. This Saturday we will have a neighborhood cleanup day, with the help of the mayor's office who are providing a truck and 20 workers to help throw away and recycle trash. We formed an ecological brigade with the youth, who will go around the neighborhood on Thurs and Fri alerting families to put out their garbage, and to separate the paper, plastic, glass and aluminum. Hopefully it will go well.
I'm also continuing with English classes. I have a group of dedicated students who are motivated and perseverent. Today one of them sang a song by herself in front of the class, and another presented her, in English, using a marker as a fake microphone. It was fantastic, and very spur of the moment. Some things you just can't plan, and they turn out better than if you had planned them.
posted by mbrigell at 9:19 AM
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