1st session: 11.5.2010

setting up stage
i had bring my cloth and my toys far away from island to mainland.
it's really need a lot of time to put the toys neat and tidy :)
it's not a display, but will be a warm-up for my group children about what am i going to work out with them from May 2010 till November 2010.
It's a long term work.


today, i clock out from my office, island
then i reach the children HOME around 2.30pm in mainland
i start to discuss with my superior and my colleague about my own plan.
we start to do some brief discussion, then i let them know about the procedure i am going to run the group. The discussion agree that i will take in charge of the group as leader.

warm up
just would like to share, warm up is a very important to let the ball start rolling. in this children HOME, there is a habit whereby the children love to call adult, or the worker in that home (especially the staff) as ibu (Malay language meaning - mother), or as kakak ( Malay Language as sister) or cikgu (Malay Language as teacher)
i am not the children mother, i am not the children sister neither teacher. hence i refuge to asked them to call me that. i say i prefer u call my name, "10"

the rules had to be clear, i do not want them to have counter-tranference
the professional work had to be very clear, if not, later it will make the children confuse.
(as i know most of the children in the HOME is due to abuse, neglected by the parents)

Warm Up: Namastate:
Wishing each other well. Form a circle and getting to know each other

Children were asked to introducing themselves and run into centre to shout out their name by saying " i am x10, then make a movement" (shaking, crounch, jumps etc)

while i thought this maybe easy for the children to do so. but
there is a specific girl who take 10 minutes to able to do so.
the confidence level is such low, that she dare not show herself :)
a lot of debrief work and encouragement to her and able her to do that.

2nd activity to build trust:Driver and passenger game
pairs in group. passenger in front, driver at back.
driver will drive the passenger together....

observation:
most of the children did't follow instruction and did not blindfold the eyes.
3rd activity:
setting Ground rules
the children was provided blank paper and discussed what the rules they would like to put into this group. they can write it down or draw it out.

finally:10 rules being agree, as the children write it down on the paper. i make a simple conclusion here, as the children convey in Bahasa Melayu.

(1) follow rule
(2) pay attention
(3) listen
(4) follow instruction
(5) no fight/ be friendly
(6) punctual
(7) be nice to group member/ make friends with them
(8) cooperation/ work together
(9) keep this group as secret, not telling others' people
(10) when others member talk, keep quiet and listen

after that, children will called out one by one to read out loud the rules they agree, then the children will moved to station to paint their hand with colour they preferred.
Afterward, the children will print on the paper they had draw/write the rules

When they print their hand, they will write/initial their name there. meaning they agree to follow the rules being set by them together.

main development: sharing

children was asked to take one toy from the table, come back and sit in round, to share about that they choose. how thef feel about the toys, and what the toys remind about them?

closure : RELAXATION

the children was asked to put back all the toy on table
then the children was asked to lay down and in "dead man" position. imary technique was guide to let them feel relax.
children was giving a accreditation with what they show today.
like" u are such co-operative"
welldone! good!




***************************************************************

wow......
for me, this is really challenging work. if i m going to do it alone, really exacting
i am glad i have two c0-facilitator today to help me.

thought of today:
1. some of them really unable to give cooperative
2. love to disturb people, while rules have to be inform again and again :)
3. talkative
4. take a long time to settle down
5. age group with differ too much.

i think that's it at the moment.
will add on, if any thoughts come back to me

after a long break.......

yes, i am back again :)
it's had been a long time since i stop here.
before this, i had puposed to my superior WHY not do a group work with children in HOME? as there is alotof the children suffer psychological, emotionally, and most of them are in disequilibrium of emotion state. WHY not we do it and start group work?

for screening purpose, i had go to the HOME 3 times to review the file
the categorization work was done by my bos...

YES, finally, my group was given 10 of them, there will be a co-facilitator to help me.
and i am also become a co-facilitator for another group.

the preparation stage is a lot of work
screening, questionnaire
interview n etc

i would like to thanks: Melinda, Priscilla, Seok Binn, Phaik Nee and Cheng for theri effort to come out with a operatin Young Ones
with the agreement with them, i had distributed this mannual for my team in my workplace as guidance.

YES, i am not sure whether the team are going to use it?
but myself will try to run once and do some fine tuning :)

ALEX, thanky you again for willing to be my supervisor...
i will update u with my progress via blog and email

TQ

i think i am lucky,
and i think,
i am happy with what i doing now, though it is limited resources
but i learn to appreciate what i have and
contribute my effort for my community setting.

starting a group in children home

yes, this coming May
i am going to start a group work with children
i am having fear actually
after i had reviewing the background of the children
most of the children facing the emotional pain, unsecurity, violence, bullying, and the most important is most of the group children had been sexually abuse by ppl they know, include their parents

i am going to start a group work with them
TRUST is the most challenge issues for me.
i share the cppd group work module from ALS members with my colleague
i didn;t follow up with them whether it is applicable for them
but, for myself, i see this as a guideline for myself
and i will try to do some modification according to what had been plan

wish me all the best