Today is a busy day for a lot of youth workers. One of our jobs is to help offer diversionary activities to young people, giving them something else to do on a night where maybe they might think about getting up to some mischief. So tonight where I work we have two big events going off, and that mean a lot of planning!!!
10am- Call at centre to start setting up resources, buy food to make chilli and chocolate apples, buy giant canvas for firework artwork
12pm- Grab some lunch and put together playlist for party. Check rodeo bull is coming and pack rest of items in car.
2pm- Health Drop in at a school. Let young people know about activities tonight and dish out condoms to many many people! Check someone in centre number one into the evening to keep an eye on chilli.
4pm-Stick chilli in slow cooker, set up sound system and unpack at centre number one
5pm- Move pool table, make posters for activities, re-book dance studio at more reasonable price, set up Dj system & black light, check all resources ready and instructions straightforward for staff, print photobooth props, check e-mails and discuss plans with co-worker at centre number two.
6pm- Leave centre number two as 20 young people arrive 30min early for event, realise forgot photobooth props and go back.
6:30pm- Arrive back at centre number one just in time to arrange location of rodeo bull. discuss whether bull will fit in hall, ask young person who rang earlier offering some help to cut our photo booth props while decorating building. Realise drinks fountain is broke and send another young person for more drinks.
7pm- Young people start arrive at centre number two, realise rodeo bull DOESN'T fit in hall make minor adjustments to ensure safety and hope for the best, explain to staff plan for evenings activities. Ring centre number one, find out they still have young people arriving after 30min and it is looking busy, arrange to go back to centre two to support evening.
7:30pm-Arrive back at centre number two realise there are over 100 young people in! PANIC! then realise that actually the young people are happy and busy with activities. Thank older members for helping staff who are really busy. check all staff are aware of what they are doing and call in to check on dance teacher.
8pm- Finally make it back from dance studio after being stopped by various people about bookings, future plans, applying for funding pots. Ask older members to help finish off artwork. Change playlist as young people not dancing and ask older members to supervise playlist.
8:15pm- Check on dancers and ask if ready to perform for group, go back over the centre and realise the changed playlist worked as now cannot move on dance floor. Clear space for routine which went of well and got a big cheer and start trying to kick out young people.
8:40pm-Finally get rid of all young people and leave staff to pack up and count up money for centre number two. Head back to centre number one to check on nights progress.
9pm-Arrive at centre number one as young people are finishing activties. Realise chilli hs not been very sucessful and help clean up mess from evening. Get phone call from colleugue about moving pool table. give up on tidying and leave in a mess for the morning.
9:30- FINALLY leave centre number one and think about wether a box of chocolates counts as tea!??! decide its enough, get home, write blog, eat chocolates.
...and breathe!
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