Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Present Aid - the best of presents


The festive shopping season got into full swing last week, with the Black Friday sales, followed by a burst of internet shopping on Cyber Monday.

To balance the bargain hunting, Present Aid is supporting Giving Tuesday today. This is the annual international day of giving, celebrating the good work people like you do to help others in need.

At Present Aid, we offer you gifts with a difference for your family, friends or office Secret Santa. The gifts you buy will bring vital help to people in need around the world. Our quirky presents are guaranteed to raise a smile!

If you haven't started your Christmas shopping yet, or are looking for a stocking filler, check the list below and visit the Present Aid shop.

With warmest wishes and thanks,

Tom Malone

Tom Malone
The Present Aid Team
BEST-SELLING GIFTS
A NANNY GOAT
A NANNY GOAT
£22
It's Giving Tuesday. Our ever-popular gift of a goat could provide a family with the means to start a business and help transform their lives.

SCHOOL MATERIALS
SCHOOL MATERIALS
£9
Many families can't afford to send their children to school. You could give them the textbooks, stationery and essentials they need to study.

BUILD A GRANARY
BUILD A GRANARY
£50
Help a farmer in Mali build a granary today, and they'll be able to store crops properly to sell at market, allowing their family to plan for the future.

 
A PAIR OF BOOTS
A PAIR OF BOOTS
£10
You could help provide some of the most vulnerable refugees with footwear to protect them during the cold, wet winter months.

FAMILY HYGIENE KIT
FAMILY HYGIENE KIT
£11
Hygiene kits – including soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, nappies and women's sanitary products – are essentials that can bring a sense of normality.

A SAFE PLACE TO SLEEP
A PLACE TO SLEEP
£20
This Christmas, your gift could help provide a survivor of sexual violence with a safe place to rest and the means to rebuild their life.

HOW IT WORKS
Choose a gift
Send a card
Transform lives

#Group-Work with Young Adults in a #YMCA #Hostel on a Christmas theme.



Group Work
The objective is always DEVELOPMENTAL





Group work.
OBJECTIVES::
Developmental
Building Confidence
Encouraging self esteem
Christmas theme.

Context::
A late night gathering
of Hostel Residents
late teens/early 20's
separated from family
for various reasons
and feeling it ........




I started by giving each member of the group 
a little Christmas tree the size if a 5 pence coin.

Then I asked what feelings they had - 
seeing - feeling this. 
As usual, many have difficulty to contact how they feel. 
Out-slipped words like 
'I hate Christmas', 
'I don't like Christmas', 
'I have no money to buy, not even, one present.'

I then moved to asking them 
who the main human characters were 
in the Christmas story. 
The first word uttered was 'Santa'. 
Soon after there was a list of eight mentioned - 
(come on - you can do this yourself now!)

Their names/descriptions went into a hat, 
Jesus too. 
Each drew one and I went around the circle 
asking how they thought that one character 'felt' - 
feelings question.

Here are some stand out feelings;

Mary - stressed
Joseph - scared/worried
Innkeeper - guilty
King - good-to-give
Shepherd - in awe
Angel - 'yes'! - sorted!

Three noted as negative feelings and 
they were the main focus of the whole affair 
as responsible adults.
The rich - feeling good to give not receiving.
The tough rough/simple life style shepherd - awe - overwhelmed.

The last one was a dead pleased Angel 
who really knew that this was pretty good news 
........... "YESSSSSSS"

Why do this?
Why do I do this sort of group work?

• am on a journey to cultivate in myself, 
and others, an increasing ability 
to be able to get into contact my/their own feelings.
• Looking at others and empathising is a learning process into sensitivity.
• Articulating those feelings is a process of 'owning' such powerful things as feelings and becoming Emotionally Literate.
• A human identification with a powerful historical spiritual human story. 
Reality at Christmas - to escape the tinsel 
for some small moments ....
.... and it was stinking good .........

Why not try it on humans around you?
Adapt - of course.
You never know, they may be pleased to talk 'real' 
midst the rest of the Christmas slippery slope.

I am 'being' with, during the week, 
humans who are;
Visibly self harming
Severe depressed
Lost and uncertain
Lonely and afraid
No place like home to go at Christmas
Refugee
No money for food.
Failing health - vulnerable.


Deep feelings and disturbed
(the last one is me 
and I want to be disturbed!)"

So that was a group work experience.
It stirs my bones
to feel what they feel.
Create a space where they can trust.
Trust at a level
where they can share vulnerabilities.
Not that ANSWERS are given.
BUT support by being able to voice
their inner life - hurts - struggles ......

Do you know anyone hurting at Christmas.
It can be overwhelming
but - we can't do everything
but we can all do something .....


bBeautiful this Christmas .....



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BEING OKAY ...................

A LETTER TO SANTA

Monday, November 28, 2016

Becoming Questions (and answers by many) 'NEW' Book





Becoming Questions


Preview
Price: £8.00 
(excl. VAT)
Prints in 3-5 business days
I have always asked questions.
There is never a right or wrong answer.
Only you have the right answer - 
Because they are BECOMING Questions.

One day I posted on my website::
www.pipwilson.com & Twitter / Facebook
‘Can I ask you a question?’
AND
60 people from around the world said yes !

That got me excited so I asked a question online
and then re-Tweeted it / re-Facebooked it and I had a massive response.

There followed 15 weeks of Questions.
I posted one Becoming Question every Sunday
and posted on my www every Saturday - 
and the 
beautiful humans responded
beautifully
unexpectedly
authentically
undressing their souls 
so SO unlike so much chatter online.

I was encouraged by all this response & a book came to mind.

The reflections from so many
are so powerful
I wanted to share them with the world
AND
encourage each book reader to add their own answer
as an act of BECOMING.
(I would love you to consider that?)

Pip BHP





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#YMCA TOOLBOX BOOK include #Tensing #Volleyball #Basketball #ymcaBlobTree





#YMCA TOOLBOX BOOK include #Tensing #Volleyball #Basketball #ymcaBlobTree http://www.blobtree.com/pages/featured-blobs …


“The World #YMCA is focusing upon Youth 
"This book wonderful, beautiful tool,to communicate"
Johan Vilhelm Eltvik

http://www.blobtree.com/pages/featured-blobs



Sparkling forests, colourful markets and festive shows

Winter Festival supported by NatWest

Sparkling forests, colourful markets and festive shows

Winter Festival supported by NatWest has arrived at Southbank Centre. Our annual festival rings in the season with surprises all around the site, many of them free to enjoy.
Million Dollar Quartet

Million Dollar Quartet

Get your toes tapping at this feel-good musical featuring songs by Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. Starring Martin Kemp.
NoFit State Circus presents: BIANCO

NoFit State Circus presents: BIANCO

Immerse yourself in a show that takes place above, behind and all around a standing audience.

Sunday, November 27, 2016

G I A N T Blob Tree Poster on offer for £4.50


Giant Blob Tree Poster 


RRP£11.25
Offer Price£4.50
Published: 
February, 2012
ISBN: 
9780863889356


  • Ages: 
    All
  •  
  • Format: 
    Poster
  •  
  • Size: 
    2 posters
A ‘no word’ tool to aid communication.
A most effective way of communicating with young people and adults who found reading difficult, and quickly proved to be accessible to children and young people of all ages. The Tree stands for a group, a family, an organisation, in fact any gathering of people. The Blobs are representative of two languages used by people throughout the world – feelings and body language.
Have fun using this effective and innovative tool when working with groups or individuals!
All ages

GO HERE



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Once I used to feel dead and sad for there was a large black cloud over me.






I always encourage
humans to write.
Something magical
happens
when using a pen on paper.
Better than words written
via keys.

So I have many 
letters 
from prison
following group work
or
at Training sessions 

poems
reflections
stories
feeling expounded
context worded.

A privilege when
I have permission to publish here.




Once I used to feel dead and sad 
for there was a large black cloud over me. 

I had come from a far away land, 
which no one knew about; 
there was a weird certainty about the people 
for they were different but all the same. 


If I were approached by someone 
I would smile and not utter a word. 
For their faces - smiles 
gave me a great uncertainty.


That's why I didn’t say much 
for I was different in a particular way 
that no one could understand. 


That's why now I still stay away from the people 
as there is a great uncertainty bout them.


By Davina


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Saturday, November 26, 2016

I will not be a reactor ............






........ there is a man who I see regularly who 
never looks my way
never speaks until I say hello
never uses my name
more often a grunt
never eye contact
always the head dropped

this human person
and
yes
I WILL say
a beautiful human person
- will not change my way of 
saying hello to everyone
using a name whenever I can recall
looking whilst communicating

I have decided to behave in a certain way 
and another human 
will not control my proactive communication 
by their own behaviour.
I will not be a reactor

I know a woman who is nasty to me
all the time
every interaction

I will be 
I will not be
a reactor

There is some deep sense of faith 
and psychology/theology behind this - 
I must try to understand it sometime.




          "work like you don't need the money
          dance like no-one is watching
          sing like no-one is listening
          and
          love like you have never been hurt"



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