Friday, July 28, 2017

Met up with Jim Jenkinson in London yesterday - a four year gap - and we loved it !



Jim & me.

Yesterday we met up in London town - in my London home 'Coffee House' - Timberyard in Covent Garden.
We have not met up for four years since Jim left his YMCA Region/National role to train as a Teacher. That one year done & dusted, he has served in a school for the remaining three years & here we go - undressing souls together.

Jim must be the easiest human in the world to spend three hours with.
Conversation flowed - we know so much about each other  even with a 4 year pause button.

Jim uses the Blob Tree Materials in his teacher role. Lots of stories about young humans growing with the help of Blobs and a great bunch of teachers. www.blobtree.com 

In the past Jim & myself spent many days in different parts of the nation , and Malta he reminded me, organising developmental experiences for late teens/early 20's who all living in YMCA Hostels around the nation.
All lives lived in multi coloured ways.

Jim was the planner - the pulling together of the young guns and venues etc..
I was the sessional facilitator and designer of the wondrous experiences together.

If you get people together with huge characters like these - create a climate of trust & WOW - it becomes a massive memorable 'living in the soul experience' -  NEVER FORGOTTEN!

Some of these personalities I am still in contact with through social media and/or meeting up physically to continue our journey together. Incredible humans.
All with colourful childhoods - teen years and all willing to give out to others and self-disclose like you wouldn't believe.
These days/week-ends mostly, have been some of the most vivid experiences in my life.

Many times we gathered the young guns together for a couple of days training in a hotel and then joined by their CEO & Chair of large YMCA communities in large cities and towns around the nation.
They, the Teens, then facilitated group work with their elders. 
They, the Teens were engaging with these mighty women & men leaders in most powerful & helpful ways to build up their sense of belonging by full participation TOGETHER.
The learning for all of us was massive.

Jim was responsible for all this leadership experience & accountable to each autonomous YMCA in regional/national role.

The memories. The stories exchanged yesterday - just flowed ...............

A few Pipturesques to end with.
















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