I am
a childcare social worker in a busy community team, with a caseload
of family support, looked after children and child protection. During
handling a crisis situation, I hurriedly took my briefcase and handbag
to my car parked outside my office. I ran back in to collect some
papers, and on returning to the car some 2 minutes later, saw a boy
putting my handbag under his jacket and running away. My immediate
response was shock, horror, firstly for the loss of the contents of
my bag and secondly for being robbed. The bag contained valuable personal
items, plus essential and confidential information in my work diary.
After
contacting the police and giving them an accurate description of the
offender, it became apparent that the boy had a background of violence
and robbery and had been through the care system of the Local Authority
I worked for. He had been in a secure unit, followed by two recent
stays at Her Majesty's Prison for adult offenders. I was so sad, would
my reporting make things worse? How do I turn this around?
I spotted
3 young lads chatting on the corner. These lads aged between 13 and
16 years old have had difficult lives, being supported corporately
by the Local Authority through all the channels that I work in, e.g.
Family Support, Looked After, and Child Protection. They are boys
caught in a negative cycle of self-fulfilling prophecy - 'People say
I am worthless, I am expected to behave badly; well here I am, worthless
and behaving badly!' Would they be willing to help me look for my
bag?
 |
They
were and they knew all the best places to look! On approaching
the unused railway line, one lad came running along the track
holding a small black object high in the air in his hand. He was
so excited and was calling 'look, look I've found this, is it
yours?' We all ran towards him and, yes, the object was my mobile
phone! I praised and thanked him saying how thrilled I was. The
joy upon this young lad's face was indeed a joy to behold. His
eyes were bright, hopeful, and so full of achievement. |
Sometimes
in life, when looking for how God shows His Holiness, it is deemed
that we have to ascend to some great Divine level in solitude or retreat
to begin to even glimpse Holiness. To me this was God showing His
Holiness in the most unexpected place and people, but sometimes don’t
we seem reluctant to see Him in this way?
The boys
pointed out that there must be other things lying around, and were
keen to continue looking, in my heart I really wanted to find my diary,
as this is almost a 2nd bible to me, containing essential information
so valuable to my work. The search continued for almost an hour.
All along
one side of the railway is a 10ft high prickly gorse bush and suddenly
to my absolute surprise I spotted my diary! It was face up with my
name in white glistening out through the thorns. A 'strategy meeting'
was held there and then, one false move and the diary would fall deep
into the bush, but it was also well out of reach. No one could touch
the bush because of its thorns. Decisions were made and, as a team
endeavour, we all pulled our sleeves down over our hands and the boys
offered to go first because their clothes were thicker. We all held
on to each other, wherever we could hold, and gradually and silently
climbed into the bush, daring not to shake, in the event of seeing
my diary disappear. 'I've got it' one lad whispered, let's back out
very gently ….On retreating from the bush, with not one cut
or graze between us, the joys and jubilation’s began.
'A team
of worthless no gooders', plus a stereotypically called ‘do
gooder', laughing and sharing good fortune together and 'for' each
other.
 |
My
need to turn a negative experience into a positive one was achieved
only with the help of 3 young lads caught up in the negative cumulative
cycle of life. I went home that evening, not harbouring anger
or despair, but full of hope and joy, and may I add forgiveness
for my offender as this is the person who is possibly still experiencing
loss. The lads came back to my office on 4 occasions to enquire
how I was, also to tell me that they were still looking for my
lost items. One lad then said, 'how much are you willing to pay
for your spectacles!!??' GOD BLESS HIM! |
Doesn’t
this story underline the importance of reciprocity and mutuality in
our relationships with young people? How are young people helping
you, what do they give, how are they enabled to give? Isn’t
there a danger that as long as we see young people purely as recipients
of our efforts (e.g. youthwork) that we create a kind of dependency?
Pamela Woodford
