First Post

For someone who really does enjoy blogging, This did take me too long to get started. I'm going to put that down to either bad time management or being a very busy third year. Maybe a combination of both.
Luckily I have been making lots of notes since we began, and have been recording many of my own feelings to how this project has been progressing. That said, it would have made much more sense to start this sooner. Lesson learned.

To begin with, my community group is a local group who help its members to overcome some very serious issues such as drug and alcohol addiction, as well as other issues like social disorder . I was actually very nervous about working with a group of people I felt I wouldn't have much in common with. I felt, How could I possibly relate to some of the huge upheavals these people have had in their lives. To be honest, I really just didn't know where our place might be in the group.I feel quite bad writing that now to be honest, but I really did worry that we would be the "college students" coming into their place, with an interest in marking something off our curriculum for the year, to be able to say we worked with a community group. I worried that they might feel that we had to be there, not that we wanted to. This fear remained until we got to know the group.

We were showed around the space by a lady who works with the group. Walking into their building actually put me at ease nearly right away. It amazing what a space can do. It was like being in your own home. It was bright, clean and cared for. Somewhere you would like to spend time. It felt relaxed. She explained that this was a relatively new space for the group. We asked what kind of conditions they had been working from previously. It had been appalling really. A dismal, cold and damp building to house a group who has the ability to help people completely transform their lives. When you think of the construction that had gone on in the country, the offices and buildings that shot up, some not even needed, it really was shameful to hear that something as positive as this group is trying to achieve had to work from those kind of conditions. I really felt that it was an insult to those who came to the group for help.

We met the group co-ordinators also, and they laid out a few ground rules. Such as No mobile phones, no talking of or laughing about alcohol, drug use or likewise. Basically have some common sense.

A cliched cup of coffee really isn't it?

We were told that a very important thing was to take our tea break. At this time, we all leave the studio and have teas and coffee. This is vital to building up a bond within the group, and to be honest, a really lovely time in the week to just sit and talk to people.

After meeting the group themselves, we told them that we would be blogging. Some seemed interested, but some seemed worried that they might be named or pictured. We assured them that this wouldn't be the case. On that note, no member of the group will be named or pictured here. Privacy is a hugely important. At this point I was ready to roll with this project, and we all actually left the first meetings in good spirits!