Alan Jenkins Seminar at Green Central

Alan Jenkins presents a role play with Simon

Alan Jenkins presented an excellent seminar on

"Making it fair"  

respectful intervention with disadvantaged young people 

who have enacted violence and abuse.

The workshop addressed the politics of intervention by highlighting dilemmas and principles for just and respectful practice. Invitational Practice fosters a foundation for fairness, accountability to the experiences of childhood, and the discovery of respectful ethics – all were outlined and demonstrated by Alan in the workshop.

The workshop highlighted practical ideas in the following dilemmas: 

• How to challenge abusive behaviour without reproducing abuse.
• How to address young people’s own experiences of victimization and oppression without sacrificing a priority on responsibility and accountability for their own abusive actions.
• How can we work with shame without shaming young people.

The seminar was attended by 50 members of the Central Coast  community interested in learning these skills to handle difficult situations working with young people.

The Seminar was hosted by the Central Coast Men's Interagency , sponsored by Interrelate Family Centres and supported by the Central Coast Shed Cluster. 

Central Coast Men's Sheds had a strong presence at the event. Six members of the Cluster committee attended and six sheds were represented. Those that attended found there was broad application of the techniques that Alan Jenkins demonstrated.

The workshop was held at Green Central the facility at Somersby run by Youth Connections. There have been many improvments to the site by the 60 youth placements that have worked on the site in the last year. Green Central provided excellent support for the workshop setup, very presentable pastries for morning tea and a lunch of sandwiches, canapes and drinks on the front veranda.

photo courtesy D.Maxwell