Life at dreamwall
Summer '08
By Sam Stokes
The summer just past was my first summer programme that I have worked for dreamwall. The summer overall has been a fantastic experience for me. It’s been great working with so many different young people in different groups throughout the 5 week programme. I have enjoyed doing all different activities with the young people from arts and crafts to sport sessions to sneaky beecky games. One of the things that have been a highlight of my first summer programme was doing a river walk with every group. Just seeing the groups working together and enjoying themselves walking through the cold river is amazing. Also seeing my first dreamwall extravaganza was great, seeing all the young people working so hard rehearsing during their week away, then coming back and performing on the Thursday night was incredible.
The first group away in the summer were boys group 2 and it was a pretty big group so I thought it was going to be a tough week. But actually I quite enjoyed myself working this week away. The best moment for me with boys 2 was the sports day we had, playing all sorts of sport from sharks and fish to crazy relays. I also really enjoyed just throwing the American football about with everyone.
The second group away was girls group 2, which was a very fun week. I really enjoyed working this week especially when the girls were making up and practicing their umpa lumpa dance for the show. It was excellent also seeing them at the show all dressed up as an umpa lumpa with their orange face paint and green spray on their hair. The next group away was boys group 1, which is the group I always like working with because they like the same things as I do. This week was enjoyable for me because everyone was cooking for themselves and it was nice just seeing the young people sorting out their meals for themselves everyday. I enjoyed playing the sports with this group and walking everywhere too. The last week was girls group 1 and the junior leaders that again was another great week. This group had the important job of setting up the stage for the extravaganza and also rehearsing their act for the show. My best moment with the junior leaders would have to be writing and playing a song with them for their act in the show. Girls 1 did an excellent job of decorating the big marquee for the extravaganza, which was good just doing all the arts and crafts with the group. But overall I have had a brilliant first summer away working for dreamwall and with all the young people. And even though I was sleeping in a tent with a sleeping bag and the weather during the summer was not great I still really enjoyed my first summer. I look forward to many more.