Hamido’s Story

Hamido Megahead has taken his personal experiences through volunteering into analysing informal education for young people in Northern Ireland.  The governmental initiative designed guiding framework for youth volunteering, but it is only with experience leading such groups that he has found the capacity to respond to the theoretical models.  In his paper “Reflections on Activities in a Youth Club“, Hamido has shared his reflections on how to apply the core principles and values specified in a model through youth volunteering.

Hamido has volunteered with Home Start, Sinead Quinn, and participated in focus group research carried out by Volunteer Development Agency to examine Youth Participation as the first core principle of the Model of Effective Practice.  Adapted to meet the needs of children and young people whatever their personal circumstances may be, youth volunteering is viewed today as a curriculum and programme development tool to develop participatory skills and identify values of equality and diversity.  By taking part of the research survey, Hamido has furthered his interest in youth work and hopes to continue promoting volunteering in Northern Ireland with these values and shares the belief that “youth work starts where young people are at, supports their right to make choices, to develop at their own pace and empowers them to voice their own ideas and attitudes”.

In 2014 Hamido worked as an Assistant Youth Worker at a youth club in Antrim.  This role made him realise how simple activities can lead young people towards higher levels of independence and responsibility.  According to him, “it felt that children came to the youth club without any idea of what they were going to do” – it was through his role and guidance skills that he found a way forward and not by the application of the theoretical model as the core principles and values were difficult to implement.  This challenge took Hamido to reflect on his plans moving forward.

In conclusion to his process, Hamido hopes to enlist a qualified and specialised person to help develop activities that can implement the values of the participatory model at different stages, as well as making sure that all core values are achieved – to him success is achieving a shared agenda or a vision and making fruitful social and community progress.  Nevertheless, he has shown the responsibility and will to continue learning and working to promote independence and age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate activities for those participating in the youth club.