Marissa Gunter describes the pleasures and challenges of workshop leading with Vamos

After I had finished spinning round on my bottom I offered my hands to a stranger, that with no explanation were accepted, willing to be taken wherever I was going to lead them.  It has been a pleasure to share in moments like this with students, carers and care ambassadors on the ACT project.  With the aim to raise awareness of social care careers for young people the workshop explored how our actions impact on others, the use of non-verbal communication and celebrating differences that exist between all of us.

At the start, we were often greeted with folded arms, crossed legs and wary eyes, signalling their trepidation and providing a protective barrier against the oncoming workshop.  Provoked to direct this closed body language and lack of eye contact towards one another, we received responses of,
"It makes you feel invisible"
"It feels awkward"
"She made me feel stupid"
Then we made them an offer; this offer came in the form of a pair of open hands.  What followed was a fairly chaotic display of bottom spinning, curtain stroking, skipping, dancing and singing.  This came as a result of giving into the human instinct of wanting to accept an offered hand.

"You didn't know  where they were going to take you so it made it more fun.  It was fun because it was random"

It was now time for these young people to meet Joy, a grandmother living with dementia, and provide the opportunity to interact with her.  In full mask I was led into the room and in each and every workshop the first thing I noticed was the silence.  Looking for a tissue, I entered the space with one girl immediately exclaiming, 'I've got a tissue!' and promptly returning with one.  Another girl allowed me to use this tissue as her napkin with another letting me play hide and seek with her hair.  One boy waved at me as I made my journey, with this wave happily being turned into a call & response and another girl, though emotional, was so thankful to be given the opportunity to share a dance with me.

Being presented with this direct reality did cause some barriers to return with one girl refusing to hold my gaze and looking away and another boy removing himself from the immediate circle and regarding me side on.  This fear and uncertainty is a valued reaction, however with my impaired vision I was only able to engage directly with one person at a time and when this was the reaction I received, I felt invisible, I felt stupid.

I was later told of many that were round the circle, that I could not see, who were itching to enter in and engage with me but felt they needed permission to do so.  We will all one day, if not already, know of someone who needs care which is why the nature of this workshop is close to all of our hearts.  It is truly inspiring and touching to know of the amount of instinctive responses there were from these young people to make Joy, a vulnerable person, feel comfortable and safe.

I am so grateful to have been involved in this project, having the opportunity to explore the gratifying nature of the care industry with the ACT team and  together aim to inspire the next generation of carers.