Bethany - Burnley College

My name is Bethany and I go to Burnley College . In June this year I successfully applied to go to Berlin with some other students in the division and this is a bit about my experiences and what I gained from going to Berlin. Before I could go to Berlin I had to do an application form in which I had to say why I wanted to do the placement and what I hoped to get out of the experience . In my statement I wrote about how I lacked confidence and how I wanted to develop this and how I did not find study easy but really wanted to achieve a good qualification and how I felt the placement would help me to do this. I also wanted to meet other young people and get to know more people as I had not found settling into college easy and it would give me the opportunity to find new friendships.

Before we went to Berlin we also did some work with a lady called Waltraud and some of her staff. The sessions were about our dreams and aspirations. They also encouraged us to look at ourselves and what was important to us in life. It was really good preparation because the course was for the group who were going to Berlin and it meant we could spend some time together preparing for the visit and getting to know each other. We know that in Berlin we would be living and worki together and so it was important that we learnt to get on and accept each other for who we are. It also meant I could get to know my Personal Tutors better : Claire and Ian who we really good as they got involved and did all the activities.

My Placement In Berlin
During my time in Berlin I completed a placement based at Senfa 10 which was a youth club based at Kids and Co. The centre offered activities for children to older adults. During my time I worked with young people who were similar age to me. I participated in activities such as cards, skate park activities, sports, graffiti art and dance classes. I also supported the staff in setting up activities and preparing snacks. The placement at first was very difficult because of the language barrier but being in the midst of it meant I had to have a go at speaking and also it was good because the people I met helped me with my German and I helped them wi their English. The placement was alox good because I met so many new people who were interested in me and what I did, this developed my confidence and allowed me to share with them my career aspirations , my family life and make new friendships. At the end of the placement I received a written report about how I had done in the placement . It said how well I had done and that if they were an employer they would consider me for a job. This was really good and boosted my confidence and is an excellent report to put in my CV.

What else did I do in Berlin
During my time off in Berlin we did lots of other activities a with my group and other volunteers at Kids and Co where we stayed . During my free time I did lots of sight seeing and socialising with the volunteers. I visited the Berlin Wall, the concentration camp, shopping excursions, the TV Tower and the zoo. It was such a busy city but had so much to offer and see. I learnt about the divide when East and West Berlin were divided. I learnt how the people of Berlin had been affected by their history.
At the accommodation we all had different roles in organising the meals, shopping and cleaning. This was a lot of fun and helped me to develop my independence as we had to plan and prepare meals for the group. Each morning we had to prepare a shopping list and go out on our own and buy what we needed. We did make mistakes but it was funny for example one day we needed one clove of garlic and ended up with twelve!

It also gave me more responsibility and allowed me to develop some leadership skills. I really enjoyed living wi a group of different people and it was a lot of fun and nice to share our day with each other at the end. At the end of each day we had a group meeting in which we all shared what was good and not so good about our day. Claire our tutor did this with us as a group and it was really nice to see what we was all doing and sharing what we had enjoyed.

What did I get from my trip to Berlin
I think every young person should have an experience such as Berlin as it does change your ideas and different cultures and yourself. The experience got me to look at myself and reflect on what I really want to do with my life. The placement has opened up my ideas to different careers and even think about working with young people in a community centre. Since coming back from Berlin I have also moved in with my dad and I have found that my relationship with my parents has been a lot better as they think I am more grown up and supportive at home. The placement and visit also inspired to continue with my studies and realise that I can do and achieve what I want if I have the right attitude and believe in myself.