Dil - Burnley College

My name is Dil and I go to Burnley College
studying a vocational qualificationi n Health and Social Care. I eventually want a career in social care as a Social Worker and to study Criminology at University.

Why I wanted to go to Berlin
I applied for a place on the Berlin trip because I thought it would allow me to work with other young people in a different country. I really wanted to go to another country to meet other
young people and also to develop my communication skills and confidence as well as learning about the different cultures and the experience of European life in general. I really enjoy college and I thought the experience would allow me to put some of my learning into practise. I also want to eventually go to university and I know that placement experience would support an application in the future.

How I prepared for Berlin
When I was first told about the Berlin trip by Claire, my tutor in Group Tutorial I was really excited about the opportunity. I knew that a lot of learners would be applying to go on the
trip and so I needed to write a really good application. I worked hard on this and wrote a statement to the Head of Division about why I wanted to go. I did not find writing the application easy but I wrote about what I wanted to do in the future and how the trip would support me and encourage me to work hard. There were over forty applications and Gareth Proud informed me I had been successful two weeks after I had submitted by statement. All the applications had to be read by a panel of staff and only twelve were picked. Once we had been selected we had to complete a Life Dreams Programme with a lady called Waltraud who is from Germany.

Waltraud was a very outgoing and funny lady this was my first impression and after spending three fun filled days with her I found myself to be a better person. The programme meant we had to come into college on our days off and work with all the other students who had been chosen to go to Berlin. Our tutors Ian and Claire also took part in the programme. It also made me think that I can really achieve what I want to do in life as long as I work hard. My tutors Claire and Ian also took part in the programme. The activities were fun and also allowed me to form friendships with the Berlin Group. We were going to be spending a lot of time together in a new country and we knew it was important that we got on well and had the right attitude.

On one of the preparation days Waltraud came into the college and taught us some German. This was really good and helped us when we went to Berlin to prepare for placements. In the weeks coming up to the trip we practised in sessions at college and also did tasks in which we had to find out about Berlin and what we wanted to do when we went on the visit. We also had two parent/ student advice evenings in which we learnt more about the visit and what we would be doing.

My placement in Berlin 
At the Joker youth centre near to Kids and Co the centre was for anyone and the activities included table tennis, pool, football, basketball, picnics and discos. The experience was amazing and I learnt about how to communicate with young people and how they are dealt with differently in relation to levels of respect and understanding actually listening to what is being said and taking this onboard. The youth workers and the young people were very open to new things and new ways of learning which was very un-usual as in the local youth club I used to visit it was very different.
Dil worked with Leanne and I did not know Leanne until the preparation lessons started with Waltraud, Ian and Claire. I was confident having to work with Leanne and this would not have been possible without the session we had beforehand.

The report I received was very positive and full of praise for my work and efforts it stated that I was welcoming and friendly to the people using the centre and I was very approachable and friendly.
While at the Joker I developed excellent communication skills and also how to deal with people of all ages and all different genders, cultures and backgrounds and the experience was one I will never forget and would take part in again in an instant.

During my time off in Berlin we did lots of other activities as a group. In our first weekend our tutors Claire and Ian organised a sightseeing trip in which the young volunteers at Kids and Co took us around Berlin to see the sights. It was such a good weekend as we practised our German and got to really know other young people who we the same age as us. During my time in Berlin I made so many new friends and found out that they had similar dreams and problems like we do such as family problems, money problems and career aspirations. The volunteers were also trying to do work experience to improve their chances of finding work and doing what they want to do in life. Together we did lots of the sights such as Berlin Zoo, TV Tower, East Side gallery, the government buildings and Galleria Shopping Centre and the theatre which was particularly good because of the lovely female performers.

On another of our days off we visited a concentration camp. I found this really emotional and made me think about how terrible life must have been during the war and how horrific the camps were. I think young people should never ever forget what happened in the camps and how we should learn from what happened.

I really enjoyed the trip to Berlin and I think I learnt a lot about myself. I learnt how to live with other people and consider other people more. I learnt to tolerate people and listen to everyone's ideas and opinions even if they are different from my own. I loved eating together in the evenings and also sharing the cooking and shopping. I met lots of new people and some of these friendships will support me in the next few years of my studies. Before I went to Berlin I had doubts about my ability and if I could go on to further study, but what I learnt when I was in placement motivated me to continue on to further study. It also convinced me that I am in the right career as I really do want to work with young people.

The visit also allowed me to meet lots of people in Berlin and Steffi from Kids and Co said that because I had done so well in my placement she thought that I could always think about doing future placements in Berlin during my summer holidays. My family also said I have changed since I have come back from the visit as I am really focused on my studies and mo motivated to achieve higher grades and go to university. Lastly I would like to say that I think all young people should get this opportunity because I got so much out of the visit and it is something I will remember for the rest of my life.