Well that’s how fairy tales usually start, but this is not a fairy tale it is the story of a journey taken by young people who have been looked after by Highland Council and staff who supported them to attend a Columba 1400 Leadership Academy.  I have introduced the story with “Once Upon a Time” as it feels like we’ve been on this journey for quite some time, in fact the journey only began in April 2004.  Since then the young people and support staff have packed so much into that time that it feels that a lot more time has passed.    The past year has been an incredible journey full of life changing experiences and memorable events – in fact it has been a bit of a roller coaster.

But that’s not why you need the hankie...

The journey started for Highland with a video conference between staff from the Scottish Executive and staff from Highland Council Social Work and Barnardo’s Springboard – Springboard provides support for young people leaving care.  The meeting was held in February 2004, and quickly led to a three day introduction to the Columba 1400 Leadership Programme for staff from Highland, South Lanarkshire and East Ayrshire.    The first Careleavers Leadership Programme was in April 2004 and that really got the ball rolling. 

The Careleavers Leadership Programme is in three phases.   The first phase involves the “recruitment” and preparation of young people for a week long leadership academy at Columba 1400 in Staffin on Skye.   The second phase is the leadership academy itself and the third and most important phase is the support that young people are offered when they return home from Skye.    It is not easy to describe the experience of attending a leadership programme at Columba 1400 in Staffin on Skye but it is perhaps best summed up by the comments of one young person who was trying to explain what he had experienced to a Highland Council elected member:

The first academy in April 2004 involved a variety of highs and lows.   One low was two young people being returned home for breaking the rules, but much of the week involved a series of experiences and events that stretched and challenged both young people and staff.
The Columba 1400 experience is described as not so much Outward Bound, but more “inward bound”.    The week challenges course members to examine their own values and responses against the Columban Code of Responsible Leadership – Awareness:  Focus:  Creativity:   Integrity:   Perseverance:   Service.     There were many moments of anger, joy, upset, excitement and challenge and the week ended with the Graduation Ceremony for those who successfully completed the course.

The Graduation is a very significant and emotional experience for everyone who completes the course.    The Columba 1400 staff provide very accurate and well observed feed back to each graduate about the challenges and triumphs they have experienced throughout the week.   Graduation is a celebration of each young person’s success, and for young people who have experienced loss and a sense of failure throughout their lives this is an important occasion.

When each young person has graduated they are asked to say what the week meant to them.    I could spend a long time trying to explain how powerful and meaningful a moment this proves to be for young people, but you would really have to go and experience it yourself.    The best I can do is to do is use the words of one young person from the first academy:

“I went outside for a walk last night and looked up and saw millions of stars.   I turned to the person with me and said “all those stars are people”. (and then turning to the people in the room) and you are all of the brightest ones”.

...and that’s when you need the hankie!

As more young people and staff from Highland joined academies at Columba 1400 throughout 2004 the stories of young people’s challenges and triumphs emerged.   Everyone who completed the leadership programme returned home with a powerful sense of achievement and improved self confidence and a clear commitment to work to achieve goals they had set for themselves.    The Columba 1400 experience has helped a number of the young people to make significant progress in their lives and a few of the successes are:

• Finding employment
• Moving from being looked after to independent living
• Speaking at a national conference
• Working as a Peer Educator in a service offering support to young people facing homelessness
• Attending courses with professional staff
• Successfully completing a Columba Gemini Programme
• Meeting Peter Peacock, Minister for Education and Young People during his visit to Columba 1400

Many of the young people now have a much better sense of their longer term ambitions in terms of employment and continuing education.   The Highland graduates have established a network group that allows them to meet regularly and keep the Columba experience alive.   The group shares enjoyable and interesting activities, provides mutual support and has the overall aim of offering support to other young people who are still looked after and face the prospect of moving on to independence.  Offering support to others is the essence of the sixth Columban Value – Service. 

For staff who have supported young people to attend and successfully complete a Columba 1400 leadership programme it has been both personally and professionally an unforgettable experience.   Columba 1400 brings the very best out of people;   it helps young people experience the thrill of success;   it helps them identify their strengths and areas where they still need support;   it gives them a greater sense of themselves in what they can achieve despite the difficulties they have experienced during their childhood

So not a fairy tale, but a magical, magical journey.  I have a picture in my mind of a time when life is a bit less pressured and hectic when my grandchildren clamber excitedly onto my knees and say, “Grandpa tell us another story about the time when you were a Social Worker... tell us the story about Columba 1400.”  I will smile and fondly remember the wonderful young people I had the privilege to meet:  I will remember their strength and courage in struggling to overcome disadvantage, and I will remember their successes both small and large.  And then I will begin, “So you want to hear the story about Columba 1400.  Well then... once upon a time...”

And before I start the story I will make sure I have a hankie.

Ian Dempster
Barnardo’s Springboard 
February 2005