The Team programme has helped Delano to discover and develop skills and strengths he never knew he had.
Delano, 18, is a talented sportsman with a black belt in karate. When he leads younger students at his karate club, he does so confidently and with humour, keen that they should enjoy themselves while they practise and learn.
Delano himself is very familiar with the benefits of hands-on learning. Unsure of his next steps after leaving school, he signed up to take part in the Team programme. Delano used to struggle to interact with people beyond his immediate friendship group, but the programme has enabled him to gradually build up his communication skills and confidence.
‘I used to walk with my head down, never used to make eye contact with others, I used to be wary about that. Even now I’m still fidgeting with my hands. But I’m learning how to control it a lot better,’ he explains. ‘The programme helped me a lot.’
Delano’s father Phillip sums up the change he has seen in his son as ‘the transformation from a boy to a young man.’
From learning to leading
The Team programme, designed by King’s Trust International and delivered by the Barbados Police Service, is a full-time training programme for 16-25 year olds who are not in education, employment or training. The 12-week course focuses on building core skills, such as teamwork and communication, through an intensive programme of hands-on learning.
Delano highlights the wide variety of activities, from adventurous outdoor challenges such as camping, cliff-jumping and kayaking, to his first ever work experience placement, to community projects focused on helping others, from feeding homeless people to raising funds to refurbish a local school.
‘We had to raise money by washing cars and selling drinks for a whole week. And we raised more than enough money,’ Delano recalls, with pride. Using the funds they had raised, he and his team then had to plan and carry out the painting, gardening and refurbishment work at the school.
With all these activities specifically designed to develop core skills, Delano explains that his progress is particularly evident when he is leading karate sessions.
‘After the program, I gained a lot of confidence. I learned about different leadership skills,’ he recalls. ‘I know how to teach people without being nervous and stumbling over my words.’
Responsibility and reliability
Delano also describes how he is now more able to accept responsibility for himself. ‘Throughout the program I learned about timing, and if you have a deadline and you don’t reach it you can only blame yourself. I don’t really blame others anymore,’ he explains. ‘I would need to take responsibility.’
As Delano’s skills and confidence have grown and his newfound sense of responsibility and reliability have blossomed, his family have noticed big changes.
‘He navigates social settings with a newfound calmness and problem-solving approach, which has been particularly evident in challenging family situations,’ explains Phillip. ‘His enthusiasm, combined with the program’s guidance, has allowed him to discover and develop parts of himself that were previously unseen… I am genuinely proud of the young man he has become, and I credit much of his growth to the King’s Trust program.’
Delano now plans to head back to school, and work towards becoming a sports trainer.