River – Work Experience
Hi, I’m River and I have been with Exim for almost 5 years. I started with a class in my primary school, Mayflower Community Academy and I have been with Exim ever since. I have done shows like their Traverse Youth Dance Platform at the University of Plymouth, and I have co-hosted and performed at an event called Scratch Night at Oxford House Creative Hub. I am also a change maker and I go to a range of sessions at Exim during the week for example Making Waves on a Monday evening and Communities Together in North Prospect on a Tuesday evening.
This week, I am doing work experience with Exim as part of my time at Stoke Damerel Community College. I chose Exim to do my work experience because I want to do dance at Ivybridge Community College and to do something with dance as a career.
On Monday I went to Highbury Trust with Beth, which was very fun. Everyone was very cheerful and enjoyed it. We made a dance about holidays to the song ‘Holiday’ by Madonna which they loved and we did a little freestyle boogie and I enjoyed dancing with them all.
I am very excited to spend the week with the Exim team doing lots of different things!
It is day four of my work experience and this week has been chill and relaxed. On Tuesday I did some admin work from home and made some collages.
On Thursday, I started off with a workshop with Laura and Beth at St Peter’s C of E Plymouth which was really fun. The energy from the students was brilliant and I loved seeing all the ideas for their props for the West End Carnival.
Then Beth, Laura and I went to Aldi to get food for fit and fed next week which was good. Later we have Social Hour at Oxford House Creative Hub which I really enjoy because it’s really nice and relaxed.
For me, having Exim for my work experience will be good for my future career that I want to pursue as I want to go to Ivybridge Community College to do their dance/performing arts course as it is very good and looks very interesting to me as a dancer. I don’t know exactly what I want to do with dance but I’m just trying things out whether that’s being a dance teacher/choreographer etc. But I’m interested in trying lots of things to see what I like best.
Doing my work experience with Exim has been very useful as I am learning the aspect of dance with admin work and in the spaces helping lead a class which a range of different ages which is really fun.
As I already attended a few of Exim’s classes I know what it’s like firsthand to be be in the environment of Exim’s range of services and I would definitely recommend the services that Exim have to offer as they are very enjoyable and free for many ages and abilities and there are many benefits to Exim’s services with not just something to do as an extra activity but as exercise and a way to connect with other people and as a dancer many of my favourite memories are from being at Exim’s classes and events like Traverse, Scratch Night and many other fun events through the year.
If I could describe Exim in one word it would be ‘fulfilling’ because I have achieved many of my personal goals through dance as each session you are in the moment with other people who share the same passion for dance that you do and having dance as a sense of escape from any problems or stress that I may have in my life as dance makes me feel free and happy and the support of all of the staff is always amazing “to do our level of 100%” ~Always said at every session by staff member Kaitlyn, which means that your 100% isn’t always going to be the same as someone else but that you’re always going to try your best at everything and to be open minded to new ideas. Dance has also helped me achieve other things like being able to enjoy school as I am less stressed when I know that I can have some time to myself to dance which can either be dancing in my room on my own or in the studio with Exim staff and other young people.
Additionally, one of Exim’s services Change Makers, which I am part of with other young people. I love Change Makers because we are given the chance to voice our concerns and opinions on issues in either the community or inside of Exim’s services like things we could do in sessions or expanding into the community with events at schools and other projects. For example lanyards were one thing we suggested for staff and Change Makers. Another thing was that we get a book for Change Makers or people in the Exim services to make any suggestions or positive comments for the staff and change makers to look at on what we need to keep the same or improve to make it enjoyable for all participants of Exim’s services.
Finally,I would like to thank Exim for the opportunity to have done my work experience with them, I have enjoyed working with the staff and students and appreciate everything that they have done and all of the support that they have given me.
Written by River
