UKC

"The kids were Level 5 gang-bangers and sex offenders. They bickered, cursed and fought, found and consumed psychotropic mushrooms, huffed gas, drank antifreeze, stole the van, stole candy, stole each other's stuff, stole my shoes, ran away, attacked staff, had sex with each other, had sex with the animals, had sex with their parole officers, tried to kill each other with machetes, tried to kill themselves by eating rocks, tried to kill me by setting my tent on fire..."

Jeff Jackson of Rock and Ice Magazine tells his tale...

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=2930

In reply to UKC Articles:

Cracking stuff - takes me back to my 10 years running an outdoor charity in Liverpool - the less glamourous side of our profession and hats off to those outdoor professionals quietly involved in this kind of work.

In reply to David Hooper: Yes, I read this article on the R&I site, and was taken back to a few years I had doing similar work.

I thought it was a fantastic piece - big thanks to Jeff - and really showed what working with these groups and young people can be like and also what it can give them.

Jack

In reply to UKC Articles: Brilliant article.

In reply to UKC Articles: Excellent article

In reply to UKC Articles:
Great article

Pity the final outcome wasn't differant, but this isn't hollywood I guess...

In reply to UKC Articles:

Looking at the paragraph you posted there Jack I couldn't help but think of your average group from Glasgow having a 'fun time' at Outward Bound ! An abseil and some barrel and planks action followed by a review soon sent them back as good upstanding citizens though !

Aye Dan

In reply to UKC Articles:

Very fine article. A testament to all those who work conscientiously in the field, and the dedication and belief they have. And I've just got in from doing that job and read this! I need a cup of tea.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Cracking article, I like reading good punchy American writing like that.

My mate taught in an Assessment Centre in Northumberland, where the future of VERY seriously malajusted/evil kids was worked out.

He was able to use climbing to disrupt the pecking order in their social group, which made them easier to control. The nasty threatening domineering ones didn't necesssarily look so domimating on a crag. He never suggested it would have a permanent benificial effect on them though. It did havea permanent effect on him, he broke his neck sussing out the suitability of Kyloe Out for a group visit.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Awesome article, thanks.

In reply to UKC Articles:

good stuff , hard hitting , sad but inspiring all the same ! thanks for posting .

That brought back memories. For a few years I taught woodwork and outdoor education at a residential school for kids with behavioural problems, in Tavistock, Devon. We all lived in together at an old mansion type place just ouside the town, (Ok, big time hippy idealism m-a-a-a-n). The kids behaved in much the ways described in the article.

One memory which returned was of Keith, the most awkward and uncordinated kid I have ever met, knocking a reasonable sized rock off the second or third pitch "Colonel's Arete" at the Dewerstone. You should have seen the kids below scatter!! How the hell he managed to find loose rock on what is one of Devon's most used trade routes is beyond my imagination.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Excellent article, I really enjoyed reading this. Thanks for posting.

In reply to UKC Articles: "Lamont strained, fighting his own demons"

Christians actually recognise demons as real you know.

I do as well

What they are, when seen spiritually, is strange beings that attach in to the chakra centres.

The chakra centres are our emotional centres, so they stimulate all kinds of arguments and violence

Anyone can scoff at what I've said as having no basis in rational thought, but they'll likely not be the people who've worked with such people, who can subliminally recognise what I'm saying as the truth

In reply to raphael:


Genius.

In reply to UKC Articles:

nice article. Good to see the honesty of someone who's getting really pissed with the kids at some points, rather than just writing as some saint who just sees them as 'rough diamonds' and won't hear a word against them.

In reply to raphael:
Where do you stand on Faeries and Pixies?

In reply to raphael:

http://lifeisaroad.com/images/darkside.jpg

In reply to UKC Articles:

Great writing. Thanks for sharing it.

great artical, i worked for active 8 in anglesey for 2 1/2 years as a project co-ordinator. same kinda kids as these, only they never met or worked with any other kids whilst on the project, only the 2 staff they were with on that shift, we worked 3 - 10 day 24/7 shifts to 1 kid.

we used outdoors as a means of teaching/attempting to teach/instill/ some self respect, be positive role models, build self esteem /baby sit and sometimes just plane old controling the rage and anger in them or towards us or the system before the kids then left for what ever happened next, secure unit, prison, court, a new home, new foster parents etc. we had some amazing results and some no hopers. one lad we taught to surf, he was a natural and the size of the waves was the only thing in life he showed to be scared of, but boy was he a natural, he loved it and spent 6 hours a day in the ocean surfing and swimming. it didnt change their behaviour much but we did see some change in language, esteem and respect. mother nature has a away of doing that when your immersed in it. very rewarding/frustrating/often painful/violent/humbling/annoying and sometimes scary work.