Lauren - Burnley College

I went to Heseldorf in Berlin in June 2012 with twelve other learners and Claire and Ian my tutors

from college. To get a place on the visit I had to complete an application form and complete a preparation Life Skills Course with Waltraud who organises the visit. I wanted to go to Berlin because I wanted to get a new experience and to help people who had similar issues to young people in Burnley  I really thought that I could relate to other young people and pass on personal experiences. I also wanted to prove to my parents how much I had changed and that I had moved on and left all the bad things behind.

The preparation course was about our life dreams and how we should make dreams that are true to us. The course also allowed me to get to know all the people who were going to Berlin. The course was quite difficult as it made me think about the choices I make in life and what dreams are important and what are not.

My Time in Placement
In Berlin I worked at Kinder Treffen which is a centre at Kids and Co in Heseldorf. I went on placement with another student called Chantelle and worked with a lady called Kitty. In the centre we looked after young children from the age of thirteen to seventeen. I was involved in setting up a tivities and planning activities with Kitty. The placement was a fantastic experience as it was a real eye opener as many of the children had really challenging home lives and did not have healthy meals or parents to go home too. Often the children would say they didn't want to go home. This was upsetting some days but made me look at how valuable the centre was and what the staff did for e children. It also made me reflect on my own family and how I should value what I have. The placement really helped me to develop my communication skills and increased my confidence. In the first week I had to travel from a flat which was quite a distance away. Each morning I had to get on the train independently and manage to get to grips with the rail system and tickets. I also got really confident at talking to staff in the centre and the children. At the. End of the placement I received an excellent reference which I can use in any future job application.

What other things did I do in Berlin.....
Berlin also offered me so much more in that I developed lots of new friends and saw lots of new things. We visited The Berlin Wall q, The Brandenberg Gate, The Reichstag, The TV Tower. The best thing I think I visited was the Wall as it was really emotional. It really made our group think about division and how people can be divided by things out of thief control. Steffi told us stories about how families were divided between East and West Berlin and they could not visit or see them. During the two weeks we travelled everywhere as a group and saw so much. The transport system is so good and we felt so confident at using it we even travelled on a double decker train !

How has Berlin Changed Me
Since coming back from Berlin I think I have really grown in confidence as I had never been away without my family and this was such a big thing for me. I am now really open to new experiences and want to travel more and see other cultures. I also think I look at people differently and don't feel sorry for people who have less than be but empathise more and try to understand the challenges they face. People are proud at it is important that we are always aware of is. My parents have also seen changes and they have seen that I am more independent and I am more confident. Recently I have applied for a new part time job and I successfully got this. The experience has also made me see that I do have choices which I lot of people do not have and it is up to me to make the right choices.

Shohidul - Burnley College

All about me
My name is Shohidul Hoque and I am 19 years old. I live in Burnley and go to Burnley College studying a vocational qualification in Health and Social Care. I eventually want a career in social care working with vulnerable young people.

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. 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. I want to work with young people in the community.

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 was over fourty 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. My mum was so proud that I had been chosen. Once we had been selected we had to complete a Life Dreams Programme with a lady called Waltraud who is from Germany.

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. Claire and Ian our tutors also took part in the programme. I did not find the programme easy as it made me think about what I really wanted in life and made me look at what is important to me and what is not. 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. I was also representing the college and so I had to show I was committed and that they had made the right decision choosing me.

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
During my time in Berlin I did a placement in the Eastend Youth Centre with another student called Kayleigh. The centre run sessions for young people of different ages. It was in Heseldorf near to Berlin . During my time there I supported the staff by helping out on Open Family Days and also helping in different sessions with the children who went to the centre. The placement gave me the opportunity to practise my German and talk to other young people who had lots of problems in their life's. The sessions included a lot of sport activities which I really enjoyed and I found my confidence really developed as the weeks progressed. At the end of the placement I received a report on my performance which was really good as it acknowledged how well I had fit in with staff and the people who used the centre. I loved the placement and have even considered going back in summer. The staff said I had done a fantastic job and they would welcome me back anytime. The report looks great on my CV and really made me proud of the work I

What else did I do in Berlin
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 sight seeing 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 sight seeing such as visiting the zoo, going to the Reichstag and seeing the Berlin Wall. This made me think about how divisions amongst people affect lives.
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.

What did I get from my trip
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.

Sarah - Burnley College

My name is Sarah and I go to Burnley College studying health and social care. In the future I really want to be a midwife. I went to Berlin in June 2012 with my tutors Claire and Ian and eleven other learners who were studying on my course.

Why I wanted to go to Berlin
I applied for the Berlin trip to experience different cultures and work in a social care setting in a different country. I wanted to also learn how to be more independent and find out how I would cope being in a different country with new people of who don't speak the same language as myself. Also I really want to go into midwifery and so the experience I would get would look fantastic in my university application. I am quite a shy person and I knew that the trip would take me out of my comfort zone and increase my confidence.

My Placement in Berlin
My placement in Berlin was at Kids and Co in the you club. This was also where we stayed during our time in Berlin. The centre was based in Heseldorf and gave people of all ages. Place to go . It also organised classes and workshops for people who are trying to find work and get new skills to help them. I was based in the youth club which was open in the afternoon until late evening. The sessions were for children between the ages of 13-20. The session did activities such as Griffiti Art , Skate Boarding , Dance Classes and youth club activities such as pool, card games, table tennis etc. My role was to take part in all the activities and engage with the people in the sessions. This allowed me to get to know different people and the staff who worked in the centre. I also received a report at the end of the placement and a Certificate of Achievement.

Other Young Volunteers
Another aspect of the visit that I enjoyed was meeting the other young German volunteers at Kids and Co : Steven, Zeuben, Emily, Johnny , Steffi, Chris, Adrian . These were the same age as myself and it allowed me to develop friendships with them and learn about there career aspirations and lives. During out time in Berlin they organised German Speaking classes for us and a sight seeing tour. This was really good as it gave us a good introduction to the city and Heseldorf. The volunteers also came to Burn,ey in August and we arranged a re- meet and get together for them which was really good to see how they were getting on and what they had done since we left in June. We also arranged a trip to Manchester to show some of them the sights in and around Burnley.

Site Seeing in Berlin
I loved Berlin as it was so different to Burnley and there was so much to see. I stayed for e first week in a flat with three other learners and my tutor and this was really good as we soon learnt how to and not to use the trains. We did get lost a few times but eventually became really confident at using the system. We also went to visit the city and saw the TV Tower, The Reichstag, The Berlin Wall, The Berlin Zoo and A Concentration Camp. I really enjoyed visiting the Berlin Wall because it made me think about how the city was divided and how different it was for e people of Berlin before e wall came down. It was historically such a big event as it united a divided city. The wall had lots of graffiti on it whe people had wrote down ere thoughts and feeling about the re- unification and the divide.

What did I gain from the experience
Since I have come back it has made me think more about what is important to me and what is not as important. Material are not that important and friendships and family are. I could not imaging being separated from my family by a wall. The visit also has developed my confidence and although I still am quiet I think I am more confident in group situations and I can get my opinions over if I need to. I am now studying a level 3 qualification and I really want to achieve my career aspirations and now I know I get do whatever I want to do in life.

Lauren - Burnley College

I went to Hellersdorf in Berlin June 2012 with twelve other learners and Ian and Claire my tutors from college. To get a place on the visit I had to complete an application form and complete a preparation Life Skills Course with Waltraud who organises the visit.

The main reason for me wanting to go to Berlin was to experience the different way of life and meet new people and challenges. The people I was to travel and live with I had only seen in college and never really spoke to so this was a big step for me and was out of my comfort zone. The preparation course was about our life dreams and how we should make dreams that are true to us. The course also allowed me to get to know all the people who were going to Berlin. The course was quite difficult as it made me think about the choices I make in life and what dreams are important and what are not.
My placement was at Hella Club with Shazia a girl’s only youth centre that was a wonderful experience. We prepared meals and juices also celebrated the birthdays of many children who attended. We took part in acting and dancing classes as well as communicating with the children in lessons and games to test our language.

The days were quite short yet very full with lots of activities and involvement in the preparation. The report I received at the end of the placement was brilliant the communication and rapport I had developed with the girl’s was commented on and this to me was the most important. I built up excellent relationships with the staff and girls who attended the programme and felt I made a difference in the short time I was there.

What other things did I do in Berlin while in Berlin we visited the museum, east side gallery, TV tower, theatre and the Zoo. We spent time not only as a group but with the volunteers from Kids and Co which was great fun and some strong friendships were formed and I still keep in touch with many of them. Since leaving Germany I have met up in town (Burnley) with them and we had a party at a local cafe bar with food and cake etc it was amazing to see them all again.

Where we lived in Hellersdorf at Kids and Co we had the chance to prepare food and be independent. Skills we had not learnt before were developed and this allowed me as an individual to become a less reliant person at home. We had the chance to make meals and shop for Breakfast and the main aspect I enjoyed was sitting down with the other 13 people and socialising over breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The experience and opportunity I had was one I thought I would never have had thank you to Ian and Claire my tutors at Burnley College, Steffi and the volunteers at Kids and Co and finally Moses and Waltraud one very inspirational lady who I will never forget. This opportunity should be available to all young people it allows them to fulfil choices and dreams and is life changing it was for me.

Laura - Burnley College

All about me
My name is Laura and I’m studying on the Level 2 Health and Social Care and my career aim is to become a Social Worker and later in my career become a Manager of a Children’s Residential home.
The reason for me wanting to go to Berlin was for the cultural experience and to discover ways of overcoming language barriers. I also wanted to work and meet people who I did not know and gain experiences from the different aspects of working with others. I have always wanted to visit Germany because my Mum lived in Germany and I wanted to visit the place she once lived.

The reason why I wanted to attend the exchange was to gain valuable experience and I felt this was a fantastic opportunity to work with others who are my age and gain knowledge of them personally and make long term friendships.

I hoped to gain understanding of the health and social care provision, new friends and people who I can connect with in similar circumstances. I also wanted to gain my V50 award an award that was awarded for me completing 50 hours of voluntary work and this is now part of my individual learning portfolio which I will take for my University interviews.

The reason for my interest in the Berlin work placement was to work with other young people and gain valuable knowledge and experience as well as making friends from the UK and Germany. I also wanted to experience the culture and the historical landmarks of Berlin such as the East Side gallery, Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp and the TV tower.

How I prepared for Berlin was taking part in a group life dreams coaching session working with a wacky lady called Waltraud who was is very bubbly, outgoing, fun, extrovert, knowledgeable and caring. Waltraud made the whole experience exciting and a pleasure to be a part of. She gave me and the other young people a great sense of knowledge and wisdom and key points that will make our time in Berlin easier and more enjoyable and without her the experience would not have been possible.

When I was first told about the Berlin trip by Claire, my tutor in Group Tutorial I was really interested in the visit because it was going to change my life and dreams.
On the initial application I had to complete a statement of interest and write about the reasons for wanting to visit Berlin and take part in the Leonardo Da Vinci project. Once I sent my application it was a waiting game and I was successful the dream had just begun.
The initial preparation took place over 3 days and we learnt some basic German phrases, discussed our own experiences and took part in many different team building activities to support. The life dreams coaching was the most enjoyable part of the preparation actually hearing other people telling make what sort of person I was.

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 was at Mittendrin a community day centre and project that supported people within this small district of Hellersdorf. The experience I had there was very enjoyable we took part in craft workshops, fitness classes, games and basic communication with service users teaching a man to speak English. I worked with Jade in the placement and since the Berlin experience I have now become close friends with Jade and we are still at college together now studying on the Level 3 Health and Social care course.

The feedback from the placement was very good and lovely comments were written about me and the work I had done. The skills I had developed were speaking basic German, how to communicate and build relationships with people. How to become independent and also how to make a bond with people I would not normally meet and speak with.
In our leisure time we visited many places in Berlin not only with Ian and Claire but with the German Volunteers who supported us while staying at Kids and Co. We visited the main city landmarks and also climbed to the top of the Government Building the Reichstag. We went to the Berlin Zoo, Concentration camp and Freidrichstat Palace to see an amazing theatre performance called FYI . We also went shopping in Berlin went on an open top bus all in all we walked miles but saw the best bits of Berlin.

On another of our days off we visited a concentration camp. I found this very enjoyable in a very sad way seeing all the sites and hearing the experience for me was a very unique but sad experience. I saw the actual evidence of everything I had been taught at School and this was very surreal.
While staying at Kids and Co we learnt how to cook, work and live as a group in one building initially it was hard as some people were very pro active and others sat back and watched but by the end of the week we had a got together and sorted the problems by holding a house meeting and speaking about our own thoughts and concerns. Overall this was one of the highlights all of us sitting down together and enjoying social time together was a really fun experience.
What I got most of all from the experience was the friendships, knowledge and independence to become the person I want to be. I look at my life very differently now and the experience will be one I can never forget.

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.

Bethany - Burnley College

My name is Bethany and I go to Burnley College . In June this year I successfully applied to go to Berlin with some other students in the division and this is a bit about my experiences and what I gained from going to Berlin. Before I could go to Berlin I had to do an application form in which I had to say why I wanted to do the placement and what I hoped to get out of the experience . In my statement I wrote about how I lacked confidence and how I wanted to develop this and how I did not find study easy but really wanted to achieve a good qualification and how I felt the placement would help me to do this. I also wanted to meet other young people and get to know more people as I had not found settling into college easy and it would give me the opportunity to find new friendships.

Before we went to Berlin we also did some work with a lady called Waltraud and some of her staff. The sessions were about our dreams and aspirations. They also encouraged us to look at ourselves and what was important to us in life. It was really good preparation because the course was for the group who were going to Berlin and it meant we could spend some time together preparing for the visit and getting to know each other. We know that in Berlin we would be living and worki together and so it was important that we learnt to get on and accept each other for who we are. It also meant I could get to know my Personal Tutors better : Claire and Ian who we really good as they got involved and did all the activities.

My Placement In Berlin
During my time in Berlin I completed a placement based at Senfa 10 which was a youth club based at Kids and Co. The centre offered activities for children to older adults. During my time I worked with young people who were similar age to me. I participated in activities such as cards, skate park activities, sports, graffiti art and dance classes. I also supported the staff in setting up activities and preparing snacks. The placement at first was very difficult because of the language barrier but being in the midst of it meant I had to have a go at speaking and also it was good because the people I met helped me with my German and I helped them wi their English. The placement was alox good because I met so many new people who were interested in me and what I did, this developed my confidence and allowed me to share with them my career aspirations , my family life and make new friendships. At the end of the placement I received a written report about how I had done in the placement . It said how well I had done and that if they were an employer they would consider me for a job. This was really good and boosted my confidence and is an excellent report to put in my CV.

What else did I do in Berlin
During my time off in Berlin we did lots of other activities a with my group and other volunteers at Kids and Co where we stayed . During my free time I did lots of sight seeing and socialising with the volunteers. I visited the Berlin Wall, the concentration camp, shopping excursions, the TV Tower and the zoo. It was such a busy city but had so much to offer and see. I learnt about the divide when East and West Berlin were divided. I learnt how the people of Berlin had been affected by their history.
At the accommodation we all had different roles in organising the meals, shopping and cleaning. This was a lot of fun and helped me to develop my independence as we had to plan and prepare meals for the group. Each morning we had to prepare a shopping list and go out on our own and buy what we needed. We did make mistakes but it was funny for example one day we needed one clove of garlic and ended up with twelve!

It also gave me more responsibility and allowed me to develop some leadership skills. I really enjoyed living wi a group of different people and it was a lot of fun and nice to share our day with each other at the end. At the end of each day we had a group meeting in which we all shared what was good and not so good about our day. Claire our tutor did this with us as a group and it was really nice to see what we was all doing and sharing what we had enjoyed.

What did I get from my trip to Berlin
I think every young person should have an experience such as Berlin as it does change your ideas and different cultures and yourself. The experience got me to look at myself and reflect on what I really want to do with my life. The placement has opened up my ideas to different careers and even think about working with young people in a community centre. Since coming back from Berlin I have also moved in with my dad and I have found that my relationship with my parents has been a lot better as they think I am more grown up and supportive at home. The placement and visit also inspired to continue with my studies and realise that I can do and achieve what I want if I have the right attitude and believe in myself.