My name is Kat and I am a Youth Worker!
It is far more than just a job; it is a part of life!
It can induce tears, joy, frustration, celebration...
You need to be a jack of all trades.
On some days it seems shallow, or just run of the mill,
On others you are on the front line, responding to life's biggies.
It can make you realise why you do youth work on some days
and question if you're really cut out for it on other days.
It affects eating and sleeping habits;
10pm becomes teatime. You get home late after a session buzzing and generally hungry to talk, think and eat! Before you can sleep you need to wind down, talk to anyone who will listen... and digest!!!
But then again, breakfast was probably around 11am*, because if you get to bed before midnight then you’ve done well, so lunch migrates to 3pm, because you realise you haven't eaten yet! and you know that it needs to keep you going until 9 or 10pm... and so the cycle continues.
*n.b. The last FOUR days, I've somehow managed to get up BEFORE the rest of my house!...and they are busy interns* (*people doing an Internship year at my church)! I know some people leave the house before 7.30am, but for me, this is the equivalent of the crack of dawn!
You're not scared of walking around in the dark (without a bulletproof vest) ...but you'd prefer it if it wasn't raining!
You talk to random people in the supermarket and the street, say hi or smile to groups of young people as you walk home with the shopping, instead of look down at your feet or try and avoid them altogether (and every so often hear them go, "Who is she?!"... as you remember that you're not at work so "I'm a youth worker- we've been working round here for a little while" is not the right response... on this occasion."
Your head is full of icebreakers, games, ideas, tenuous links, stories, naff jokes and random information that you are ready to pull out as the need or opportunity arises and your boot is full of random games, craft materials, rolls of paper, boots, waterproofs, plastic cups and a bottle of squash!
It can throw you out of your comfort zone a lot and simultaneously feel like the most natural thing in the world!
This is Youth Work; the land of 'Informal Education' and the privilege of getting alongside and being part of young people's lives, of opportunities to inspire, challenge, encourage, learn (both ways!) and delight in the gems when they arise, of making plans and programmes then throwing them up in the air to see where the wind takes them, wondering where it will go! This is youth work!
You (the readers) might have realised by now that I say 'you' and 'your' when I really mean 'me'. It's an old habit, but I guess, some of you may share some the experiences above in some way, shape or form. So it's my way of opening up life and work to you in a way that hopefully, you can connect with!
This is the first of many youth work posts. I'd love to hear your thoughts, stories or experiences and it's great when people join this site (see right), you can even follow by email...
Coming soon...
Faith fuelled youth work: looking at faith and youth work when you are not working in faith-based settings!
Friday 9 September 2011
Wednesday 31 August 2011
Pondering Poetry
I've just launched a new blog especially for poetry. It's been exciting realising that out of nowhere I'm able to write poetry and I'd like to share it with you.
I've carried on with the pondering theme and there is a link between both sites at the top of the side bar, but for ease and so you can read today's poem, "Do you want to be a Zebra?" check out the blog
I've carried on with the pondering theme and there is a link between both sites at the top of the side bar, but for ease and so you can read today's poem, "Do you want to be a Zebra?" check out the blog
Pondering Poetry
Sunday 28 August 2011
Important: You will need three people
It often feels like I’m constantly moving house. It’s been half a decade since my student days, but since moving to Durham about eight years ago, I’ve moved every year. The only exception has been a big house of 10, aka ‘House Beautiful’ (the name hopefully makes some sense if you’ve ever read John Bunyan’s ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’), I lived there for two years while we sought to live out a Christian vision of community. Recently, I discovered that a friend had had to move over thirty times in five years- in comparison I realise that I’ve had it easy!
Anyway I’ve moved again and over the past month it’s just been me, home alone, at the new house. This weekend, one of my new housemate’s arrived and for some reason the previous tenants had decided not to make the bedframe but had left it in a box behind the door, and had used the mattress straight on the floor. So after unloading her car we had a bed to make.
Anyway I’ve moved again and over the past month it’s just been me, home alone, at the new house. This weekend, one of my new housemate’s arrived and for some reason the previous tenants had decided not to make the bedframe but had left it in a box behind the door, and had used the mattress straight on the floor. So after unloading her car we had a bed to make.
We set to opening up and figuring out the different parts and instructions. We put together the headboard and footboard which were made up of a series of different poles and screws and the next bit of making the frame and connecting it to the headboard and the foot of the bed had very strict instructions written in bold letters that read:
Important: you will need three people
I think I’m alright at DIY, I quite enjoy it too! Last year I helped one of my housemates paint her room and then I fitted a carpet, cutting it to size and everything with my pink stanley knife. A tidy job, even though I had never fitted a carpet before! So I read the instructions out loud, looked at the bits of bed and thousands of different size screws, washers and nuts, looked at my friend and back at myself, wondering if two was enough or whether we'd have to put the bed construction on hold and then I shrugged and said,
“That’s alright, we’ve got Jesus too.”
and my friend replied, "And he's a carpenter!"
Needless to say with the ultimate carpenter with us, who promises he'll never leave us, the bed was completed smoothly with no further complications!
and my friend replied, "And he's a carpenter!"
Needless to say with the ultimate carpenter with us, who promises he'll never leave us, the bed was completed smoothly with no further complications!
Wednesday 29 June 2011
Easy Peasy Pancakes (Recipe)
Hello,
I had pancakes for breakfast this morning- using jug and chopstick method (see below), with very yummy cooked strawberries, raspberries and blueberries with a bit of honey that I made yesterday and some natural yoghurt on some and maple syrup on the others. Yum!
It seems important to have a pancake recipe on a blog called Pondering Pancakes so here it is!
This is the simplest recipe I know and is easy to adjust depending on numbers of people or eggs. For a bigger batch multiply by the number of eggs you are using. A standard batch is 2 eggs (multiply flour/milk by 2) but if you're just craving pancakes late at night or fancy some for breakfast and it's just you and maybe a friend, one egg will do.
The basic combination for easy peasy pancakes:
1 egg
100g plain flour
half a pint of milk
Shake of Cinnamon/ Mixed Spice
Bit of oil (in the batter)
Oil for the pan
(if you've got too much oil in the pan- pour excess into a heatproof pot and use it for following pancakes.)
They always suggest a pinch of salt too
I generally don't bother, but I put a shake of ground cinnamon or mixed spice in (you can't really taste it- it just adds a yummy edge and takes away the floury taste)
Also the oil in the batter helps to stop it sticking- trick from Clare Miller's pancake recipe. But olive oil doesn't work that well- it made the pancakes stick to the pan more.
1 egg batter will feed 1 (v. hungry), 2 or 3 people,
2 egg batter will feed a lot more (average batch)
3 egg batter is a good starting point for pancake parties with lots of people or making pancakes with my youth groups.
When working with young people:
Supervision and risk assessment are important, and for safety and sanity, limit numbers in the kitchen at a time. Otherwise they crowd around, it is chaotic and not safe! (2-3yp at a time works well)
Let them do as much as you can- Particularly flipping and eating them and bring different toppings- fruit is particularly good. Have fun!
n.b. Get yourself on a food safety course (basic food hygiene) too if you haven't done one already!
To cook:
you might already know this...
...if you so, try a small batch using 'jug and chopstick' method below
Now sift dry ingredients; flour, (salt), spice
unless you're being lazy or making them on a windy hilltop (or bring extra flour).
Make a well for the egg(s) and break it in
Beat egg in middle SLOWLY bringing in flour from edges
Slowly add milk, keep stirring, get it smooth before you add more unless you have a super efficient whisking device
Look for consistency- feel free not to add every last drop of milk, or to add a bit more to make it right.
Add a small splodge of oil to the mixture, stir in,
leave it to sit a bit..
then good pan, dash of oil,
Get the pan hot, pour in the mixture and move it around the pan quickly to get nice round and not too thick pancake, unless the batter is fairly thick.
You have to be quick as it should set fairly quickly.
When it's time to flip it, make sure top has set- definitely no runny bits before shaking it to get it free from the pan (if you have to use tools then do but i challenge you to do without if you can) then flip!
If it's not set properly, it's more likely to end in a crumpled heap and stick to itself.
You may need to adjust the heat through the cooking process. Follow your instinct, generally, start high then bring it down to medium high setting. Based on an average middle of the range hob.
Then your choice, lemon and sugar, lime for an extra twist, maple syrup, icecream, yoghurt, soft fruit e.g. strawberries/ raspberries/ blueberries (if they've started to turn, cook them up and mix in a squeeze of honey at the end :-P yum)...
or maybe savoury edge, pancakes with bacon, egg and maple syrup- lovely! Or throw some tuna and sweetcorn into/on to the batter as it cooks...
Jug and Chopstick Method:
If making it for one or two people as a super speedy thing late at night, use a small measuring jug as bowl and to measure and a chopstick to mix. I don't tend to sift the flour for this method- which is also helpful for outdoor/ windy hilltop pancakes. (Although you might struggle to get the pan hot enough if you really are on a windy hilltop!) It's possible to get the batter really smooth (the chopstick can get into all the edges), mix really well and add ingredients slowly.
Then you can pour it into the pan and get cooking.
I haven't tried making camp pancakes for about 15 years-I was only 12 years old but they always used to go wrong, the magic is in the right pan and the right heat.
Jug and chopstick= less time, less fuss, less drips, less washing up. (Generally!) and easy to put jug in fridge to make more later/ in the morning.
How did you get on? Have you made/ attempted to make pancakes outdoors or using candles, camp stoves or a woodfire? What are your favourite toppings? What do you ponder while you make/eat pancakes? Have you made pancakes with your youth groups/ family/ friends/ cub pack/ scout troop etc?
I had pancakes for breakfast this morning- using jug and chopstick method (see below), with very yummy cooked strawberries, raspberries and blueberries with a bit of honey that I made yesterday and some natural yoghurt on some and maple syrup on the others. Yum!
It seems important to have a pancake recipe on a blog called Pondering Pancakes so here it is!
This is the simplest recipe I know and is easy to adjust depending on numbers of people or eggs. For a bigger batch multiply by the number of eggs you are using. A standard batch is 2 eggs (multiply flour/milk by 2) but if you're just craving pancakes late at night or fancy some for breakfast and it's just you and maybe a friend, one egg will do.
The basic combination for easy peasy pancakes:
1 egg
100g plain flour
half a pint of milk
Shake of Cinnamon/ Mixed Spice
Bit of oil (in the batter)
Oil for the pan
(if you've got too much oil in the pan- pour excess into a heatproof pot and use it for following pancakes.)
They always suggest a pinch of salt too
I generally don't bother, but I put a shake of ground cinnamon or mixed spice in (you can't really taste it- it just adds a yummy edge and takes away the floury taste)
Also the oil in the batter helps to stop it sticking- trick from Clare Miller's pancake recipe. But olive oil doesn't work that well- it made the pancakes stick to the pan more.
1 egg batter will feed 1 (v. hungry), 2 or 3 people,
2 egg batter will feed a lot more (average batch)
3 egg batter is a good starting point for pancake parties with lots of people or making pancakes with my youth groups.
When working with young people:
Supervision and risk assessment are important, and for safety and sanity, limit numbers in the kitchen at a time. Otherwise they crowd around, it is chaotic and not safe! (2-3yp at a time works well)
Let them do as much as you can- Particularly flipping and eating them and bring different toppings- fruit is particularly good. Have fun!
n.b. Get yourself on a food safety course (basic food hygiene) too if you haven't done one already!
To cook:
you might already know this...
...if you so, try a small batch using 'jug and chopstick' method below
Now sift dry ingredients; flour, (salt), spice
unless you're being lazy or making them on a windy hilltop (or bring extra flour).
Make a well for the egg(s) and break it in
Beat egg in middle SLOWLY bringing in flour from edges
Slowly add milk, keep stirring, get it smooth before you add more unless you have a super efficient whisking device
Look for consistency- feel free not to add every last drop of milk, or to add a bit more to make it right.
Add a small splodge of oil to the mixture, stir in,
leave it to sit a bit..
then good pan, dash of oil,
Get the pan hot, pour in the mixture and move it around the pan quickly to get nice round and not too thick pancake, unless the batter is fairly thick.
You have to be quick as it should set fairly quickly.
When it's time to flip it, make sure top has set- definitely no runny bits before shaking it to get it free from the pan (if you have to use tools then do but i challenge you to do without if you can) then flip!
If it's not set properly, it's more likely to end in a crumpled heap and stick to itself.
You may need to adjust the heat through the cooking process. Follow your instinct, generally, start high then bring it down to medium high setting. Based on an average middle of the range hob.
Then your choice, lemon and sugar, lime for an extra twist, maple syrup, icecream, yoghurt, soft fruit e.g. strawberries/ raspberries/ blueberries (if they've started to turn, cook them up and mix in a squeeze of honey at the end :-P yum)...
or maybe savoury edge, pancakes with bacon, egg and maple syrup- lovely! Or throw some tuna and sweetcorn into/on to the batter as it cooks...
Jug and Chopstick Method:
If making it for one or two people as a super speedy thing late at night, use a small measuring jug as bowl and to measure and a chopstick to mix. I don't tend to sift the flour for this method- which is also helpful for outdoor/ windy hilltop pancakes. (Although you might struggle to get the pan hot enough if you really are on a windy hilltop!) It's possible to get the batter really smooth (the chopstick can get into all the edges), mix really well and add ingredients slowly.
Then you can pour it into the pan and get cooking.
I haven't tried making camp pancakes for about 15 years-I was only 12 years old but they always used to go wrong, the magic is in the right pan and the right heat.
Jug and chopstick= less time, less fuss, less drips, less washing up. (Generally!) and easy to put jug in fridge to make more later/ in the morning.
How did you get on? Have you made/ attempted to make pancakes outdoors or using candles, camp stoves or a woodfire? What are your favourite toppings? What do you ponder while you make/eat pancakes? Have you made pancakes with your youth groups/ family/ friends/ cub pack/ scout troop etc?
Thursday 23 June 2011
Hope and Hindsight
What is hope? Where is hope?
How do you hold on to it when it seems out of your grasp?
Sometimes you can’t even catch sight of it.
But hope is there- you just need to believe it, keep pushing into it, even if you don’t know what it is that you’re pushing into.
In the dark, with a distant light shining at you, the dark seems darker, the path is hidden and unknown, like when someone shines a torch in your face, but the light is there. You know to keep moving towards it. Eventually when you reach the light and look back, the light illuminates the darkness that you have emerged from, the paths you have trod are revealed. Looking back, the hope is united with hindsight; doubts about whether it was just a whim, a dream or wishful thinking crumble. Hope with hindsight reveals rock solid faithfulness.
Over and over, the light has seemed dim, the way forward blind, hidden and uncertain, but God has led me on, through wonderings of ‘I know you’re good and I know you’re here... but HOW are you going to do it this time’ and, ‘Where are you in all this?!’. ‘Where is the hope in this situation?’, ‘what is it going to look like’ when I reach the light and look back at the illuminated path that seemed so dark.
But I have seen ‘God pull through’ over and over, through jobs and houses, housemates, family situations, seeing God at work in my life and others around me. I look back and I see his faithfulness, Hope with Hindsight!
Now, I’m back wondering what hope looks like, where it is going to end up, longing to glimpse the hindsight that is hidden and I feel plunged into darkness again. But I remember the journeys that seemed so dark with difficulty and uncertainty and I remember seeing the breakthrough and seeing how God kept me close and led me on.
So I’m going to keep pushing on, knowing He, my Creator, my Saviour, my Hope, has it all in hand and is faithful, because I have seen hope with hindsight over and over again.
Hope has been a theme and a challenge in my work, my art, my thoughts over the last few months and years. Look out for more hope related blogs. I'd love to here what you think about hope. Thoughts, experiences, questions...
At church we’ve just had our ‘June Project’ which has had a huge focus on hope. Check out http://kcdarts.blogspot.com/ It’s an art gallery bringing together a number of different artists and styles from the church around the theme of hope. Check it out... (I’ve got a piece on it too.)
Monday 23 May 2011
Blogging Begins...
This is my first ever blog!
It’s quite challenging to decide what to write, because my mind is full of so many ideas, but they are all tangled together. So here goes...
Why ‘Pondering Pancakes’?
The idea of ‘pondering’ is something close to my heart. It speaks of not letting thoughts, ideas, questions and moments pass unnoticed. Life so often moves on in a whirlwind, minutes roll into hours, days and weeks. But to ponder is to capture the beautiful moments, of what God is doing, what he has made and who he is. It treasures, it challenges, it grapples with ideas and gives you the opportunity to reflect, dream and work out how faith and life, joy and hard times, theory and practice go hand in hand.
So what have pancakes got to do with it?
I like pancakes, and it makes a nice alliteration too, but it goes a bit deeper than that. A couple of weeks before Shrove Tuesday, I start getting the longing for pancakes, and so I’ll make the odd batch (flipping pancakes is an essential part of the process) and then continue making and eating pancakes into the start of Lent. In a way, while mixing, flipping and eating yummy pancakes, the yearning to pause and ponder and get my perspectives in order stirs up. Therefore ‘Pondering Pancakes’ seem apt.
Final thought... In the same way pancakes aren’t restricted to just one day, pondering is not just restricted to the Lenten season either. (This is particularly good because although Easter was late this year- four weeks have already rolled on since then).
God Bless and enjoy xx
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