Hiya!
I've finally finished the third week of the NCS programme! This past week was all about social action and making a difference in our community.
We first visited our partner, in my team's case it was the Sutton Mental Health Foundation, and we stayed there for a couple of hours to talk to (and play pool with) the people who came. It was tragic, seeing all these people who either needed help and didn't receive any or didn't have a place to stay in the daytime.
One man's living room had flooded, and all the waste from two neighbouring flats ran into his room. He came to the SMHF because he couldn't stay in his home and the government wouldn't help him because he didn't actually have any mental problems.
Another man was drawing out times and dates nonstop on pieces of paper, colouring them in with felt tips. When talking to him, he seemed normal, albeit a little distracted since he wouldn't put his pens down.
After the visit, we planned a campaign to raise awareness for mental health which will be carried out in September. We wrote a survey and went to the local high street the next day for some answers from the public. My friends and I asked 14 people in less than an hour, so I'm pretty pleased with that ;)
We also started work on our pitch, splitting into groups (I'm in 'events and logistics', meaning I need to focus on the timetable...and money!) and practising speaking skills. A member of the Chamber of Commerce came in to talk to us about being 'professional' and listened to our pitch.
Funny story here, another team went to Morrisons for their practise pitch, and they all came out with job offers! Lucky ones...
Anyway, finally the real pitch came, Dragon's Den style, and in front of all the other teams (50 pairs of judging teenage eyes). But that didn't bother me, it was the Dragons that did, in all their fire-breathing, cunning-gazed glory. All three important men, one the MP of the county, scrutinising and picking apart our pitch, pointing things out that we wouldn't ever think about.
It was terrifying!
But thankfully, all ran smoothly, and it was one of the best pitches we did. Even though I lost my cue card just before doing it, so I had to do a mixture of improvisation and short-term memory strenuous workout. We received £50 funding for our campaign, the full amount that we asked for :)
And to finish off the week, there was a party i.e. food which quickly ran out, terrible music and everyone just taking selfies.
All in all, it was a good week, one that was a bit more challenging than the other two, and we had to do a lot more work. But the hard work paid off, and we can now campaign for something which I think we are all passionate about.
♥
I love y'all
ttyl
xxx
