All throughout 2021, as I was in Year 1, I was a Nulsen Youth Patron. This program is a really special one, in which only selected students in Year 10 are gifted the honour to work alongside Nulsen residents as long as being able to be in a numerous amount of workshops, such as the Emotional Intelligence Workshop. This program really shaped who I am today and taught me many life long lessons. Below is a breakdown of the separate parts of the program and my experiences.
Nulsen to me has been an unforgettable experience that has taught me so much and I have no doubt it will continue to teach me more. Having the opportunity to learn extremely valuable leadership and self-building skills along with working with the residents is a real honour and I am very grateful to have received the wonderful gift I have been given in this role. Being a youth patron is an opportunity that in my opinion all young people my age should take part in. I believe this, due to the fact we are grown to blossom into human beings that are ready to tackle whatever lies in our future paths.
Firstly, I would like to touch on the value I have gotten out of the leadership tools in the program. Learning the ins and outs to public speaking, emotional intelligence workshops, to what is takes to be a leader. These opportunities provide life lessons that are key in anything we do. Personally, my favourite was the panel leadership series, which gathered all the schools involved with the program and a selection of leaders who generously shared their experiences and wisdom with us. The takeaway for me was that the best leaders demonstrate empathy. This challenged my previous thinking, as a basketball player that likes to be the team captain shouting and pointing at others to get in position. I learnt that it’s not about being loud, strong, or assertive it is offering a hand to your team, imaging how you would feel in their position and connecting with that feeling. Actions often speak louder than words.
That leads me onto my next point to connecting with the Nulsen residents. Now this is my favourite part. The thing that amazes me is that I have felt the same way after every opportunity I have had to meet the residents. It is not the easiest to describe, but a real buzz of excitement illuminates from me. You can ask my dad who picks me up afterwards, it takes a lot to get that smile off my face. I think a lot of that comes done to how the Nulsen is run. I can’t speak enough about how supported I have felt at every house visit, standing alongside my teachers, representatives from Nulsen, the support workers and the residents themselves. I love all aspects of our house visits whether it is sitting down and connecting with the residents or heading outside to shoot some hoops. It can be difficult sometimes to connect with the residents due to clear communication barriers, but by using my standout lesson earlier of empathy, I have learnt that every single one of us has a story to share. And often the residents’ stories our absolute gems that bring out the best in us. The ability to listen and learn through the residents is a real tool to becoming a person that connects more with others.
Also, as a patron I have been involved with the annual All Saints Quiz Night. The night was a great example of what we can achieve if we work together. It was a massive project that wouldn’t have been possible without the help of so many different people. The generosity from everyone to pitch in was amazing and I am so glad we raised such a great figure on the night. I know it will go a long way to helping such a great cause at Nulsen.
The great work that Nulsen does really inspires me and gives me hope towards what our world can achieve in the future. Reflecting on times not too long ago which had people living with disabilities being rejected from society and discriminated, to the world that I am involved in today. This change in such a small space of time really speaks volume to the beneficial effect Nulsen has had not just on the people they support, but society as a whole.