Terve! My name is Sarah, I am 23 years old and I study social work in Germany. Since beginning of April I am happy to do an internship abroad here in Familar Länsiranta. Since I just moved to Finland, it’s the perfect way to get started and find out what it’s like to be a social worker in here. Of course, it’s not that easy since I don’t speak Finnish language yet. However, in English, Finnish and with ”hands and feet” we manage that the kids and the team can communicate with me. It is also great that I can learn Finnish from them. The kids help me with translating and vocabulary training and they also realize that they can understand and speak more English than they might have thought. We also learned that it takes a lot of courage.
Courage is also what climbing is all about. I have been a climbing trainer for three years and recently became a certified adventure educator. I wanted to share my experience and enthusiasm for both areas here. So the kids went climbing. For most of them this is their first experience with rope climbing. Some of them already knew in advance that they had respect for the height. In addition, it also requires some strength and muscles of which we did not even suspect at the beginning that we have them. Together we managed to overcome fear, master unknown situations and explore our own strengths. We also experience all these points in our everyday life. Adventure pedagogy is about exactly that. We create an experience (in this case climbing) in which experiences are gathered. Between these experiences and everyday life, a transfer can be established to develop coping strategies for our life. For example, it can be experienced that a situation that seems scary, such as climbing the heights and in everyday life, for example, to start a new school or start a job can be mastered step by step. It will be experienced that it is worth overcoming, because the feeling of success is strengthening for the self-esteem and self-confidence and makes insanely proud. The coping strategies, such as starting in small steps and giving oneself time to succeed, or being able to accept support, can also be applied in everyday life. Those who don’t find their strengths in climbing can, over time, learn to take responsibility for securing their climbing partners, learn how important trust and concentration are.
Trying out new things gives you the opportunity to find out where your strengths and weaknesses lie. For example, if you realize that climbing doesn’t work (yet) or isn’t fun, you can find out that it’s not bad. Even if others are super good at it. But the strengths lie elsewhere. For example, in low ropes elements and the balance that is necessary. We learned that a week after climbing and also built the elements together. This Method can be used for Teamwork Training as well and can bild a strong group with learning opportunities.
According to the motto ”Climbing is for every (-) body” there is a place for everyone in this area. Whether big, whether small, thick or thin, with and without disability or with and without experience. Everybody and every body can be included in a climbing team.
At the End I want to say thank´s so much for this great time in Länsirata. The whole Team made it so easy for me to feel comfortable and part of this great team. Thank´s Länsiranta for having me! It was a pleasure!
Länsirannan yksikönjohtajan ajatuksia
Kun Sarah helmikuussa 2023 lähestyi minua sähköpostilla, kysyen mahdollisuutta suorittaa harjoittelu meillä Länsirannassa, oli vastaus ilman muuta ”kyllä”. Sarahin valoisan persoonan sekä toiminnallisten vahvuuksien nähtiin ”kielimuurista” huolimatta istuvan juuri Länsirannan toimintaan. Sarah on kotoisin Saksasta, Augsburgista, jonne suorittaa Sosionomi AMK opintojaan. Tällä hetkellä Sarah asuu Lehtimäellä, joka mahdollisti hyvin tämän viimeisen opintoihin sisältyvän harjoittelun suorittamisen Länsirannassa.
Länsirannassa Sarahin positiivista ja innostavaa suhtautumista lapsiin on ollut ilo seurata. Ohjaajat sekä lapset ovat omien taitojensa mukaan kommunikoineet englannin kielellä, ja tämä on tuonut arkeen mukavaa piristystä. Olemme iloisia, että Sarah lähestyi juuri meitä harjoittelupaikkana ja on ollut osana Länsirannan matkaa.
Taru Viljanmaa, yksikönjohtaja
Familar Länsiranta
