Walking With My Bear

Testimonial: Jonathan KattenbergJon has spent several weeks working with a class of Sheffield College students to help and support the learners to re-engage and progress them back into mainstream vocational courses ready for the new academic year in September. Or to get the students to consider and seek out alternative progression routes like apprenticeships, traineeships and employment. Jon has completed this work whilst representing Endeavour, a long-established youth development charity committed to enriching lives through education and adventure.During this time, Jon was able to develop a proactive relationship with the students, this has helped him to establish an effective classroom delivery, good team interaction and positive engagement both in the classroom and in an outdoors environment. In addition, Jon’s approach has enabled the students to explore the additionality further Endeavour programmes.Jon has conducted this work in collaboration with myself (course lead Step to Success re-engagement programme) and with Will Earp and Jasmine Watson from the NCS Element organisation to bring together three providers to enhance student outcomes. The sessions were delivered around the student’s life planning, career choices and going beyond their perceived limits when working with them outdoors. The young people who are disadvantaged due to factors including but not limited to: mental health, employment, educational attainment, financial, social skills, low social mobility, discrimination, and stability. Jon has helped to address this by providing support and activities which develop their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as mature and responsible individuals.These sessions have covered a wide range of topics and experiences including promoting young people’s personal and social development in various ways: outdoor activities, life skills, participate in experiences that: are enjoyable, challenging and rewarding, include collective activity they have chosen, expand on student comfort zones, show students that they have positive assets, through reflective activities, develop new skills and interests through taking part in activities, develop planning, organisation and teamwork skills through active participation and decision-making, increase their knowledge and understanding of issues affecting their lives, gain access to non-formal learning opportunities which help them fulfil their potential.Dave GiblinSheffield CollegeCourse lead Step to Success re-engagement programme

I highly recommend this unique and personalised method of therapy. For over 20 years I have struggled with eating disorders and until 2 and a half years ago I was also dependant on alcohol. I experienced various types of therapy and treatments through the NHS and privately as an inpatient and at home. I tried to learn to live with it all… Until I started working with ‘Walking with my bear’. After my 5th detox (the one where the odds of me surviving it were not good), Walking with my Bear was there to support and guide me, enabling me to stay sober and be free from my eating disorders. It was a long journey and when I was strong enough we worked with my mind-set in the great outdoors, a totally different form of therapy from what I previously had tried. We used various mind-set approaches and tools and we finally got to the root cause. Recovery is possible with the right guidance and support. I fully support this form of therapy so much so, that it has inspired me to train for the qualifications to deliver this unique approach of therapy. I encourage anyone who is struggling to reach out to Walking with my bear. I can honestly say it saved my life.