• Taking responsibility , thinking of others – encouraging others to participate
• Opportunity to gain accreditation .
• Working with small groups
• Changing circumstances impacting on young people committing to the programme .
• The school environment : Rules and Protocols
• Overcoming feelings of exposure / vulnerability
• Competing with other subjects i . e ., Home Economics
• Managing the demands in terms of music / dance choices ( no phones allowed )
• Time the sessions so that young people have their breakfast before starting and do not run into breaks .
• Watch out for timetable clashes with other popular subjects .
• Run the session with breaks within the dance space so young people do not get distracted or diverted .
• Get t-shirts to give a sense of belonging .
As the Classroom Assistant summarised , having YDance as an external specialist was key to success :
I would say that if leaders had not thrown themselves in as they did , the programme would not have worked . They were key to this programme working . Another important aspect of the programme was the YDance staff did not have a personal relationship with the girls . I do not believe this would have worked in it was delivered by in-house staff .
45