The Wisdom of Youth: Weeknote 2

*Starkeeper Morton is CEO aka Keeper of The Haven in Stonehaven amongst many other things

Whenever you see depictions of wise people they are always old. I never understood this because I am always in awe of the wisdom of youth. We actually had a Youth Board Representative on our Haven Board prior to the pandemic. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement for a youth-focused organisation. As an organisation we take an early intervention and prevention approach to wellbeing and to do that effectively we MUST engage, include and hear the voices of youth. It also gives young people the opportunity and confidence to learn what it means to be involved on a board. I didn’t even know what a board was till I found myself in the position of having to create one! But that is another story for another time…

Well of Wisdom in the Fountain of Youth

A board member and I went along to see the presentation of the Robert Gordon University Management Consultancy students. They were trying to find creative ways for us to report our impact back to the National Lottery on our Community Wellbeing Project. We were inspired to ask them for this expertise after reading this blog on a Linkedin post. We are really excited that they found a creative and innovative way that we never have even seen before. Thank you to Hugh Lawrie Katrin Bonke Keiran Bashforth Gregoire, Natalie & Carmen for everything.

Web of Life

We also welcomed an RGU Nursing student on Monday who was on a Health Visitor placement at the local Medical Surgery. She came along to The Haven on Monday to sit in on the Breastfeeding Support session by the NHS Grampian and to the New Mum Wellbeing Group that was having a session on sleep. It is really important to nurture the value of connection between the NHS and organisations that support the local community.

New Life

Today the first baby in our pregnancy yoga class at The Haven was born - just in time for our second new Mum Wellbeing Group beginning today. Not that we expect her to make an appearance at it, although in our first New Mum Group there was a Mum that appeared 24 hours after giving birth! I suppose she desired to sit in the support that held her during her pregnancy. We are so grateful for NHS Grampian Charity ?? for funding that allows us to support New Mums and babies in our community the way they are asking for us to support them. Since the pandemic we hear more and more the issues and challenges of social isolation and a real desire to connect again in person.?

Circle of Wellbeing

I have three milestones in my mind when my work at The Haven is done, one of which is when the young people we support one day have their own young. To create sustainable change, you need to be committed to the long game. My first pregnancy yoga babies are now in P1. I had the honour of teaching some of them at the Wee Wellbeing Warrior sessions we held during the Easter holidays.