Despite my being far from ready at the appointed hour, our first workshop on 11 July was reasonably successful.
The participants focused on learning how to design and hand tool small items like keyfobs and other shapes. Due to the late start caused by my not having a well-organized setup procedure, we ran out of time to do the dye and finish work. And will continue that at our next session on 18 July.
The most important thing which happened is that two of the participants, Greta and Carla, got residents involved. Greta helped one make a keyfob. And Carla engaged another resident in a lengthy conversation about the workshop, and what she was making.
They were able to do so because our location made us highly visible to the residents. Several of whom stopped to inquire what we were doing. At least one has stopped me in the hall a couple of times this week to confirm we’re having another workshop this Friday, July 18th, and that he can make a leather cross during it.
So, all in all, we’re off to a reasonably decent start.
Having said that, as I told Thomas (social worker), it will take a few months for the program to take hold. One of the key factors in whether or not it does is the frequency of the workshops. Intermittent workshops held every few weeks will guarantee failure. The residents need to know that they can plan on attending and have enough time to accomplish a decent amount of work on their projects.
Which is why I’m going to try to hold and advertise workshops from 9:30 to 15:00 every Friday. Hopefully, that will be often enough for the residents to know the workshop should be happening. And long enough to make the items they wish to make.
As I also told Thomas, I have no doubt there will be times I’m the only one there. Given the nature of the program and Jaro’s residents, this is to be expected. While it might be somewhat discouraging, it shouldn’t be an insurmountable problem.
One way to address this would be to open the workshops to residents of other Caritas facilities and/or the general public.
Shortly before he left for the weekend last Friday, Thomas asked if it was possible for me to conduct the workshops at other Caritas facilities.
The answer to that is : yes and no.
Yes, it is possible … if handled properly.
No, it can’t be done without proper transportation to and from the event.
While it might, and I stress might, be possible to conduct a demonstration by reducing what is taken enough to transport it on public transportation, it’s impossible to reduce it enough to actually conduct a workshop.
Even if it were possible, it would take someone much healthier than me to use public transportation to transport the items needed for even just a demonstration, let alone a workshop.
There are days I can barely get to the local Billa and back. Plus, it has taken from about 23:30 Friday night until now, Wednesday morning, July 16th, to recover from Friday’s workshop. About all I’ve done is sleep, eat, and watch American TV series on the streaming services I use. Even then, I was too exhausted to go to breakfast and supper a few times.
Therefore, unless the facility hosting the workshop provides transportation to and from the event, the only way to include their residents is to open the workshops up to them. This could entail either having them join our events (for a small fee). Or conduct events specifically for their residents here.
Obviously, these matters need to be discussed with Albert and other relevant Haus Jaro staff before any decision is made.
