Today was the first time I attended a fatherhood workshop! I was able to watch one of the coordinators host a workshop about healthy relationship building with one’s significant other.
There were 4-6 other clients in the workshop. The main intention of the workshop is that it serves as a focus group in which the clients are able to speak about the issues that arise in their relationships with those around them. To start the workshop, the facilitator asked the clients to focus on the definitions of what they think a relationship is. One stated, “a relationship is bond with common ground and association that has long and trust with one another.” Another said, “how a person relates to you with a common interest and relate to one another". Some offered descriptions of what a healthy relationship entails, such as “trust and respect for one another" and “having a mutual understanding with one another is what forms a good relationship".
The workshop also focused on discussing a recent concern or problem the client had, how he felt, and what was done? Some common feelings were feelings of disconnect with loved ones and lacking a sense of accomplishment in terms of employment. When asked what they were going to do about the problems they were facing, the clients said that going to STRIVE was helping them to transfigure and get their lives back on track.
Another activity the clients had to do was focusing on the qualities of a healthy relationship. There was a list of 12 items on the worksheet; however, after reading through the list, one of the participants raised his hand and said, “You know, this is a great list of items, but I think the main problem is that we struggle to understand the female perspective or the OTHER SIDE of what they think forms a healthy relationship. What if the woman/other side does not know what they want in a relationship?"
In response to that question, the facilitator stated that was a good point, but we need to consider the fact that we must focus on refining ourselves, focusing on what we want, and how our partners can help us excel in life. All these elements, I think, are excellent points that one may often forget. A common problem that has been brought up is that a lot of folks think a job is a fix-it-all solution. However, many don’t realize that it also starts in the relationships or the family that the parent is raising their child in, which is why I think it’s great STRIVE is hosting this workshop.
The group then divided into small groups of 3 to understand what three things from the list are currently not happening in their own relationship. The participants were able to give each other advice and relate to one another. The activity took a positive turn and asked the participants to identify three things they appreciate about their significant other (in which they will share with their significant other at a later point in the week).
Fortunately, I was able to sit in with the groups and lucky for me, the participants were very engaging, kind, and welcoming. We made small talk and they wanted to get to know me and wanted to know if this workshop helped me learn more about STRIVE. They were able to give me great restaurant recommendations and advice about New York while I told them a little about California.
I was able to participate in the next activity by assisting the facilitator and serving as a scribe to take notes. The next activity required the participants to tap into their creative side by drawing a ship and writing the properties to keep the ship afloat. Get it? Keeping the relationSHIP afloat? As you can see in the picture I provided, here were some of the properties that were stated during the discussion.
Some of these were things that actually keep a real boat afloat; however, the participants used them as symbolic or metaphoric meanings when describing their own relationships. For example, for “stay still", a participant stated that on a boat, you can’t really jump around or else it makes things shaky. To apply it in his own case, he said that he regularly stormed out of his house whenever he would get stressed out. In order to maintain a healthy relationship, he recognized that he needs to remain relatively calm and communicate with his family of what is going on. “You can’t always leave a situation. You have to work together to get through it". And yeah, I drew the picture above. Haha, look! It’s me and the class. :)
As for the rest of my day, I spent it preparing for a potential workshop that I will host for the clients on computer basics (as I stated earlier in the previous blog post) as well as helping plan for the graduation for the clients who completed the programs during the first half of the year.
Things are getting busy and I only have exactly two weeks left! As for now, I’m excited to attend the second part of the workshop tomorrow. Seems like the participants make a great group!
Natalie Nguyen, undergraduate student, Community & Regional Development, UC Davis
There were 4-6 other clients in the workshop. The main intention of the workshop is that it serves as a focus group in which the clients are able to speak about the issues that arise in their relationships with those around them. To start the workshop, the facilitator asked the clients to focus on the definitions of what they think a relationship is. One stated, “a relationship is bond with common ground and association that has long and trust with one another.” Another said, “how a person relates to you with a common interest and relate to one another". Some offered descriptions of what a healthy relationship entails, such as “trust and respect for one another" and “having a mutual understanding with one another is what forms a good relationship".
The workshop also focused on discussing a recent concern or problem the client had, how he felt, and what was done? Some common feelings were feelings of disconnect with loved ones and lacking a sense of accomplishment in terms of employment. When asked what they were going to do about the problems they were facing, the clients said that going to STRIVE was helping them to transfigure and get their lives back on track.
Another activity the clients had to do was focusing on the qualities of a healthy relationship. There was a list of 12 items on the worksheet; however, after reading through the list, one of the participants raised his hand and said, “You know, this is a great list of items, but I think the main problem is that we struggle to understand the female perspective or the OTHER SIDE of what they think forms a healthy relationship. What if the woman/other side does not know what they want in a relationship?"
In response to that question, the facilitator stated that was a good point, but we need to consider the fact that we must focus on refining ourselves, focusing on what we want, and how our partners can help us excel in life. All these elements, I think, are excellent points that one may often forget. A common problem that has been brought up is that a lot of folks think a job is a fix-it-all solution. However, many don’t realize that it also starts in the relationships or the family that the parent is raising their child in, which is why I think it’s great STRIVE is hosting this workshop.
The group then divided into small groups of 3 to understand what three things from the list are currently not happening in their own relationship. The participants were able to give each other advice and relate to one another. The activity took a positive turn and asked the participants to identify three things they appreciate about their significant other (in which they will share with their significant other at a later point in the week).
I was able to participate in the next activity by assisting the facilitator and serving as a scribe to take notes. The next activity required the participants to tap into their creative side by drawing a ship and writing the properties to keep the ship afloat. Get it? Keeping the relationSHIP afloat? As you can see in the picture I provided, here were some of the properties that were stated during the discussion.
Some of these were things that actually keep a real boat afloat; however, the participants used them as symbolic or metaphoric meanings when describing their own relationships. For example, for “stay still", a participant stated that on a boat, you can’t really jump around or else it makes things shaky. To apply it in his own case, he said that he regularly stormed out of his house whenever he would get stressed out. In order to maintain a healthy relationship, he recognized that he needs to remain relatively calm and communicate with his family of what is going on. “You can’t always leave a situation. You have to work together to get through it". And yeah, I drew the picture above. Haha, look! It’s me and the class. :)
As for the rest of my day, I spent it preparing for a potential workshop that I will host for the clients on computer basics (as I stated earlier in the previous blog post) as well as helping plan for the graduation for the clients who completed the programs during the first half of the year.
Things are getting busy and I only have exactly two weeks left! As for now, I’m excited to attend the second part of the workshop tomorrow. Seems like the participants make a great group!
Natalie Nguyen, undergraduate student, Community & Regional Development, UC Davis
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