Parents want the best opportunities for their children. They want them to have whatever it takes to be happy and successful – good health, positive attitude, ability to get on with others and good self-awareness. Young women need resilience, life and social skills and good self-esteem. Summer camps can help to provide these, through a positive, nurturing experience away from the stresses and distractions of day-to-day life and social media.
The Catalyst Bootcamp on 22nd – 24th August, run by Catalyse Change CIC at Bristol Uni campus, is for young women who want to make a positive difference in the world – who are interested in pursuing a Green Career but aren’t quite sure how to go about it. However it’s about more than just developing sustainability skills and knowledge, it’s also about helping them build their confidence and personal resilience. Experiences like these can bring about remarkable transformations, helping you learn how to work with others, problem solve, deal effectively with conflict and to build relationships.
Here are 5 GOOD REASONS why you should send your daughter to the Catalyst Bootcamp.
1. Practical Tools to deal effectively with Anxiety & Stress – With 1 in 3 girls now reportedly suffering from depression and other mental health issues, it is more important than ever to equip them with the tools to deal with anxiety and stress. The Catalyst Bootcamp will incorporate practical tools such as; mindfulness, yoga, meditation and journalling, so the young women can take them away to use in their daily lives, to help them cope with stress and anxiety.
Gemma David of The Quiet Heart who is a Chinese Medicine practitioner, meditation teacher and PHSE consultant in education will be delivering wellbeing workshops which provide a space for meditation, advice on nutrition and gentle movement, and are delivered with an overall emphasis on seasonal living and emotional wellbeing. Most recently she received certification from The British Mindfulness Association to teach Mindfulness in Primary and Secondary Schools. She is also a PHSE Consultant and am currently working on a project to deliver emotional literacy, mental health awareness and mindfulness in primary and secondary schools in the South West.
Gemma explains,”Mindfulness is moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience, without judgement and is a technique that can help you manage and prevent feelings of depression, stress and anxiety. Studies show that women are more likely to multi-task, worry and have anxiety than men; becoming more mindful could be a beneficial tool for managing life’s challenges. When we start to take a moment to pause before responding, we can live a more attentive, appreciative and vibrant life.“
2. Fast-track programme to inform a Green Education & Career – People often just associate the green sector with engineering, food & farming, energy and technology, however it actually represents any organisation, business or role which has the primary objective of environmental protection or social responsibility. Increasingly, as well as the charitable or third sector, there are many sustainability roles in formerly more traditional public and private sector organisations e.g the NHS and BBC have sustainability managers, while some businesses e.g Ikea, M&S, Triodos Bank, now have sustainability practice embedded throughout. The Catalyst Bootcamp will give the young women a flavour of the range of opportunities available and the different pathways to get there. The Bootcamp mentors will represent a wide range of ages, experience and careers. It will show the young women that there is no one career pathway and there are many unusual and interesting ways to achieve the career of your dreams.
Nicci Peck, Bootcamp Mentor for Resources & Textiles is CEO of SOFA Project – an established Bristol charity which sells 2nd hand furniture, whilst helping people back into meaningful employment. She has a wealth of management experience in both the commercial and the charity sector in Bristol and Bath. However her career path there has encompassed ‘living and working in Germany and Israel as well as being a buyer in high street retail, property management for a glorious five years, running a pub in Bath and even a stint painting & decorating.’
3. Learn which Career you are Best Suited to – Rhian Sherrington, an Executive Career Coach and founder of the ‘Women in Sustainability’ network will be using a unique personality profiling tool to help the young women understand their personal strengths and which careers they are best suited to. They will be asked to complete a questionnaire in advance of the event which will inform a workshop and one-to-one sessions at the Bootcamp. This will help them to better understand and to get the best out of themselves. They will be provided with a full report for them to take away and refer to in the future.
Rhian says, ‘This is a really transformative tool as the young women first need to identify their core strengths and values before they decide what career path they want to pursue. This helps them to align what they are naturally good at with the different options available.”
4. Unique opportunity to stay in Clifton Hill House – As it is a residential programme young women can attend from further afield than the Bristol area. Clifton Hill House – normally student halls of residence – is a rather special place for them to stay. It was built around 1747 as a Palladian inspiration for Bristol merchant and ship owner, Paul Fisher. This fine house was once the home of Victorian writer John Addington Symonds. It is now used for functions and meetings all year round and boasts elegant Georgian reception rooms, a print gallery and foyer. It also has a huge games room and lovely gardens which will provide a welcoming space for the young women to play, relax and learn.
5. Meet new like-minded friends – Summer camps provide opportunities for transformational experiences. Free from the social expectations pressuring them at school, camps encourages young people to relax and make friends easily. The most valuable part of the experience is the new people you meet and – as well as the speakers and mentors – it will be a gathering of like-minded young women. We all have memories of those special summer holidays – where we had wonderful experiences and made new friends – memories that often stay with us for life.
After experiencing the Catalyst Bootcamp the young women should start the new school or uni year feeling inspired & refreshed, with lots of practical tools to help them stay confident and resilient, to be ‘the change they wish to see in the world.’ In addition your daughter will learn some of the ‘softer’ skills for employability; how to work with others, build meaningful relationships, accept guidance and develop decision-making skills. All of these life skills nurture independence and confidence, creating a foundation that she’ll grow from for the rest of her life.
The Catalyst Bootcamp combines powerful personal development with growing a deeper understanding, knowledge and skills on how to be a change maker. Open to young women between 14 to 19 years old, it will take place from 22-24th August at Clifton Hill House, Bristol University. There are Earlybird Tickets and a competition to win a FREE place until 31st July. Bursaries – provided by Bristol University, Pukka Teas and Triodos Bank – are also available on application. To apply visit www.catalysechange.com
Catalyse Change CIC is a Bristol-based social enterprise working to inspire and empower young women for happy, healthy & green careers, communities and planet. The four directors; Jenna Holliday, Julie Ellison, Rhian Sherrington, Traci Lewis are all women working in sustainability, with combined wide skill-set and expertise, supported by an extensive network of other sustainability professionals who will be providing expertise and mentoring at the Catalyst Bootcamp. It will be held on Bristol University campus, with residential at Clifton Hill house student accommodation. Any queries contact organiser Traci Lewis traci@catalysechange.com M 07870 268 564.
