Dean is a 25 year old man from the Upper Springfield Area who is currently engaging and volunteering with Active Communities Network. The last number of years have been traumatic for Dean and his family as they have endured so much personal loss through car crime and suicide. He lost his sister when she was knocked down and killed by death drivers, he lost two brothers to suicide and his father collapsed and died suddenly at home all in the space of a few years. Furthermore he was to suffer more grief when his partner and mother of his two children took her own life two years ago. Throughout this turbulent period in Dean`s life he was a member of the Active Communities Network GOALS group. He has long been a non-attender in education and through engagement with ACN began to use interventions and boxing to provide renewed focus in his life.
More recently another bereavement from Dean`s brother partner has seen Dean has recently reengaged with ACN. Intense mentoring has lead Dean on an action plan placed on volunteering and harnessing life experience and boxing skills to work with younger groups. Recently he completed an Access NI vetting form to allow him the opportunity to volunteer with our organisation. Dean was a very successful amateur boxer and he as expressed an interest in working with the young people in our youth inclusion projects and young people who find themselves marginalised within their community. He speaks openly, and has been using ACN to help address low self-esteem and issues around confidence and expressing himself.
Dean was a very successful amateur boxer and he as expressed an interest in working with the young people in our youth inclusion projects and young people who find themselves marginalised within their community. He speaks openly, and has been using ACN to help address low self-esteem and issues around confidence and expressing himself.
He left school with little or no academic qualifications and this has impacted on him and his ability to read and write. At present he is currently doing a VRQ level 2 qualification, when he is undertaking written tasks where he is being supported to ensure he completes tasks and there is also additional support from the course facilitator. Dean has now immersed himself in a key volunteering role with an at risk group of young people in his local area with his ACN mentor. He is also organising a city wide boxing tournament with young people as a part of their social action. Dean also expresses that he wants to do essential skill courses in English and Maths when he completes the VRQ so we will source this training and put this in place for him.
He is very enthused at the moment and optimistic about the future. He always speaks about his two young children and he wants to ensure that he can provide for them. He wants to create a good stable environment for the children were they will be brought up safe and happy.
