Home is where the Art is: Woodcraft folk

Showing posts with label Woodcraft folk. Show all posts

Tuesday, 21 March 2017

Learning about child refugees and government

Last week Woodcraft Folk Elfins discussed the Dubs amendment, uncovering the shocking truth about the way our government treats child refugees, and what we can do.

Woodcraft at Billesley Lane Allotments

A brook runs right through the allotments

Today I was shown around Woodcraft Folk's new plot at Billesley Lane Allotments by Carron and Kerry.

Young firestarters

Learning to strike a match

On Thursday night we had a Woodcraft campfire in Highbury Park in Birmingham. There will be many bonfires being lit across the UK and youth groups getting involved, but for woodcraft, the campfire holds a special place, and the involvement of all its members.

Internationalism pre & post-Brexit

It took me a while to work out what the Woodcraft Folk movement was all about - it's really one of those things you've got to try and maybe, like me, you'll want to find out more.

Play out in Kings Heath

Swan Corner Community Group and Woodcraft Folk South Birmingham want children to be able to play freely outside their own front door. That's why we're really excited about Playing out, and why we're playing out Wheelers Lane for a third year running, on 7th July 5:30 to 9pm.

Active Parks have helped organising with Birmingham City Council and will bring archery, tennis, badminton, basketball, skittles, giant snakes and ladders, skipping ropes and more.

Pacifism in the 21st century

Is Jeremy Corbyn too much of a 'pacifist' to lead our army to wars? Or could the problem be there just aren't enough pacifists in charge?

I much admired John Hull's social activism, but was less sure on his stand against the use of drones in warfare. But now I come to admire his foresight too, wondering just where use of drones is going - separating out human decisions from military actions.

Valuing leadership at Elfins

'Youth isn't wasted on the young' goes the motto of Woodcraft folk, but sometimes it does feel like we waste a lot of time at Elfins (the 7 to 10 yr old group of Woodcraft) before we can do anything.

Although we spend a lot of time 'learning' at Woodcraft Folk, it isn't 'school' and we have to take a very different approach. The children will have spent many hours in a regimented, safe, learning environment at school before they arrive at Woodcraft Folk. They are likely to be tired, but also looking forward to meeting and playing with friends. As adult leaders we have an agenda: we want 'learning' to happen, but it has to be led by the children themselves, and as we all know, leadership can be a very political thing.

Woodcraft folk taming dragons

There's nothing more satisfying than watching dragons dance - particularly if you've helped make the dragons, and got a whole team of your mates to operate it. That was the Elfin challenge tonight, and with ten minutes to go, it looked like we weren't going to do it, but with one last negotiation between head and bottom, drummer and dragon trainer, suddenly it all happened:

Woodcraft folk believe passionately in equality and co-operation - a great ethos, but in terms of what we do, it might be hard sometimes to see a difference between our activities and activities at Scout troops and other youth movements. Perhaps not surprising if you start to delve a little into it's history, that Scouting and Woodcraft paths have crossed. I might be as happy making dragons with Scouts or Cubs, but there is something about being part of the cooperative movement, strongly pacifist, non-nationalist, non-religious, not a woggle in sight, that warms the cockles.

Here's the song we sing at the end of every session. I learnt the words, but still not clear on the tune:

Link your hands together
A circle we make;
This bond of our friendship
No power can break.
Let's all sing together
In one merry throng;
Should any be weary
We'll help them along;
Should any be weary
We'll help them along.