Earlier this month, our Communications Intern, Ashley Ng, supported our local schools events centred around World Environment Day. Read about her experience below.
I've lost count of how many schools programme events I've attended during my time as Communications Intern. To prove this, I have my collection of approximately six Habitat lanyard nametags thanks to Pete, who's the one in charge of the schools programme. Guess it is useful to have a backup for the backup.
Point proven, the event this past week wasn't my first schools programme event, but it was the largest one I've helped at. Due to the significance of World Environment Day, the programme was delivered across four primary schools in two days. The first day took place in ReStore Lisburn and the second day took place in ReStore Newtownards. Additionally, I was accompanied by European Solidarity Corps (ESC) volunteers Eva and Lucie. Both of them were able to travel up from Drogheda and I was excited to work alongside them again.
My role at the schools programme events is a little different from Pete's, Eva's, or Lucie's. Pete is the facilitator of the programme and the rest of us support by helping to run the repurposing activity. The activity in question is turning a tile from ReStore into a coaster with the use of cork feet and paint markers. I'm very familiar with the activity because even outside of schools programmes, tile coasters are the go-to repurposing activity at Habitat-related events. In fact, in my blog photo, the tile coaster I pose with is one I made myself at a previous Habitat event! My tile coasters are now used as examples whenever we run the activity. Additionally, I had the opportunity to film a tutorial video that walked viewers step-by-step on how to make their own tile coasters at home. With the amount of time spent filming, editing, and helping out at several events, I'm practically an expert at this repurposing activity.
At this event, my goal was to do what I've always done while also having fun. Each school event runs in a similar fashion. First, the introduction from Pete, and then the rest of us supporting the programme. When it gets to my turn, the students will turn immediately as they hear my accent, and I can see the amazement in their eyes as soon as I say I'm from New York City. It happens without fail every time and it becomes something to look back on fondly at the end of the day.
Then, Pete gives a short presentation to raise awareness on the importance of diverting from landfill and how ReStore works towards building sustainable communities locally. This is where I begin to do my other work, as a communications intern, taking photos of the programme in-action!
Finally, we get to the part where we need all hands on deck - the repurposing activity. Everyone’s excited from the start as we distribute materials and simultaneously dodge students getting a head start on choosing their markers. But once everyone settles down in their spots to decorate their tile coasters, I go back to taking photos of the fun. A couple of students even posed with their tiles when they spotted me coming around. This is also the opportunity the students took to ask me questions about life in New York City and my experience in Northern Ireland. Teachers also approached me to chat and ask about the circumstances brought me to Northern Ireland.
Looking back, I always have a good time when I help out on the schools programme. Due to the nature of the programme, it's common to host events in classrooms or across different ReStore locations. Thanks to my involvement, I was able to spend more time working outside of the office in Lisburn and the connected Habitat ReStore. I will always appreciate the chance to see more of Northern Ireland when I'm here.
The programme also runs at a slower pace than other Habitat events I help out at. That means I can be more deliberate about when, where, and how I take photos that'll be posted later. The end results are more photos that are higher-quality and we subsequently have the luxury to pick and choose the best ones to post. Throughout my time supporting these events, I realised what set the mediocre photos apart from the good photos were camera angles (my knees will never be the same) and the capacity for storytelling. Examples of storytelling with photos would be a photo of Pete calling on a student with their hand raised or a photo of several students focusing on digging through a large container of paint markers for their tile coasters.
The pacing of the event also gives me the opportunity to talk to students and teachers, both of whom I would've never had the chance to interact with outside of my role of Communications Intern. The exposure I get to life in Northern Ireland during my time here is made better by chatting with people across different walks of life. In that way, I have the schools programme experience to thank.
Keep an eye out for my final blog later this month, as my time as Communications Intern comes to and end. Until then, why not read more of my blogs about starting in the Communications department, taking part in the House to Home programme, my Fridays spent in Habitat ReStore or being a part of Habitat's stand at the Love Your Home show!
