Jonas – Holidays

Everybody in care loves a good holiday and to hear the big news from your carers that your passport has come through and you will be flying for the first time to Spain, France or further. But once I grew up, I wanted more – I wanted to travel independently abroad with my friends instead of foster carers.

Now I find myself in 2011, in an exciting situation that could be jepordised  by the care system and governing bodies. I booked an all inclusive holiday to Magaluf… yes Magaluf I know! I intend on going with my friends, however it was not as easy to get permission to go as I anticipated.

Social services are being too nosey for their own good, I appreciate caution and ‘preventions better than cure’ and all of that lark, on the other hand though I DON’T APPRECIATE how social services pretend they are your friend up until you turn 18…

BANG that’s it you are another statistic who they have decided to help or generally try to get rid of. Get this though, when I’m 18 will social services care about whether I travel abroad and my well being? Probably not! Therefore there are still grey areas in the care systems that really need to be addressed…

Jonas – Sea Cadets

Bad experiences that happen in young peoples lives in or out of the care system can have a rather negative affect on their teenage upbringing. My teenage years were easily spiraling down the wrong avenue; holding anger against people who were there to help me and paying more respect to people who held no respect for my situation or well being. Luckily with positive influences in my life, I found the Sea Cadets and learnt that respect and trust can be earned as easy at it can be lost.

I leant how to become disciplined, I became proud of my appearance and the way I represented myself towards others. I learnt how to consider others through charity work and became more sociable applying myself in a team-working environment. The more I pursued the sea cadet mentality of being disciplined, proud, courageous, respectful and enthusiastic I reaped fantastic rewards.

I became more knowledgeable with the world around me; I visited Malta on a tour of Sea Cadet duty, Wales for an Expedition training camp and Portsmouth for a National Football tournament. What I love most about the Sea Cadets is the fact that you can make allot of friends, have fun but most of all earn life experience in order to help you become a better human being.