New insights into Peter’s vocational training.
Peter is tasked with sweeping the barn. Once the work is done, he always leaves the broom lying across the aisle of the barn, even though there is a designated place where the brooms should be stored. The work support mentor is unable to get Peter to put the brooms away properly.
We ask ourselves: ‘In what work situation is it appropriate to proceed in this way?’ In the same field of work, the profession of the vet appears. Usually, the vet arrives when the staff are out in the fields and examines the cows. As a sign that he has carried out the examinations, he leaves his long, green rubber gloves lying in the corridor. We identify the following verbs: ‘showing while branding’. Peter’s impulse to act!
We examine this impulse to act and find ways to design the learning space so that Peter can act in alignment with his impulse such as lists to tick off or noting the time when the task has been completed.
We write a portfolio in which we describe Peter’s impulse to act and hand the text over to him. He is very enthusiastic. The very act of handing it over already has a positive influence on his behaviour and his relationship with the farm. The portfolio ‘shows him something in a way that makes him take notice’. So, at the moment of handing it over, we acknowledge Peter’s impulse to act. It is lovely to spark his enthusiasm, as he is currently withdrawing further and further and hardly participates in farm life anymore. The portfolio motivates him to get involved more actively again.
As a volunteer, Peter helps out at a community centre outside the farm. There, he is involved in designing and producing announcements and flyers. Achim, his work support mentor, recognises in this voluntary work how Peter’s impulse to act is turning into a profession: a member of a PR department. The farm needs staff too. Achim considers that Peter could even take courses or undertake training to carry out this role even more professionally. Yet when asked, “Would you like to help with our PR work?”, Peter replies with a clear “No.”
In our reflection, it becomes clear to us that the way we asked the question did not align with his impulse to act. It would have turned out differently if we had said: “We’re in the process of handing out flyers. We’ve got a list of 15 addresses here. We’ve already done four of them and ticked them off the list. If you hand out a few as well, can you tick those addresses off too?” We’d like to try that next time.
Vocational training is not just about the trainees achieving qualification targets, but about enabling them to realise their potential. This is achieved when the work support mentor learns to connect with the individual. When work mentors not only accept, but also align to the individual’s impulse to act, the individual can recognise themselves in their environment. This allows the person’s abilities to emerge and be put to effective use.
