VETERANS SHARE LIFE EXPERIENCES TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE TO THRIVE
VETERANS are using their own world-experiences to help young people lead a happier lifestyle.
The team at high-tier specialist training provider Black Onyx Academy – who have previously spent decades between them in the military – have been delivering Operation Mindset to young people and organisations throughout Stoke-on-Trent during the last eight months.
The two-hour workshops have recently been delivered across the City at schools, Community Interest Companies and local gyms, helping to build confidence, resilience and a stronger mindset around decision making and personal responsibility.
(Image Stef Northfield. Image by Rep Rise Creative)
Stef Northfield, Strategic Lead at Black Onyx Academy, said: “Following the work that Black Onyx Academy has already been doing within the community over the last 12 months, we have learnt that there are some real gaps in the employability skills of young people when they leave education.
“This can be things like discipline, confidence, resilience and even teamwork and therefore – as well as our existing training courses – we wanted to introduce a more tailored approach of working with young people and to be able to work more closely with schools and local youth organisations to offer something new with impact.
“Operation Mindset is enabling us to do that and those who take part are having direct discussions with veterans who share personal experiences from conflict and adversity and how we have taken those experiences and transferred skills into our own lives to make us the people we are today.
“These are true experiences where we can demonstrate just how important teamwork and discipline actually is and how it helps us to make better informed life decisions.”
Stef adds: “After we have delivered Operation Mindset in schools we have received comments from students saying that they will be able to work better as a team and help more with things at home, as well as taking more responsibility.
“Skills learned are transferable to the workplace as young people become more prepared, ready for work and have a new positive mindset – which also is a benefit to schools.”
One of the community organisations Stef and his team have also worked with is The Foundry CIC – a men’s support network – which works with business, schools and charities to provide facilitated spaces to encourage men’s mental resilience, community building and personal growth.
Darren Brookes, co-founder of The Foundry CIC, said:”It’s been a privilege collaborating with Black Onyx and what stands out immediately is the depth of lived experience they bring into the room.
“Under the leadership of Stef Northfield, there’s an authenticity that can’t be manufactured. The real world experience carries immediate credibility with the young men, you can see the respect it commands. When someone has genuinely walked the walk of adversity and endurance, the lads feel it – they listen differently.
“From a Foundry perspective, alignment for us matters and Black Onyx bring integrity, structure and lived credibility to the table every time.”
Operation Mindset has so far been delivered for free to schools and likeminded youth organisations such as The Foundry CIC and Tim Latter’s Strongman Gym – Grindhouse and now the academy is looking to partner with local businesses to deliver more workshops.
“Operation Mindset is proving to be a win-win for so many – young people, schools, employers and veterans and we would like to reach out to the business community to see how they could also support us to continue to bridge the gaps and break down obstacles,” said Stef.
