November 22nd, 2014 | Uncategorized
On Wednesday we went to a graduation ceremony for the Ehoopers which featured several of the local groups I have been involved with. Out of all the groups it was good to see the guys from West Belfast at an event like this because it shows there commitment to the program. West is an interesting group of guys because of the diverse personalities. Dan is the loudest personality of the group and likes to make a joke about everything but the program has helped him bring his life together. He has recently started a job with Sky. When I first started Dan would never participate and mostly just used the sessions as an opportunity to mess around. But the changes in Dan’s demeanor are clearly evident with his focus in securing employment instead of just wandering the streets. Another guy that the night seemed to mean a lot to was James who also is recently employed. Through every session he was a leader for the group and always tried to keep to rest of the guys from West focused on what we were trying to accomplish in Ehoops. Through the conversations I’ve had with the guys, they say a lot of people disregard them and see them as lazy thugs. Usually kids there age in West Belfast would just loiter around the shops all day instead of going to school or working. The West Belfast Ehoops group recognized how they were waisting their potential and sought to change their lives by participating in the Ehoops program. This group has shown the ability to want alter the narrative of the lazy boys from West, through the sense of direction and confidence that the Ehoops program has given them.
Victory Scholar: Khalid Robinson
Present University: University of Ulster
Alma Mater: Fordham University
