Gold and his team have tremendous compassion. These youth have incredible courage. Thank goodness they have a safe place to share their words and their selves. Thank you for this article!
Constant really captures the meat of what Pongo does for kids who have lived often unimaginably traumatic lives. What's more is the broad range of people, both volunteers and institutional professionals, who really want to make a difference for kids society has largely written off. People like Gold remind us all of our responsibility to do what we can do help those who need it, especially kids, whoever and wherever they are.
Paul, good job on describing the "unruly" group and the progression to emotional 1-1 sessions with these kids. I just took Richard's workshop last wknd and the poetry immersion exercises really work!
Excellent article! Encouraging the kids to express what they hold inside is the hope of the future for these kids. Gold and his team have the gift of compassion, and the kids feel it.