BlueSpace - Dost goes Poplar

BlueSpace Report – Newham – ELCAN – The Dost Centre – 22nd June 2024 

Due to many months of terrible Winter and Spring weather, running BlueSpace sessions has been a big challenge. But now, finally, the sun has come out and organisations are feeling like taking up our offer of arranging sessions. It is a curious thing for a water sport that most people prefer to keep dry 😊  

Dost Centre, is a charity who we have been working with the for a couple of years, from our Surrey bases. Since they are based in East London and understand what we offer, they were ideally placed to take up the offer of working with one of our East London Delivery Partners, Moo Canoes / ELCAN (East London Canal Access Network), based in Poplar and run by Kate Hogarth and her team. This amazing opportunity is funded by the PLA – Active Thames grant, we received last year. We very much appreciate this, thank you PLA (Port of London Authority)! Read more about the grant here.

So on a warm Saturday afternoon in late June, 16 boys all under 18, from Sudan, Eritrea, Syria, Algeria and Somalia enjoyed a paddleboarding session…for almost all of them it was their first time and many of them don’t know how to swim, so it’s really positive for them to be able to gain confidence on the water and to have a fun experience.   

They all managed to stand up and only 3 fell in, but they all got straight back on it and carried on.  They laughed, they made new friends, they learned something new, they gained self-confidence, and they made positive memories. They also learned about the dangers of water and to treat it with respect.  

One of the most important things they learnt, whilst having fun, was to look out for their friends and help each other when some of them fell in.  

There were two sessions of 8 students each. Alfie, the ELCAN instructor taking the sessions said “The sessions were hugely positive. The young people had stacks of enthusiasm and initiative and were daring and up for some fun. The staff and translators worked well too.” 

Watch the Boys having fun in this short video on the Dost Centre Instagram page – https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8knxn6oIvv/?igsh=MnA4emx6dXdmaTYx 

But let’s leave the last words to the Boys themselves 

Student 1 
Hello. Did you enjoy paddle boarding?  
Yeah, I did, yeah.  
Did you have any little accidents?  
Yeah. Uh, I fell in, like on my, uh, on the side, I think.  
Was it fun falling?  
Yeah, but the water was, like, a little cold.  
A little cold? Yeah, but you got on quickly.  
And then, did you fall in again?  
No. 
Well done! And did you manage to stand up?  
I managed like one minute and then I couldn’t.  
Okay. But you kept trying, didn’t you?  
Yeah. Good.  
And do you think you would like to do paddle boarding again?  
Yeah. Why not? Yeah.  
Great. Thank you 

Student 2 
Okay. Hello. What have you just been doing now?  
Uh, now we’re doing by boat, and we are taking a good time.  
And the boat is called paddle boarding. Yes, yes.  
It was so amazing.  
And was it your first time?  
Yes, my first time in my life.  
And did you fall in?  
No,  
no.  
I’m so strong, boy.  
Okay. And did you stand up?  
Yes.  
Yes. Good.  
Full time? No. Half time. Okay.  
Are you sure? Yeah. Not lying? 😊 
No, I’m not lying. 😊 

Student 3 
Hello. So we’ve just been paddle boarding. Did you enjoy it?  
Yes, I enjoyed it.  
This is my first time. I am so happy and I enjoy it, I love it, great.  
And did you fall in the water?  
No, I’m not falling.  
Well done. Yes. And did you stand up?  No, no. Stand up.  
But maybe next time.  
Little scared.  
A little scared. Okay, but maybe next time you’ll stand up.  
Yes. Maybe next time I try.  
Great. Why not? And did you go all the way to the bridge and back?  
No,  
No, but you went quite far.  
Yeah. Yes. Yeah.  
Okay. Well done. Thank you.  
Okay.  
Thank you so much. Bye. 

Student 4 
Hiya. Did you do the paddleboarding today?  
Yes, and that was a bit scared at the beginning, but I built confidence to, like, um, paddleboard.  
Great.  
And, uh, with friends and stuff. And it was nice. We went far and, like, I enjoyed, like, seeing the boats, cool boats and, like, ducks and stuff.  
Great. And did you stand up?  
Yes.  
Well done. And were you scared about standing up?  
Yeah, I was, but then like.  
You managed it. Yes. Good. And was that the first time that you felt confident in the water?  
No. Sometimes some.  
Yeah, but can you swim.  
No.  
No, but. So that’s very good then, isn’t it?  
Yes.  
Good. Well done.  
Thank you.  
Welcome.