“Dad, it seems that the past Christmas has just happened last week and it is here again, one year later!”. Yes, Christmas is here again and -before wishing you a good festivity time- I would like to inform my Readers about the programme 2016, which has been delivered just on time as a very welcomed Christmas present.
The programme will bring changes to AEL as you can read in this preview!
Firstly, the Teenager course at the Holywood Steiner School in Northern Ireland and the August Family Camp at the South Devon Steiner School in Dartington -that includes courses for Teenager and for children with Parents– are both confirmed! Hurray!
Now the news, one of which not so good, so let’s start with this one. Sadly, the South Devon Steiner School -that has been hosting the teenager course at the end of June for 18 years- can’t commit to host the course again next June.
In fact finding the needed rooms has been an increasing struggle in the last few years and I want to thank the school for having hosted my teenager course for such a long time even through difficulties and unsettlements: thank you very much to the school, to the host-families and teachers and tutors that provided always a safe, welcoming, enjoyable experience to my students.
The other good news is that a new creative language programme for young people (originally designed for 18+ but now extended to 16+) will be activated in summer 2016 in Plymouth with the support of Plymouth College of Art. This is an incredible opportunity not only for a language programme.
Students can experience the life of an excellent English College with its teachers and tutors, oriented to a pragmatic “hands-on” approach, committed to introduce the latest technology in filmmaking, photography, 3D printing, animation and other modern expressions of art while preserving the value of traditional activities such as fashion design, ceramics, glass making, printing, drawing and painting.
The dream of a programme for young people was floating around my head for a while and now it seems that the support of Plymouth College of Art will make it real!
Changes are wonderful opportunities whether you like them or not: changes are ways to free new energy, enthusiasm and potential growth and we will go through this year of changes catching their positivity.
In fact changes may give a push to find new solutions, to explore new horizons, to discover the strength you need to get out of troubles, also because I am fully confident that I can rely on “a little help of my friends” and on the supportive help of the local communities. Yes, I feel lucky for my community of friends has always helped when it was necessary and it won’t be different in the new year. So, this is also a way to say thank you to all my friends.
To read the full programme 2016, click here
And keep tuned on the AEL Blog to be updated of any progress in preparation of the summer 2016, which will certainly be enjoyable and satisfactory as usual!
While waiting in confidence for the turning of the year -another big change we go through every year during the winter night-, I wish that the light of Christmas may shine within every human being and throughout the new year bringing peace and joy to all of us!
Merry Christmas! and Happy New Year!
vr