TLP Participant Story: Sam Robb North Belfast 10 Spring 2022

Sam completed the course with others from a wide range of organisations including: Ulster University, Ashton Centre, Trinity Church Belfast, Belfast City Council, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and Wellbeing Clinic Belfast.

Sam is an intern at Belfast Exposed. Belfast Exposed is Northern Ireland’s leading photography organisation. Their vision is to enrich people's lives through photography. Belfast Exposed provides a range of services including four public galleries, images from our 'Archive', and our ‘Futures’ programme for emerging artists. They also maintain an archive recording the political, cultural and social change in Northern Ireland and deliver outreach programme and bespoke training courses. 

Motivation

A colleague of mine from Belfast Exposed has previously taken the TLP training and told me of the benefits and suggested that I participate.

Applying learning

I have improved my leadership skills and now know what style of leadership to use in different situations. In team meetings I listen to people’s views and use that to inform decisions. I coordinate volunteers and have organised an exhibition involving 23 people. The course helped me to improve how I lead and organise events.

I enjoyed talking with the other groups members in the breakout rooms and sharing ideas and solutions.

Impact

I now have the confidence to put my ideas forward in team meetings and contribute to decisions and be more involved.

I have been working with both the Northern Trust and the Belfast Trust developing techniques using therapeutic photography to people whose lives are impacted with a wide range of mental health issues. Through a long-held interest and seeing the benefits this achieves within people, this has made me want to progress into the study of art therapy in the future.

I believe the programme has enabled and empowered participants people like me to become leaders in their community and champions for change, it has helped people connect and work together.