Learning More Than Teaching
Readers of Cut Short will know Demetri Addison as one of the main characters. His growth since we finished writing the book in 2020 deserves celebration
Last Friday was one of the more special days of my career, so I had to come here to celebrate one man in particular.
When I first met Demetri Addison he was 15. He wrote on his application for mentoring at his school that he wanted to pursue further study to understand violence in his community. He soon helped me to set up a programme for younger boys at-risk of exclusion, for which he would later be awarded both the prestigious Jack Petchey and Diana Awards.
Readers of Cut Short will recognise Demetri as one of the three main heroes of the story. His journey towards greatness has only strengthened since he helped to pen its triumphant final pages in 2020.
Now nearly 23, I can safely say that he’s one of the wisest people I know, way beyond his years; a relentless yet humble change-maker. He continues to support me to deliver writing workshops in schools and he’s been smashing it as a facilitator for a wide range of organisations in south London, from youth clubs to PRUs.
He’s become a member of the Walworth Town Hall Community Space management board, which means he gets to contribute towards tangible decisions that affect his rapidly-gentrifying local community. And he recently won funding from the Blagrave Trust to set up his own initiative for young people. As with his fellow Cut Short collaborator and hero, Jhemar Jonas, the list of accolades grows every week.
Last Friday, Demetri joined me at HMP Swaleside on the Isle of Sheppey to run writing workshops for the National Literacy Trust about family, fatherhood and music. This included engaging with several men with children on the outside and those serving life sentences. Participants were each given two copies of Cut Short: one to keep for themselves and one to send home to a family member.
On the way out, Demetri mentioned that he wished it were possible to record the conversations we’d had inside. There is a focus and honesty you get from people in prison that is hard to replicate in wider society. As ever, I couldn’t have done it without him.
As a youth worker you learn at least as much as you teach. This couldn’t apply more to my dialogue with Demetri.
Long may it continue.
By Ciaran Thapar
I teach a monthly course, ‘Writing for Social Impact’, at City, University of London.
The next course is Friday 12th & Saturday 13th May 2023.
A fully-funded place is available for a young adult (18-25 years-old) from an underrepresented background and/or facing financial difficulty.
You can find out more and book your place here.
This was a lovely entry to read! Well done to you both it’s great when an interaction goes on to blossom and bear so much fruit for everyone involved.