[ashleyskartvedt]

Hi all, please share a challenge or an obstacle you’ve experienced with getting your Pongo-inspired project launched or within your workshops. This could be something like, “I can’t find the right poems to use for my clients” or “I don’t have enough support from the administration,” or “I don’t know who at my site I should talk to about starting my project,” etc. Alternatively, if you haven’t experienced a challenge, share a successful moment!

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The biggest challenge is organizing an event to reach an interested audience.  I organized a group several weeks ago and no one showed.  One of our student leaders suggested that I was not advertising in the right places.  My intention was to get the support of the student leadership to advertise but it has been one traumatic event after the other here on campus and in Jamaica (there was a sudden death three weeks ago and then a storm two weeks ago).  In one sense, the time is right for organizing a poetry circle but grounding myself to get things together and to advertise has not been easy.

In the same vein, I did a group poem with residents of a student hall recently. It was an off the cuff exercise at the end of a debriefing circle (I held space for students after the hurricane here in Jamaica).  I just asked the group to shout out words to finish the sentence, ‘Perhaps, after all we’ve endured, there is still room for…).  The poem they wrote was beautiful and when read they felt so proud of themselves, one student said, “I can’t believe I wrote a poem!”  I share this to say that this is evidence of the power of the technique but organizing myself remains a challenge.  When I use the technique, I rarely have the surveys ready to get feedback etc.  So, any tips appreciated.  Maybe, for example, I should walk with a packet of surveys and writer’s releases since I will use Pongo spontaneously.  I also asked the residents if they wanted a separate poetry circle and this might be the beginning of an ongoing group.

 

[Info]

Hello everyone!

The biggest challenged I have experienced again is navigating my agency’s Quality Assurance department. The first year I did Pongo, I had to go outside my agency to establish my project. However, this time around I won’t be able to use that prior organization due to scheduling conflicts. Because I provide therapy sessions to clients in our agency, my agency is against signing the Pongo documents as well as having the writers fill out the surveys/releases. The agency is thinking about it from a privacy and HIPAA stance, which I understand but also find annoying since the writer’s information would still be protected. I am afraid that I will no be able to submit poetry from my clients, so I will probably have to do the testimonial this year to complete the maintenance program. I hope everyone else has better luck with their agencies/organizations!

[Info]

Hello,

As a contracted provider, the biggest challenge has been waiting for the County to approve the classes. Since Pongo Poetry is not widely known,  the County tends to view it as a leisure activity rather than a therapeutic tool, making it less of a priority. I try to include it within the curriculums I teach, but it does not have the same impact as running an 8-week class focused solely on Pongo Poetry.

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Hi All,

My biggest challenge at this time is submitting a proposal to add Pongo programing to a site that will host it. I have one in mind and am currently trying to figure out whether Pongo would fit within their social resources department or in their transitional housing sites. I am hoping to submit a packet of informational materials sharing how Pongo works and could add to their mission of advocating and supporting young people. I am hoping that there will be someone within the organization that is willing to read the proposal and consider Pongo for their site or at least spark further conversation. Wishing you all well and happy holidays!

Thanks,
Alyssa

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Hi all,

One challenge or obstacle I’ve encountered is working alongside our partners (Washington Middle School/Seattle Parks & Rec CLC) to ensure consistency across the programming (as best we can). My work with Seattle U is directly focused on serving those furthest from educational justice and I enroll max 50 scholars each year (we have 25 undergraduate mentors). The current format for afterschool programming at WMS allows for students to change afterschool clubs each week if desired using a easy online form/QR Code, this could result in a new group of students each pongo session. The program will also be extended to the whole school as opposed to only the 50 scholars enrolled in our mentoring program.  I’ve been trying to navigate keeping our afterschool pongo program, which will run from March – May, as closed once the initial flow of scholars enroll, or keep it open using the current afterschool model which allows scholars to try something new each week as they develop their own identities and interests. One consideration I often weigh are the pros/cons of open versus closed groups – I see value in each. I’m expecting to have 4-5 mentors plus 1 graduate assistant supporting afterschool in terms of capacity.

In community,

Kendall

[Info]

Dear Friends

One of the biggest obstacles for me has been the lack of a strong collaboration network within the school environment. The educational system is highly focused on completing the official curriculum, which leaves very little space for creative or emotional-development activities like poetry workshops.

At the same time, many students are simply exhausted by school. They often feel overwhelmed by academic demands and are reluctant to engage in what they sometimes perceive as “extra” or unnecessary activities. This attitude is sometimes reinforced by parents, who prioritize academic outcomes over emotional or creative development.

It is important to say that we have many wonderful and dedicated teachers at the school. However, the general attitude of students and parents can still be very discouraging. Over time, this became a strong demotivating factor for me. I did not have enough energy to continue trying to organize poetry-based work with youth on my own, and the attempts I made did not bring the results I had hoped for.

Recently, however, something shifted. The idea of preparing workshops for young people who participate in extracurricular activities — outside the formal school structure — has renewed my motivation. It reminded me why I wanted to work with poetry and young people in the first place, and it has given me new energy to continue.

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