Category Archives: Life & Style

How to stay street – savvy by John Collier – Keywood

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If new reports are to be believed then most people are probably afraid of becoming a victim of crime. It is a sad fact that many people get a kick out of preying on the weak but contrary to common beliefs there are many different things you can do to keep safe out on the streets. Junior Smart of the SOS Gangs Project offers the following advice to any young person who desires to be street savvy:

1.Walk with assertion – Even if you’re just out for a jog or to get some exercise, walk with confidence and intent and more importantly know where you are going. Walk upright, take your hands out of your pockets, and look where you’re going, not down at the pavement. This sends a strong signal of confidence and assertiveness. If you are walking aimlessly or an in an unfamiliar environment you stick out like a tourist and hence can be seen as a potential victim.

2.Only have what you really need– Are you heavy laden down with big name brands? You know what we mean – Monsoon, New Look, Topshop, Miss Selfridge? Does your purse or wallet stand out? If so you are an easy target. Instead when you ‘Next’ go out only take necessities and what you really need with you. Only take the important things like keys, identification and money. Try to avoid taking big wads of cash with you, instead take a debit card, which you can cancel quickly if it goes missing. What do you mean you feel naked? At least you will be a lot more safe.

3.Have success in your dress – Bags and holdall’s slung over one shoulder are easy to snatch. If you must carry a purse, sling it crosswise over your body. If you have long hair, avoid wearing it in a ponytail or in a braided way that trails behind you. If you must wear them, drape it over your shoulder to the front. The same rule applies if you’re wearing a scarf—try not to trail the ends behind you…and no matter how ‘street you feel’ avoid wearing hoods that obstruct your peripheral vision.

4.Have 60 60 vision – You have to be observant of your surroundings. Know what’s going on, where you are and what everybody is doing. Put your multi-tasking ability to the test and at the same time avoid looking like a nutcase. People who display an awareness of their surroundings are much less of a target.

5.More than a feeling – The hairs on your neck is the best radar – If you feel unsafe, go with the instinct. Change your route slightly or cut your walk short, if possible. A great tip if you can is to make a phone call while you walk. You’re far less of a target when you’ve got someone with you on your walk—even if they’re just on the phone.

6.Remember you are not to blame – If you become a victim of a crime. It is very easy to blame yourself, think of things you could have done differently or even beat yourself up mentally. Please remember though you are never to blame. Take time out, think things through rationally, call the police and speak to someone you can trust. People who prey on the weak rely on their silence. Don’t be the quiet voice.

Mobile phones

Mobile phones are an amazing invention, used by pretty much everyone. They are a useful tool to catch up on gossip, twitter like mad, and go facebook crazy all at the same time. When you are out alone, you can let others know your whereabouts and they are also for your own peace of mind. However, unfortunately they are also an easy target for street robbers – 38% of all robberies involve the theft of a mobile phone.
What can you do to keep your phone safe when you’re out and about!!!

Use a PIN code to lock your phone.

Make a note of the mobile’s serial number – you can find it by typing *#06# on your phone. The serial number can help to track the mobile if it’s ever stolen.

Register your mobile phone at www.immobilise.com

Be aware if you are walking and texting at the same time – you need to keep alert!

Security mark your phone with a postcode and house number. The best place to do this is underneath the battery near to the SIM card.

Keep your phone out of sight and safe. Many mobiles are stolen in public places like cinemas, pubs and nightclubs when they are left on a bar, table or on a seat.

Only give your number to your friends.

Avoid using your phone in the street and try and keep it on silent or vibrate so you don’t draw attention to yourself.
If someone is prepared to hurt you to get your phone, let them have it. It’s easier to replace the phone than you!

St Giles Trust: SOS Project. Creating Positive Futures by rehabilitating young offenders.

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‘Young Person (18) stabbed’ ‘16 year old girl robbed at gun point’ ‘Knives have become a fashion accessory among teenagers’ ‘Young person killed in cross fire’

It seems we can’t escape shocking headlines that are becoming standard fare for society’s media. If the headlines are to be believed then we are dealing with an issue that is out of control and one where there is no help or way out for young people involved.
According to recent Police reports there are around 200 gangs in London alone and according to a recent news report as many as 4 in ten young people have admitted to carrying a knife for protection.

Whilst this might be a gloomy picture there are projects out there that make a difference.
I spent the morning with Junior Smart; Team Leader for the ground breaking SOS Gangs Project under London Charity St Giles Trust to find out why his project is successful and what can be done to turn the tide concerning young people, gangs and violence.

Junior Smart is softly spoken thirty something male. An ex-gang member, his offence led to a ten year sentence inside prison and a meeting with St Giles which operate in a number of prisons around the country. Thanks to St Giles and initial funding by Southwark Council, The SOS Gangs project was born; the first complete ex-offender led project in the country. That was back in 2006, since then the project has been seen as best practice four years running and received critical acclaim. Even more importantly thanks to the project he set up around 300 young people involved in or at risk of gang involvement have seen their lives transformed as a result. This has earned him the nickname ‘the million dollar man’ by his contemporaries for the millions his project has potentially saved society.

He sits opposite me smiling – “Some people think that the best idea is to just lock these young people up, but they either forget or don’t know how much it actually costs. It costs around £40,000 to keep just one offender in custody for a year, multiply that by the current prison population (which is 86,000 and rising) and we literally are talking billions of pounds of tax payers money. When you think that 75% of young people who leave prison go on to re-offend within 2 years its just jaw dropping to think just how much money is wasted.

He chuckles – it actually costs more money to send a young person to prison than it does to send them to Eton college, can you believe it?”

I nod my head in absolute amazement; it is true that we are living in times where we are reminded consistently that there are cutbacks because every penny counts. But I am interested to know what the project is and how it works.

“SOS Gangs project is a tailor-made, holistic support scheme which is proactive in prisons and the communities” he explains, “Our core goal is to reduce re-offending by creating opportunities for change. We engage young people with the aim of helping them build realistic goals for the future and assist them to get back into education, training and employment. It needs to be tailor made because when you think about it, every individual has their own unique reasons for offending. It might be financial, it might be peer pressure, it might be grounded in their lack of self identity or embedded in where they live. The problem with common punitive punishments is that it adopts a blanket approach to all and never addresses any underlying issues, whereas with the project we take the offence as just a small part of a bigger picture.”

It is this core goal that has been the SOS Project’s prime area of achievement. In the four years that the project has been running over 300 young people have been reached with just 12% being recalled for further offences against the national average of 75%.

“Where there are underlying issues we address them, working with other agencies as necessary. So for example we might assist with helping them find accommodation or to move to a different area to get away from old associates, we might assist them in breaking free of their drug habits or in being violent to their partner.”

I am curious to know why the SOS project has succeeded
.
“I think our success has been down to a number of reasons, firstly we are completely ex-offender led, which always seems to be a bit taboo, but when you think about it, it makes absolute sense, who better to assist ex-offenders and young people than someone who has actually been there and done it, we are infinitely more credible because we know the challenges, and the pressures on young people; we know the terrain and its pitfalls. Secondly all the workers are passionate about what they do; they really care about making a difference. Finally we offer complete on-going support so our cases aren’t time bound. We are there until the needs are met.”

I ask about youth violence and gangs. Junior is quick to enlighten me. “I dislike the term ‘gang’ because of the way the media have blown it up out of proportion. Although the truth is quite serious, in reality it is not as bleak as the media would have us believe” he explains “for example it is not against the law to be in a gang, and in fact quite a few of the young people we work with don’t think that they are in anything more than a group of friends until things get out of hand. It’s then that they think they have no choice but to make a stand. So when we are working with young people what we are actually targeting their behaviour because it is that which creates the fear and the need to defend or protect. It is also that what creates the impression to the public that every group of young people on an estate or on the street is in a gang. The sad thing is just by fear alone a young person will carry a knife and then either end up arrested, with a criminal record or a worse still a victim.”

I ask if it possible that a perpetrator could also be a victim, Junior agrees “A lot of young people aren’t aware that around 60% of those that carry a knife end up stabbed with their own weapon. So when we work with clients, and in schools and communities we impart tools for young people to use on a daily basis for example around managing conflict so they are empowered to make better informed decisions.”

I ask about the recent headlines in the press. The room goes quiet, junior responds.
“It is the victims I feel really sorry for, it might be easy for cynics to think that because we are ex-offenders we are more on the side of the offender than anything else but that is simply not true. We do what we do to prevent victims. My first experience of crime was when I was just four years old and our home was burgled. I saw my mother go from being a top nurse to being a recluse in her own home. Part of me is infuriated at the way the system treats victims, it is almost as if they have an unspoken voice once an offender is arrested and, equally from an offenders perspective they never truly have to take into account the impact that their behaviour has had not just on people but on their community.” He looks at me seriously “it’s an understatement that not enough is being done, that’s why I am a big fan of alternatives such restorative justice and whenever possible we try to mediate on behalf of the client with the families and communities involved.”

So in this time of cuts does Junior think will there be any reduction with regard to the project I ask. Junior shrugs “You know, we are dealing with uncertain times and whilst we have been really fortunate that Southwark council and T2A have kept us going we are a charity and depend on the support of the people, charitable trusts and funds to stay where we are. It is really strange, because in times like this people always try and re-invent the wheel and instead of going with what works, they go with what does’nt. For me I am more concerned about the clients because if we are not here where do they go.”

Junior takes a strong look at the headlines and makes an acute point – “The problem is with the headlines is that it tends to make it very easy to forget that these are actually just young people. Someone’s son someone’s brother, uncle, sister or even father. Every time I hear or see a news report I am reminded of why I do what I do. These are young people with needs, with aspirations, just with the wrong motivation and they need our help.”

Case studies

Southwark case study

Client A – aged 22, this client is the eldest in a single parent family of two younger brothers.

Not typical of a criminal background this client did well at school and had ambitions of going to the army. He entered into pre-entry training in the armed forces at the age of 16. However during an exercise the client was caught in a fire and received serious burns to his hands and face. This had an emotional and psychological effect resulting in the client being medically discharged. The client became emotionally despondent and was diagnosed with depression. This became a catalyst for negative thinking and behaviour and subsequent drug use. Client A began to drift into negative circles and became involved in petty crime escalating to a street robbery, for which he received an 8 month prison sentence. He was released with no support, and then he committed another offence; burglary for which he received an 18 month prison sentence for which he was released January earlier this year. He came across the SOS Project through probation who had heard about our work. They who referred him to us because – like the last time he was released – he had no support networks and would yet again be homeless. They were also concerned that he would once more become involved in criminal activity and this time the seriousness would escalate. We began working with him in April; a credible mentor from SOS Project meeting him for the first time at his home. Since that time we have stabilised his living conditions by finding him permanent private rented accommodation. By working holistically and by networking with other agencies we engaged him with NACRO education and employment team to increase his employability skills. Client A has identified that he would like to go to college in September to study plumbing or computing. We are providing ongoing support to assist him in achieving this. Our SOS Project caseworker speaks to the Client 2-3 times a week, seeing him in person at least once a week. Our work with Client A continues and our focus with him is on self-empowerment and independent living. Client A attributes his turn around down to the caseworker he has working with him in his own words “if I didn’t have his support there is no way I would be where I am now”

Ashfield Case study – Client B

I met Client B on my first visit to Ashfield where he was serving his 2nd custodial sentence.

Prior to B’s first custodial sentence he was living with his step mother in south east London. Due to the nature of his first offence he was unable to return to the family home. Having never met his birth mother and an extremely troubled relationship with his father he was released with minimal support from social services. Post release Client B was homeless in an area where he knew no one and had very little support. As a consequence he re-offended and was given a custodial sentence. He was just 16 years of age at this time.

During his second custodial sentence he was granted his early release but with no accommodation he was unable to be released.

A second referral was made to children’s services which was returned. The case was finally accepted and Client B was found to be ‘a child in need’ by social services, which means that they were obliged to provide suitable Temporary Accommodation (T/A). So Client B was released without prior notification and told to report to his YOT where he was accommodated for the weekend.

Once his T/A had run out he was told to go to the Homeless Persons Unit to be housed as a homeless person. He was later found intentionally homeless and was offered no other help. He was provided with accommodation for one night by St Giles Trust.

Our SOS Ashfield worker consulted his solicitor and after which high court proceedings were started against the Local authority for them to find him as a child in need under sec.17 of the children’s act. The case was finally heard at the High Court and the local authority were found to be neglecting their duty of care and were order to provide Client B with suitable accommodation and support.

Client B has been working with the SOS project for nearly 9 months and is now attending college full time with aspirations of owning his own business one day.

www.stgilestrust.org.uk

Become a fan of StGT on Facebook by following this link…

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/St-Giles-Trust/108464042506076?ref=mf

…or if you prefer to tweet then you can follow them on Twitter here:-


http://twitter.com/stgilestrust

David Beckham World Cup interview. Exclusive to Yahoo! and Frost.

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Frost Magazine, in association with Yahoo! gets the inside scoop from David Beckham on England’s disappointing World Cup campaign and tells us which players have impressed him in South Africa.

What was your assessment of England at the World Cup?

We didn’t play at the level we knew that we were capable of. Over the four matches we weren’t good enough and regardless of the goal that never was, Germany played better than we did over the 90 minutes and deserved to go through. Having seen the lads in training, the spirit was good, everyone trained at a really high level, it was just disappointing we couldn’t transfer that onto the pitch. As a team, we have to learn from everything that’s happened, come back stronger and play to our potential.

What was the experience of watching from the bench like?

It was different and at times I wanted to get out onto the pitch and play! It was frustrating at times, but purely because I know what the players out on the pitch are capable of. I have to say the fans were unbelievable, like they always are. It must have been really tough, having spent the time and money they did and the team were so desperate to give them the success their support deserved.

Have your experiences in South Africa and the success of Diego Maradona given you the urge to take up coaching?

While I am flattered to be talked about as a coach and am always available for my country, whenever I am needed, I still see myself as a player and remain supportive of the manager. Diego has done a great job so far though and I wish him well.

Who do you think is in with a shout of winning the World Cup?

It’s a tough one, there are a few teams who are very closely matched and will be there or thereabouts. Argentina looked strong in qualifying from their group with three wins from three and are a potent attacking force with the likes of Messi, Tevez and Higuain. The Germans have such pedigree at World Cups and seem to get better as each tournament progresses. Brazil are Brazil, so you’d expect them to do well and maybe go on to the final. I love watching them play football, all the players are so relaxed and comfortable on the ball. I was lucky enough to play with a few in my career and they are without doubt some of the most skillful athletes.

My other two picks would be Netherlands and Spain. The Dutch have pace throughout their side and with Van Persie, Sneijder and Robben, they have potential match-winners. Spain, despite their shock defeat at the hands of Switzerland, are unbelievably strong all over the pitch. Villa is on red-hot form at the moment and if Torres starts scoring, they are going to be a handful for anyone. That’s before you consider Xavi, Iniesta, Silva, Alonso, Fabregas, need I go on?

Which players have impressed you at the tournament so far?

With all the pressure on Messi, prior to the tournament, he’s been a star-performer so far for me. He’s been brilliant on the ball and an important link man for Argentina and instrumental in their four wins so far. Sneijder has been in fine form for the Dutch and scored some vital goals. I’ve also been impressed with Chile as a team and Sanchez, bags of pace and trickery. Diego Forlan for Uruguay has scored goals but also worked hard for the team, the same can be said for Ozil for Germany. I’d heard a bit about him before the tournament and he hasn’t disappointed, at the centre of many German attacks. David Villa has been Spain’s standout performer. He has scored goals, created chances and worked his socks off for his team and looks a good bet to be the top scorer at the World Cup.

How will the performance of Team USA affect the development of football in the US?

It can only be positive. I thought USA played well in the tournament and it will stand them in good stead for future tournaments. I know TV viewing figures were considerably more in the US compared to the World Cup four years ago. The MLS is getting stronger all the time and the increase in the number of youth leagues will all help in the development of football in the US.

Got something you’d like to ask David Beckham? Then head over to Yahoo! Answers. The football legend and global superstar will be answering the best of your questions in a unique video interview on Wednesday 14 July, with live video link-ups to 18 countries – shown exclusively on Yahoo!. So get thinking and submit a question today.

Gwyneth Paltrow prescribed sunshine {Health}

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She might be an A-List celeb and the role model for pale and interesting skin types the world over but actress Gwyneth Paltrow has been told to spend some time in the sun.

She revealed, in her newsletter GOOP, that a bone scan showed she had the begginning stages of Osteopenia and a test revealed her Vitamin D levels to be startlingly low. Some people are blaming her frequent detoxes and preference for vegan food but her blog has lots of yummy recepies, how is she not hungry all the time when writing about food?

Her Doctor, Dr. Frank Lipman, goes on to talk about the benefits of sunshine and Vitamin D.

Frank says “Although irresponsible sunbathing is unquestionably harmful and precautions need to be taken, regular, moderate, unprotected sun exposure is essential for good health. It is free, easy to get and good for you when used intelligently.”

Picture from Iron Man 2 [Product Page]

Alexandra Aitkens on Yoga and finding peace.

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I interviewed Alexandra Aitkens and found a young women who has found her calling teaching yoga. I think we can all benefit from the answers below.

1) You have had many, mostly creative careers. Which one do you find most satisfying?

By far teaching kundalini yoga and sharing these miraculous tools and techniques.  The pectice of Kundallini yoga will awaken your potential and give you the power to actually complete your dream heaven on earth.

2) You teach yoga now. What advice can you give to people who want peace in their lives?

Meditate every day it will clear the rubbish out of your mind!
Start by trying one of these meditations for 3 minutes everyday and experience all the benefits for yourself.

http://www.yogamint.com/videos/yogamint_videos

3) What is your favourite yoga move?

My favourite yoga move is the one minute breath. Your life is counted in breaths not years. This breath will make you eternal. The average breath is 20 – 25 times a minute. In good health you breath 10-12 times a minute. If you practice the one minute breath you will have control of your mind.

Inhale 20 seconds
Suspend 20 seconds
Exhale 20 seconds

Or perhaps listening to or singing to  the mul mantra which leads you do you true purpose or destiny.
http://www.amazon.com/Mul-Mantra/dp/B000QQGF8Y

4) Tell me about Blue Light Yoga.

Blue Light Yoga is a  501c non- profit organization… bringing the healing power of yoga to underfunded schools, hospitals, prisons, & shelters, and to people whose lives and lifestyles could be transformed by yoga and meditation worldwide.

Blue light yoga has a new exciting project. We are planning our school in Amritsar India.

Blue Light School in Amritsar India
Blue Light realises the fact that helping is not simply a matter of dispersing money but of making a deep, long-term commitment to educate and train people to be the best they can be.

Childhood is the time when a young person needs nurturing, schooling, time to play and be given the opportunity to be excel in life.

India is home to the largest population of working children in the world. But child labour like child trafficking, infant mortality, child beggary and child marriage are just symptoms. The root cause lies somewhere else. Educating these children is the only way to care for them and protect their welfare. An Education that empowers them to earn a livelihood and an education can teach them to lead better lives.  Blue Light works as a catalyst to change the lives of numerous such underprivileged children and youth for the better with great empowering success.
Our curriculum will also include traditional Indian Subjects like Maths and Numerology, Gurmukhi, Philosophy, Ayurvedic medicine, Kirtan and Yoga.

These classes and special courses are open to Global visitors by donation.

www.bluelightyoga.net

5) What was your favourite acting job?

Facing rudeness and crudeness with compassionate sweetness.

6) What is next for you?

Continuously deepening my understanding of kundallini yoga and sharing all the discoveries, love and wisdom on how to be happy , healthy and peacefully relaxed.

7) What makes you happy?

Realising everything that happens is a blessing to help you grow to experience how miraculous your lovely life is.

Thank you Alexandra.

Richard Evans CDG: Casting director interview {The Film Set}

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1) How did you get into casting?
I worked as assistant to two casting directors, but I’d always had a casting director’s brain (I used to read Spotlight in the local library from the age of 8, which, although it sounds sad, completely fascinated me!). I started on my own in 1989, as the first freelance casting director to specialise in theatre – in those days, the vast majority of theatre casting was done by artistic directors and their secretaries, and was not considered worthy of specialised casting knowledge (the only people who cast for theatre worked in the casting departments of the major companies, such as the RSC and The National Theatre, and the only other freelancer was Leonie Cosman who did many of the West End musicals). While many film and TV casters initially treated theatre with disdain, viewpoints changed remarkably quickly, so I, in turn, diversified, but theatre is still my favourite medium.

2) Favourite film you have cast?
I’ve cast relatively few films, as it’s not really a medium that I’ve pushed to work in. I am, however, extremely proud of most of the projects I’ve cast, for a multitude of reasons.

3) What do you love about your job?
Getting it right! Leaving a casting where we have first, second, third… even eighth choices for each character makes me walk on air. I always strive for absolute perfection and sweat blood over everything I do, so when everything falls into place it makes it all worthwhile. My absolute favourite thing is giving someone their first job out of drama school and then seeing them progress to bigger and better things – it doesn’t often happen, as there aren’t always suitable roles on my desk at the right time, but it’s amazing when it does.

4) Advice for actors?
Buy my book!… no, seriously… BUY MY BOOK! Where do I start?! Be honest about your capabilities and what you’ve done. We are in a small business, which gets smaller the longer you are in it, so any fibs will surely be found out. Prepare everything thoroughly, know as much as you can about the projects you’re up for and the industry you’re in. Be prepared for anything, and, above all, enjoy whatever you do – if you don’t, others won’t. I could go on, but there’s lots of other advice, tips and resources at my website.

5) Who is your inspiration?
Anyone who knows what they want and goes for it wholeheartedly… especially if they have overcome adversity to do so.

6) What’s next?
I’m currently in discussions to cast a new musical, which it’s hoped will tour the UK in early 2011, and I’m told that a corporate video has had its budget approved, six months after I was first called about it. My policy is to always believe that a project is only definite after it has happened and the cheque has cleared. People are being far more cautious at the moment, due to the recession, but the great thing about our Industry is you never know when the phone will ring and your luck will change – even after all these years, I am frequently surprised when it happens to me.

7) Tell me about your book.
AUDITIONS: A PRACTICAL GUIDE is, I’m told, just that. I wanted to write a book that is an easy and amusing read and would be useful and pertinent to every performer, from those considering training or starting a career in performing arts to the most experienced actors who want to brush up their skills and learn new techniques. The reaction has been phenomenally positive, even from people who have been in the Industry for decades and are notoriously harsh critics (I’m still waiting for someone to contact me and say ‘I didn’t like your book because…’, which would actually be quite refreshing, silly though that may sound). The book covers many different genres and takes the reader through the audition process step by step. Writing this book was a long-held ambition – I first thought of writing it back in 1993 – and was a huge learning curve, taking over 4 years from conception to publication. I wanted to write it partly as I was frustrated at the amount of performers who unwittingly lose jobs by auditioning badly and, on a more selfish note, because I wanted to prove to myself that I could write a book and get it published. It is without doubt the proudest achievement of my life… so far!

8 ) What is your background?
I was an actor for 10 years, which I believe has stood me in excellent stead to work in casting, as, having seen things from both sides of the audition table, I am able to appreciate everyone’s point of view and, hopefully get the best out of performers when auditioning.

9) What does your average day consist of?
There’s really no such thing as an average day, every day is different and that’s the way I like it. I’m usually at my desk by around 10am, replying to emails that have come in overnight and ploughing through my daily to do list. Some days are frantic, others very quiet, there’s no pattern. I go to the theatre to keep abreast of actors’ work at least 3 or 4 nights a week and may then return to my desk afterwards to catch up, especially if I’m dealing with agents and producers in America.

10) Favourite actors?
My favourite actors are mainly those that I like as people as well as for their skill as performers. There are many, and most aren’t the least bit famous or even yet in the public eye, so I’ll spare their blushes by mentioning them and having you saying ‘Who?!’ Those you may have heard of include: Douglas Hodge who is terrific and starting to be given the recognition he deserves, having been awarded best actor on both sides of the Atlantic for his astounding performance as Albin in La Cage Aux Folles. Samantha Morton always gives wonderfully naturalistic performances; Daniel Radcliffe is really proving himself to be a great actor (he’s also not a bad magician in real life!); Sheridan Smith has been excellent in everything I’ve see her do; Julie Walters is far more versatile than most people ever see, and Alec McCowen is doubtless the most underrated actor of his generation, if not all time.

11) What is the hardest part of the job?
Getting performers to prepare adequately for auditions and recalls, especially when they’ve been sent sides or songs to learn… and also getting some companies to pay my invoices on time!

Buy Richards book on Amazon or visit his web site.

Main picture credit Ethel Davies.

Inspire beyond fashion; how graduates are shaping fashion {Style}

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June each year is guaranteed to mean one thing, students are finishing university and moving on to bigger and better ventures.

Lisa Shaw's Labrinth

One positive of this is the exploration of the talent which is developing on from study to real world. New talent can inspire and define generations. A fantastic example of this is the work which is produced by fashion graduates on a yearly basis, this work is exhibited at the Graduate Fashion Week which was recently held at London’s Earls Court.

Labyrinth (Inspiration)

The  creations seen here are varied, exciting and completely unique, the work is, in a lot of instances, the first collection produced by a designer who is on the verge of releasing their designs into the public scene. Members of the public, press and highly regarded designers and fashion companies are all present to pick out their favourites and push these to the forefront of the public eye.
One thing that is ultimately inspiring is the way in which designers, graduate and fully established ones, can take inspiration from anything seen in day to day life. Some examples of this are collections seen from Lisa Shaw was inspired by the 1986 film ‘The Labyrinth’, through exploring silhouettes and shapes from the film she recreated them to fit the ready-to-wear market.

JLH (Inspiration)

The JLH collection was inspired predominantly by the urban, hip hop graffiti scene on the Brooklyn Subway, combined with the smart work attire seen on the London Underground, produced a bold and vibrant work style collection.

JLH

This kind of inspiration can be used generally in day-to-day life. Rather than using things you see as inspiration to produce clothing, use it to inspire the way you style your look. In summer, when seeing the abundance of colourful flowers, translate to brightly coloured printed shirts, dresses and skirts. Look at architecture, bridges, buildings, structure and translate to body-con dresses or waist-belts to clinch in that hour glass figure.

Gemma McKay's Inspiration

When taking a sunny stroll (wishful thinking but a girl can dream), down the river or down the sand look to the fluidity of the water and discover flowing fabrics and loose fitting garments which complement this, Gemma McKay’s collection reflects this style.

Gemma McKay

The inspiration doesn’t need to be literal, work with whatever appeals to you and mix it into your own style, if you see something you like think what does that remind me of. Don’t just look to fashion for inspiration, style can be much more of a lifestyle choice. Depending on how brave you are this could even be taken as far as hair cuts or colours, if you see a section of colour this could become a streak in your hair.

If your not the most confident, work with it, wear something tamer but just make it your own, chuck on the favourite shoes and immediately its yours.
Don’t disappear into the crowd, stand out it, forget soft focus and make it your own.

by Jennie Higgins

Lyn Burgess interview. How to be your best self.

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I came across Lyn Burgess and her coaching a few years ago through Creative Edge Audio. I was very happy when she said yes to being interviewed for Frost. I find Lyn incredibly inspirational. I hope you do as well.

1) How did you get into personal and business coaching?

I worked for many years in operational roles in the financial services sector and was made redundant from an H R Director’s job. I had outplacement consulting and looked at my skills and my values and out of that came ‘coaching’. I think I always had a coaching philosophy though when I was managing teams of people, I always found I could get them to do what was needed without yielding a big stick – and they’d be quite happy to do it as well. Setting up my own coaching business in 2002 seemed like such an obvious progression, I’m not sure why I hadn’t done it before!

2) Best tip for confidence?

“Fake it till you make it!” It’s good to model someone else who is a confident person – give yourself a ‘confident outfit’ or a lucky pair of knickers. Start off by just ‘pretending’ to be confident for 30 mins each day and experience how it feels. Make sure you have some interaction with other people and see how differently they react to you. Also, create a visualisation of you being/feeling confident. Practice this every day. Also think back to a time when you felt confident so you remember that you can do it and notice what happens in your body. Start little and often and your mind will become the confident person you want to be

3) What do you love about your job?

Pretty much all of it. You won’t ever meet a coach that doesn’t enjoy what they do – they always want to do more, help more people. I love marketing my business, I love networking, I love finding new places to advertise, I love working out how to reach more people, how else I can coach them. I love other people’s success and knowing that because I helped them set some goals and asked them a bunch of questions it really made a difference to their lives and their career. I also love doing presentation and workshops to groups of people. You get some great energy back and participants always learn from other people.

4) Advice for actors?

Be tenacious, get clearly focused on exactly what you want ie. a part in a period drama at the Globe starting in October 2010 paying me £X, rather than “I want a job”. The latter kind of statement is useless, if that’s your idea of a goal then go work in Tesco – there, you have a job. Never give up and be proactive. Just because you have an agent, doesn’t mean you can sit at home and wait for the phone to ring. You can switch on the TV and see that being an actor is not necessarily about being talented. You need to be in the right place at the right time, knowing the right people and not having any hang-ups, or moaning about the industry and telling yourself how tough it is. Network your butt off. It’s much easier to make connections face to face, rather than sitting in a pile of CV’s. Make it easy for casting directors and agents – put yourself in a box to start off with. Once you get well known, then you can diversify, but if you look like a thug and sound like a thug, play thugs.

5) Who is your inspiration?

3 people. One: An old boss of time who saw potential in me and would always say “Lyn, I want you to go and do such and such a job now” and I’d think, ‘I’m not sure I can do that’ – then I went and found that I could do it. Every two years he gave me a different job role to do and it just made me realise that you can do things that you are unsure about. He believed in me and that enabled me to believe in myself. Two: Fiona Harrold – A UK life coach. When I first started my accreditation to become a coach I read her book “Be your own life coach” and I felt so inspired and knew I was on the right path. Three: Tony Robbins – a US life coach. He does the fire walk which I have done – which is actually really easy to do. Check him out on YouTube or read his books, he’s awesome.

6) What’s next?

I feel like this question should be at the end. One of the things that I’ve always wanted to do is to work more with people on a project and within a team of people ie. on a TV programme or on a film. So work with the writers, the producers, the directors and the actors and be part of the production team for whoever needs me. Help with issues of time management, working to budgets, stress management, team dynamics etc. I want people to say in years to come “God, we never make a film/tv programme without a life coach!” It always helps to have someone disassociated from the project to look at it in an impartial way to give those in it another perspective. I also have an idea for a book called “Life, Camera, Action” which uses well known Film quotes to illustrate coaching themes – but I need a writer to write it – then I can develop it into a workshop to take around cinemas in the UK.

7) Tell me about your workshops?

The workshops I run on a monthly basis and they cover 3 main themes. They were born out of doing some advertising when I first started out on Shooting People where I wanted to get into the minds of people in the industry and offered some free coaching in return for completion of a short questionnaire. I had about 90 responses and realised that was a lot of free coaching! So I set up the workshops so that I could coach a whole bunch of people at the same time, rather than one to one. The workshop topics are : Focus, we work around goal setting, looking at what holds you back and create an action plan. Self Belief – on this one we look at limiting beliefs from your past, blast them out of the way and look at confidence building. Networking: where to go, what to say, how to follow up etc etc.

8 ) What is your background?

Financial Services – and by that I mean processing mortgages and secured loans. I also worked in 2 Building Societies. I started as a secretary and then held Managerial roles for years. I have done acting and theatre directing, so I know what it’s like to stand on a stage – which I loved. I always found that I could relate to most people (even if I didn’t like them) so it was always a career that involved interacting with others. Financial services was great because it was fast moving and you had to constantly change and be flexible and I think life is like that too. Every few years you have to reinvent yourself because the landscape keeps changing. I love that, I love taking risks. Too many people try to be a perfectionist and there’s no such thing as perfection, you are striving for something you will never attain. Do something, get a result, tweak it and then do it again!

9) What does your average day consist of?

Variety! Coaching clients which can be via email or telephone. I don’t do much face to face work apart from the workshops. Marketing, twittering, advertising and promoting. Pulling together some ideas for joint workshops. Following up on contacts that I’ve met networking, or recently at Cannes. I never seem to have time to blog frequently enough. But I do promote an 8 Week Makeover Programme that is a very cost effective way of coaching. I also run the events committee for Women in Film and TV, so that usually forms part of my day, checking in with the event producers or organising an event of my own. I email the WFTV office several times a day.

10) What is the hardest part of the job?

Wanting to do everything right now and being impatient. Want to help more people, answer emails, twitter, write newsletters, do my accounts. The hardest part when you first start out is getting to know the difference between empathy and sympathy with a client. I’m good at it now and have developed quite a good sense of emotional detachment. Coaching is always forward focused so it’s my job to keep people ‘in action’ – the hardest part for me is understanding that people move at their own pace – not mine. I sometimes come away from a call thinking “was I any use there? That person is not doing enough” and then two hours later I’ll get a text or an email from the client saying “thanks so much for the sessions, they are always really useful!” So it’s all about perception, and as one of my Magic Quips said: “it might look like I’m doing nothing, but at a cellular level I’m really quite busy”

For more on Lyn go here: