C (15) was a participant on a FreqOUT! ‘Transitions’ course at Quintin Kynaston School in Westminster.  C is part of the re-engagement group at QK, and has been identified as needing support to return to mainstream education.

C’s initial approach to the workshop was cautious.  She appeared detached and unwilling to fully engage with workshop activities.
It soon became clear though, that filmmaking was something that C had a genuine fascination with and a desire to learn more about.  She became very animated and engaged during the creative writing sessions, particularly enjoying working up ideas through drama improvisations.  C has an enthusiasm for acting, and displayed a good deal of natural ability in this area. 
During the drama rehearsal sessions there were several participants who struggled with nervousness.  At times it seemed as though the group would not be able to overcome their collective awkwardness and deliver the scenes.  C took a leading role in motivating fellow group members and ensuring that rehearsals stayed on track.  Often times she would lead by example by switching straight into character and launching into a scene, drawing other actors into the action as she went along.
A QK tutor, attached to the workshop, commented that C had become much more focused and committed to her education.  He told us that she had stated that the FreqOUT sessions were her favourite lesson of the week.  Although C had had some attendance problems, she made a special effort to turn up for filmmaking.  He was also pleased that she had started to talk about vocational issues with him.  He related that the creative work that C had been involved with had re-ignited a long-held interest that she had in hairdressing, and that she had subsequently approached a local Salon to enquire about gaining work experience.
During the editing process, C struggled with both the technical aspects and the level of sustained concentration required.  To her credit she managed to remain fully engaged throughout the process, and in the end contributed high-quality editing work.  She gave the written comment - “It was kind of confusing, but I still got threw it (sic)”.
FreqOUT staff member Emily Williams commented – “B and C were both excellent - engaged and focused - they stuck with it, despite initially finding the process of editing boring and time consuming.  They were both proud of what they produced.”
C got an enormous amount out of her participation on the FreqOUT course.  You could see her self-confidence visibly rising as the workshop progressed, and her ability to self-motivate and to help organise others also grew. 
In her post-course assessment C rated the project and facilitation as excellent.