1000 Words: What Is the Drumming Thing All About?

It can be hard to describe to people what the LA Fellows experience is before they've lived it firsthand. Knowing that a picture is worth 1,000 words, here are a few to help you visualize what it's like to be an LA Fellow.

Regular readers of our blog and Twitter account may have noticed all the pictures of people sitting in a circle beating on drums, and wondered, "What does that have to do with helping people to get re-employed?" LA Fellows is an intensive program involving classroom training and 100 hours of real-world project-based volunteerism designed to enhance the job search by kicking it to the next level. It does not put the job search on hold; LA Fellows continue looking for that next job using the skills and experience they get from the training. The drum circle we do each cohort is not just a chance to let loose and have fun, it is an exercise that incorporates many of the concepts touched on in the classroom and presents them in a hands-on way that leads to new insights and confidence.

Participants gain greater insight on:

• leadership
• integrating in and contributing to an established structure
• conflict resolution
• creativity
• effective listening and communication

The Job Training Office at Los Angeles Valley College, and the LA Fellows program, has been lucky to have musician Roberto Gutierrez on staff to lead the circle for all 11 Cohorts. The drum circle is cited by many Fellows as one of the most memorable days of the training.

Learn more about the LA Fellows program at www.lafellows.org.