Our motivational courses have been inspiring students and teachers across the world, since 2004. Hearing about the lasting impact our programmes have left on you motivates us to continue doing what we love!
Each year, we receive thousands of unsolicited testimonials from students, teachers and parents telling us about the powerful and far-reaching effect humanutopia has had on their lives.
While it’s a given that we fully believe in the life-changing work we’re doing, it’s what the people who experience humanutopia say that truly counts! This recent letter following one of our team events really touched us, and we wanted to share it with you…
A Letter from Yaar
Dear Mr Carlo Missirian,
I am contacting you following the event at Stoke City Football Club on 13 November.
I was deeply moved and impressed by the workshop. Graham’s honesty and experience with hundreds of schools were evident right from the start. The way he communicated with students and volunteers was truly phenomenal.
“I have never seen anything like that in my 15 years of experience”
I have never seen anything like that in my 15 years of experience in formal and non-formal education. Graham managed to quickly create a safe space where students and staff feel comfortable to open up, share their experiences and communicate honestly. He was constantly engaged with the students in creative ways, always moving, listening, showing genuine interest and curiosity, noticing students’ body language, movements, facial expressions, reflecting back possible reasons for their behaviour… I can go on and on.
“I wish more people could have seen what happened that day”
The event was facilitated at the highest possible level, and I wish more people could have seen what happened that day at Stoke City Football Club. You asked us for criticism and to let you know what might be improved. My only criticism is that you are too modest – if something goes that well, you should open a bottle of champagne and reflect on what you have just accomplished, and in this case, it was against all odds. It is obvious that many students and volunteers were empowered and motivated by the activity. What else would you define as success? The intense emotions flowing through the room felt more real than any missed heartbeat during an iconic Hollywood scene from Dangerous Minds, the Freedom Writers or the Dead Poets Society.
Graham showed us photos from his visit to Downing Street and Buckingham Palace, and I think that your entire team deserves such superb levels of appreciation. I wish I could have offered you more than just superlatives, as I believe, perhaps naively, that the future of our conflict-ridden planet lays with education. You are the ones doing the ‘dirty work’ from bottom-up, motivating young minds to take down their guards, stop defining themselves by their past, or by the expectations of their peers (or parents). It is a subtle art, and you have mastered it.
“Now they have a better chance to succeed”
These young teenagers are struggling to find their place in this troubling world. Now they have a better chance to find their inner confidence and succeed. You have shown them that real power and success comes not from violence, bullying, false-images, ulterior-motives or masquerades (‘filling the bin’), but from unique intellectual and emotional journeys, and from recognising one’s strengths and weaknesses.
I believe that at least some of those teenagers will make changes in their lives, thanks to you. Hopefully, some of them will make an impact on others, inspiring kindness, honesty and rational thought.
Thank you for demonstrating that there is indeed a hopeful horizon and for motivating me to keep working with young students towards a brighter future.
Best wishes,
Yaar
