Michael Dawson 

I think I've said this before, I did kind of standup comedy for a while. And one of the things they told us right at the beginning, you've got to run on that stage like you cannot wait to get on that stage. Every comedian does it, and you're terrified. And I always feel that applies to working with young people. Sometimes you're tired, and it's a double shift and you've done it all night and you get out the car and you pump up your shoulders, you run up the steps, and say, Hello, everyone, what we doing today hey? And you find that energy!  And that's what they've taught me, I think, yeah, finding that energy when you need it.

Paul Meunier 

Hello, I'm Paul Meunier, the executive director of the Youth Intervention Programs Association. And I'm a youth worker at heart. How lucky am I. I have the privilege to meet youth workers from around the globe and learn their stories and share them with the entire world. I'm glad you're listening because together we'll learn how their life experiences shape their youth work. As you listen, I encourage you to consider how your experiences shape what you have to offer young people. Welcome to this edition of The Passionate Youth Worker.

Paul Meunier 

Hi, everybody. Today we're honored to have Michael Dawson with us. He's joining us from across the pond as they say, from the picturesque landscapes of Normandy, France. Michael's journey is one of profound transformation. Despite achieving success in the fast-paced world of sales, he made a life-altering choice to walk away from his lucrative career to pursue a deeper sense of purpose as a youth worker. Today we'll unravel the events that led him to this major life decision, exploring how his personal upbringing profoundly influenced his desire to make a difference in the lives of young people.

Paul Meunier 

Driven by a deep-seated belief in the transformative power of mentorship, Michael is on a mission to pay forward the support he received from youth workers who changed the trajectory of his own life. As an author, podcast host, and youth worker training content producer, he channels his passion for storytelling and advocacy into his work. I'm really excited to dive into his inspiring narrative and uncover how his dedication to youth work is not only fulfilling his own purpose, but also leaving a lasting mark on the next generation. Michael, welcome to The Passionate Youth Worker podcast.

Michael Dawson 

Thank you. I'm so honored to be here, and especially amongst some of the guests that you've had, you know, that I've been listening to recently. So it's a real boss. I'm really pleased. Thank you.

Paul Meunier 

Well, I'm super excited to have you. And I'm just super excited to get going. So you ready to dive in?

Michael Dawson 

I am. Let's go.

Paul Meunier 

Let's do it. Michael, during my introduction, I kind of revealed that you made this huge decision at some point in your life to leave this lucrative world of sales and become a youth worker. Dramatic change. Let's just start off with what caused you to make such a big move in your life.

Michael Dawson 

I don't know whether the question that we ask ourselves about what we would love to do, given no limitations, and given that we weren't going to get paid for it ever comes up. It feels quite common. And in this case, it was a family bereavement, where I lost someone, it's difficult to say close to me, but it was my mother's sister. It was really, really important to me. It was just one of those moments when I saw what I'd really like to do. And the answer was immediate. It was so straightforward. However, there were obstacles because of the company car, conference, the suits and those kinds of things. However, that was what led me into the very, very ground of youth work. Never looked back. I loved every minute of it.

Paul Meunier 

Wow. And why youth work? Why not get into helping homeless people, or, you know, the elderly? What is it about youth work that really pushed you into it?

Michael Dawson 

It's a good question that because it was so obvious to me. My upbringing was in the care system. That doesn't immediately qualify me to do the job. I'll be good at the job. But that was where my roots were. Plucked from a family. Dysfunctional yes but put into a children's home amongst people who really wanted to help me survive that really bizarre time. So, it was completely natural.

Paul Meunier 

Yeah, that makes sense. Well, let's talk about your upbringing and your parents. You've described them as kind of dysfunctional. Can you talk a little bit about your family environment when you were younger?

Michael Dawson 

Yeah, a poor family, mother and father never worked, we kind of lived on benefits. That was our lot, if you like. Father was abusive physically. And so, somebody amongst the family particularly decided it would be a good idea for me and my brothers to leave our father, which now looking back looks like the craziest idea because my mom was my hero as a child. But as an adult, I can see she was completely incapable and she needed more than anything support to look after, you know, two boys at the time, because the rest of them had left, flown the nest. So, we did that. My mother didn't cope with that. We were living in a hotel. I was frightened, I was left on my own, because my mom would leave us for days at a time. So, I would take my brother to school and all that kind of thing. And then I thought of a great idea. Why don't I ring my social worker and tell him and he'll tell my mom to come back home. He didn't. He was in a car and took us into care. And that was a quite a stunning, stunning shock to me. There we were, sat in a Children's Home that very afternoon, both of us with our rubbish bags with all our possessions. And that was it. That was that was me in the world of the care system. So, that's the quick version.

Paul Meunier 

Wow. Well, that's quite a story and quite an upheaval in your life. Your mother, when she would leave for where did she go? I mean, did she have health issues or why would she leave for days? It seems surprising.

Michael Dawson 

Now we would say she had learning difficulties. She had, she was taken advantage of, she went out to pubs, she met men, men took her home, they wouldn't encourage her to come back to the hotel. We were staying in a hotel in temporary accommodation. So of course, she would come back every few days and give me 10 pounds. I would buy us, you know, some food and keep the whole thing going. So yeah, she just really didn't cope because this is not a woman that went to pubs or met men or did any of those things. But she was really taken advantage of I think. And so she struggled. And then if you must know we were taken to this house. And I can remember my social worker saying to her I'm taking these children off you. And if you contest it, I will take you to court. I remember standing behind the sofa thinking that wasn't the plan. That wasn't my plan. And my mother was intimidated. She signed, we got back in his car. And off we went. And yeah, I was going to digress and so you know, working later in later years working in a service that kept children at home was amazing. And one of the best jobs I've ever had. Well, that's another subject. So, off we were, into the care system.

Paul Meunier 

That must have been scary. I mean, how old were you when this happened, when this person took you away from your mother?

Michael Dawson 

I think I must have been 11-ish, 11 or 12, I would say. Early days of secondary school. So it was frightening.

Paul Meunier 

I know our young people often when those life events happen, they feel guilty or responsible for that. I mean, thinking back Did you were you feeling that way too? Or were you kind of relieved maybe to just have somebody, an adult, looking over you on a regular basis, you know, being responsible?

Michael Dawson 

No, I don't think I ever felt that. I think I really, really kind of went along with the flow. A social worker said to me three or four weeks after I'd been in care, remember it vividly. He said, are you okay? And I said, Yeah, shrugged my shoulders, you know, kids do. He said it's just that you've not really, you know, reacted to being here. And I said, I can cry all I want but it won't bring my mom back. It was literally what I said to him. And I was numb to the whole thing, you know, for years. We didn't see her for many, many years after that. So, that was just my experience. Wasn't horrific, wasn't great. And I could share one thing with you. I was watching a program 20 years later, about a young girl going into care. And it was a scene in this program. And I watched this scene, literally through my own eyes. And I was a fully grown adult, and I absolutely fell to pieces in tears, bawling like a child. And then within 20 seconds, I started laughing. I was laughing at me for crying. Now, I can't believe I've revealed that but that actually happened. It was so ridiculous. It's like having remote emotions. It was so strange, you know? So, I don't know the answer to that, I'm not a psychologist. So, the reaction was instant. I didn't see it coming. It was, it was freaky. But that's not happened after.

Paul Meunier 

Sounds like you just went into survival mode, figured out what you needed to do. And it sounds like you then figured out things pretty well, because you were able to pursue a career where you made a lucrative living.

Michael Dawson 

Yeah.

Paul Meunier 

You had success. So, I'd like to talk about that a little bit more but before we get to that, so then did you stay with this one family after you were removed from our mother the rest of your childhood?

Michael Dawson 

No, when I was removed, we went into a I don't know what you would call it in the US but a bigger unit, maybe 13 to 14 young people living there, various ages. I went to foster parents, and eventually went to what you might call a kind of sheltered accommodation prior to becoming an adult, where I cook my own food and effectively had a flat with a member of staff downstairs, who you would call on if you needed them. I never did. I was working by then. I got a job when I was I got full time job as soon as I left school, went straight into work. And that was it, just carried on with my life and moved out of there and the rest is history, I suppose.

Paul Meunier 

Yeah. How did you get into sales then, is it just was your personality type? Are you just really good with people have the ability to influence others or

Michael Dawson 

I fancied the electrical industry. But I had worked in a electrical wholesale company, a very, very small one. In fact, I always say I went from the smallest to the biggest. I literally did, And so, I remember going to college to do my electrical qualifications because I am an electrician by trade and telling the teacher, I'm going to be a wholesaler. And I said, yeah, I'm gonna go into wholesale and sell products. And he thought this was really, really strange. But the reason I ended up in that was because I would be at work at this little wholesaler. And I would be asking what seemed now to be silly questions about the equipment we were selling to my boss saying, What's this? What's three poles? And what's the vault? Silly thing. And I ended up from there just took myself to college, paid for my own college fees, went to college in the evenings worked during the day, got my qualifications, and then decided that I could use those skills then selling to electricians and went into the electrical industry with, you know, we're biggest in the country. So yeah, it was lucky. It was great. It's great, fun, big customers that did key accounts for a while, what we called key accounts, you know,

Paul Meunier 

Throughout that whole time, when you were climbing the ladder, so to speak, you're getting more and more perks, becoming more and more successful, hitting your target numbers, all those kinds of things. At that point, were you feeling like this is it, I found my niche? Or was there, I know that you had this life event where you have this death in your family, but was there kind of a presence during the time that you were doing this, that you kind of felt like this isn't really where I need to be?

Michael Dawson 

That's interesting. I think the answer to that is, at that time, I was going to work. Not a big deal for most of us, I was going to work. After that time, I never worked again. That sounds awful but it's true. When I started to work with young people, and everything I've done since, it feels like I've cheated. And that's the only difference. And if I said I hated that job, I wanted to move, I didn't like that. That's a complete lie. But I would not be lying to say it was work. And we all go to work. And we all do what we can at work. I don't anymore. So, I think in that respect, that might be a better description of it. Nothing particularly bad about the business.

Paul Meunier 

What is it that you like so much about working with young people? Is it because it's self-fulfilling, because it feeds your own need to give back or is there just something about the youthful spirit, or what is it about young people that drives you so wild about helping them?

Michael Dawson 

It's not something I've ever really thought too much about. But I think it's about their, I love the sense of fun, and childish, still childish. I think I said about my skill report. My final skill report said when Michael learns to curb his sense of humor, he'll grow into a mature young man. And I don't think that ever happened. And I've loved working with young people and the sense of fun and also, I related to them, and I loved their resilience. The resilience is incredible for young people, just like it was with me and my brother, we just flow, they just flow into that. And the mischief as well. I was I always felt that we should just be so forgiving of that. I was very, very mischievous with the staff. And years later, I think I assessed it in my own mind and saw it, I think it was guilt-free. I think it was guilt-free. You were staff, you don't love me, you're not my parents. And there was nothing nasty in me as a child at all. It was mischief. And maybe they still talk about now. But you know, like go on the fire escape and threw all of the Monopoly money off the fire escape, and the staff went outside to collect it. And I locked him out of the house. And it was just, it was just a hope it made the shifts a bit more interesting. I feel guilty now because they were wonderful people, absolutely wonderful people.

Paul Meunier 

There is that sense of spirit about young people that is so energizing.

Michael Dawson 

No doubt. Yeah.

Paul Meunier 

Hard to believe we're at a point where we need to take a short break, but we'll be right back.

Jade Schleif 

No matter how you support our young people, The Professional Youth Worker, powered by YIPA, has your training and learning needs covered. Visit training.yipa.org, that's training.yipa.org to see for yourself, and then join the 1000s of youth workers around the globe, who learn from our easy to access exceptional trainings. From our blogs to our podcast, The Professional Youth Worker is your go-to resource for tools to help you keep going, keep learning, and keep growing. Members enjoy free unlimited access to Live Online and On-Demand trainings, and a preferred discount pricing for our one-of-a-kind certificate course. Annual memberships are ridiculously affordable for individuals and organizations. Visit training.yipa.org today to learn more. That's training.yipa.org.

Paul Meunier 

Michael, right before the break, you were talking about being a little mischievous. But I also know part of beyond youth work, what you love to do is write.

Michael Dawson 

Yeah,

Paul Meunier 

You've made some films, you've written a play. So, there's a really creative side to you that comes along with being mischievous, I think.

Michael Dawson 

Yeah.

Paul Meunier 

So, how does that creative side of you come into your youth work? How do you bring that aspect of you into your support of young people?

Michael Dawson 

I suppose if we call the youth work that I did then, I used to do things like it was the technical aspects because it was quite a geeky person. As you know, I've got the training course now, which is all built around video and that kind of thing. But in the old days, I used to go to our service and say we should have a website. And I can do this thing where we can turn around. And I'm working with young people. I worked for this amazing service, we had such great facilities. And we designed and built a big, kind of what you might call it playroom. We have chalk and paint. And we would go in and do these creative projects. I used to create treasure hunts, we created this amazing treasure hunt in a local park with a load of families in. I mean, I'm answering that question as I go because it's not a question I've ever asked myself. But yeah, we used to design and build these little programs for the young people in the families to engage them in the services. So, I suppose there's that. And there's kind of the technical skills that all come together into one. And I think that's my best answer, really.

Paul Meunier 

Well, I think that is a good answer because it does take a lot of creativity and intuition, I think, to be able to support young people, yeah, and to navigate and go with the flow. And I want to ask a little deeper question if I can. So, it seems to me like part of your journey into supporting young people is just part of your own self-growth part of your journey into your life. And I've been playing with the idea that youth work is really a way for people to grow themselves. And you just if, so if you get into this, and you're really good at it, it's really about focusing on your own self-growth and understanding your own life experiences and what that means to you. And you just do that by being a youth worker.

Michael Dawson 

Yeah.

Paul Meunier 

And I'm wondering, like, how much of your enjoyment that you get from working with young people is somewhat self-fulfilling. And I don't mean that in a selfish sort of way, but I just mean in a realistic sort of way.

Michael Dawson 

Yeah, I do mean it in a selfish way I think. It saved, it saved my life, in honesty. I didn't know it at the time but if you imagine as a young man who brought everything along, I was just a guy. I thought I was kind of this average guy, but when I got in into the care service I was an absolute geek and I was reading books on change therapists, NLP, doing every single course. Boys and Girls Welfare Society employed me. And I did all of their courses, they had no more to give to me. I was absolutely passionate about this. And the more I worked, the more I read, the more I could kind of see myself and say, you know, you're not really free of this at all and you thought you were. So yeah, it's a facet. It's a fantastic question that because in reality, I wouldn't be who I am today. That's just true that I wouldn't be who I am today, because I don't know whether I would have really got away. And I think one of the, you know, one of the key things was a quote from a book called The Structure of Magic by Richard Bandler, which said, I had a terrible childhood, and once is enough. And that blew my mind. I was like, oh, yeah, I can decide that that's finished. And I did. And so yeah, I'm glad you asked me. That's a great question. And it's, it's true. Going into that area saved me I think. Yeah.

Paul Meunier 

Yeah, I don't think we think about that enough. This gift that we all have as youth workers is really just a gift to ourselves to explore who we are and be very self-reflective because young people don't give you the option to not be self-reflective.

Michael Dawson 

Yeah.

Paul Meunier 

Right? They'll challenge you a little, throw the Monopoly money off the fire escape and make you go pick it up. And you wonder, why am I doing this work?

Michael Dawson 

That’s not a joke!

Paul Meunier 

That's right. Right.

Michael Dawson 

Yeah.

Paul Meunier 

Well, that's great. And I know now you've geeked out and you've learned so much, and you've become very skillful at supporting young people that you're now taking that to the next level, and trying to use your ability as a writer and videographer and all those things that you do to share that knowledge with other people. And I know you are about ready to launch something that is, I think, it'd be really helpful to other people, I think it's called The Solution Toolkit.

Michael Dawson 

Yeah.

Paul Meunier 

Is that right? Can you tell us a little bit about that and then why you're doing that?

Michael Dawson 

Well, I suppose the one-line version is I believe it's a framework for working with young people in residential care. I don't believe there is one at the moment. And I've put this together into a team structure, video lessons, where rather than being academic, diagnostic, and all those kinds of things, all this does is offers some of these amazing change therapies to residential workers and says, What do you think of that? Could we adapt that into what you do? And I think that's probably the best description of what that is. So, the whole thing is designed to be done together as a team and followed as a very principle based. So yeah, it's, it's said on the website, it's free to play with and have a look up and see if you agree, really, if you agree with me, as a residential worker, that this might be a good idea.

Paul Meunier 

Yeah. It sounds like a very innovative idea to put a framework together. And I think our field is somewhat missing the kind of the overarching strategy for a lot of this work. A lot of it is always just knee-jerk and everybody kind of doing their own thing. But and is that through The Action Factory publishing, is that where people could find that?

Michael Dawson 

Yeah, the website is TheActionFactory.com, with the word "the." Nice and easy.

Paul Meunier 

Got it. Yeah, it's important to have that. We'll put a link to that in the show notes if other people who work in residential care, would like to take a look at that and see if it'd be beneficial for them because I think that it could very well could be. So, what do you hope to accomplish with that? So, you're supporting young people, now trying to give back. What would be the ultimate goal of releasing this framework? What do you hope the outcome of that is?

Michael Dawson 

The outcome is hugely, hugely ambitious, which is what ambitions are meant to be. That is, that we can create this as a standard base that goes underneath everything, all the qualifications people have, all the experience people have, just some basic principles that go underneath everything in residential youth work. And that we can bring people together in residential youth work to share those skills because I believe, which is why I got the hat, I believe that, you know, I got this hat made for my training courses. I believe it's the greatest job in the world, residential youth work, because it's just so ingrained in the lives and without going off too much onto that, and that there's some of the data and evidence that shows how we can really, really use that in as residential youth workers. So, I'm really passionate about what I've done. Where I want to go is one thing I'm now at the stage of sort saying to people, you know, what do you think? Do you want this? They may say, thank you very much, Michael, but no. But I've had a great response so far. It's been amazing. And I'm so so proud of it. So, we'll see.

Paul Meunier 

Yeah, for the people listening, your hat said, the greatest job in the world.

Michael Dawson 

Of course, yeah.

Paul Meunier 

It is really, really very cool. And you're one of the guests that we've had on the show that I think really expresses the idea that this is a luxury, this is a gift, this is an opportunity for us. And I love the way you describe it is you get to cheat the system, right? Because you're just supporting young people and trying to make the world a better place. Sometimes it doesn't feel much like a job. I have one more question for you and then we're almost near the end already, believe it or not, but young people teach us so much. What do you think your experience with working young people, what big valuable lesson have they taught you about yourself?

Michael Dawson 

I think it's a tough one that. I think that they've taught me kind of patience if you want to call it that. They've taught me that I'm a bit more que sera sera if you like. So, I always wanted it to be that they could not do something. This doesn't sound good. But they couldn't do something to upset me because they're not in a position to kind of do that. It's a kind of a Zen youth work kind of idea. And young people taught me that all they were doing, in their way, was kind of exactly what I did when I threw the Monopoly money off the fire escape. It was just fun. There's nothing malicious. Children aren't really like that. They're just not, it's so rare. So yeah, a really difficult one to answer that. But I think if anything, they've taught me about resilience. And they've taught me about being calmer in myself. Because we know that as youth workers, we go into kind of chaotic environments. And as you know, as once, I think I've said this before, I did kind of standup comedy for a while. And one of the things they told us right at the beginning, you've got to run on that stage like you cannot wait to get on that stage. Every comedian does it. And you're terrified. And I always feel that applies to working with young people. Sometimes you're tired and it's a double shift, and you've done it all night and you get out the car and you pump up your shoulder, you run up the steps and say, Hello, everyone what we doing today hey? And find that energy! That's what they taught me, I think, yeah, finding that energy when you need it.

Paul Meunier 

Yeah. Wonderful. I'm glad I asked that question. You know, you've really gone from as a young person, kind of being numbed by life, not having control of everything around you, people would step in and dramatically alter everything about your world. And now here you are in control of your environment, doing whatever you can to make the world a better place for young people. I am just in awe of your transformation. And I am so grateful that you have decided to pour all your energy and all your skills and talents into helping young people. On behalf of all our listeners, thanks for everything you do. And also, Michael, thank you for being a guest on The Passionate Youth Worker podcast.

Michael Dawson 

That was really kind. Thank you. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

Paul Meunier 

You bet. Michael, before we go, what words of wisdom or inspiration would you like to share with other youth workers out there?

Michael Dawson 

I think that I would refer back to the quote that changed my life. And if we are sat here on this podcast talking to youth workers and in some way, we can communicate that to the young people. I had a terrible childhood, once is enough, thank you. The data shows that things happen to us and then we write the story. It is not the other way around. You can rewrite your story if you want to. So, my focus yes is on residential. And it is on people, young people that are in there for a reason. But if there was one thing I really really want to share, it meant so much to me. It's that quote, once is enough. That's it. It's done. Move on. Sounds easy. It's not. But I think that quote is a good way to finish for me.

Paul Meunier 

If you would like to share your passion for youth work, we'd love to spotlight you as a guest. If you have feedback about the show, please let us know. Just visit training.yipa.org, that's training.yipa.org and click on the podcast tab. This podcast is made possible in part due to a generous contribution from M Health Fairview. I'm your host, Paul Meunier. Thanks for listening to The Passionate Youth Worker.