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Hi my name is Stephen Liddle, I'm 45 years old. I work at Weybourne Infant School, Allsorts Club as a Playworker.
First of all when I left school I was a butcher and then went on to be a postman for about 16 years
and then you know I decided that I wanted to do something different. I took a football coaching badge
and then that enabled me to work with children and went into the school and I've never looked back and thoroughly enjoyed it.
My job is to come in, and I pick up the children from the infant school and then I sign them in,
get them to wash their hands and seat them down, make sure they have something to eat then organise games for them.
They've always have free choice of what they want to do but if they want to do something then for example
if they want to go out on the scooter or play football then I'll organise that for them,
but it's mainly what the children what to do really.
They learn everything at school really so it's about coming here, letting off steam. What I like to do is,
when we go outside is let them burn off as much energy as they can and then after about 20-25 minutes
we go for a drinks break and then we come in and they do seem to cool down, sit down,
have a chill and they may decide to do drawings or whatever or they may decide to go back outside again.
So they have always got that choice of either staying indoors or going outside.
The challenge is for me is when children are upset, and when we get some children who misbehave
and everything but you can overcome them. Always try to be polite and happy and to be a good role model
for them really. I hope they see me as a good friend. I like to be firm but fair.
Well I think in today's society that there are a lot of single parents and everything
and I think it's a good thing for a man to be there. The children can look up to that like a second dad really.
At first I was a bit dubious you know, working with the children in an after school setting,
but once I started it was like a natural thing for me to do. When I used to take the dog for a walk with my children
I ended up taking half the street because the children would just say "can I come with you?"
so I have always been good with children so it was quite good, but my parents were very pleased, yeah.
Actually I get more parents' stop me now and say, "Oh hello Mr Liddle how are you?" and yeah it's been really good.
>> Yeah I think it's really good. Steve is full of energy and I think Emma can only benefit from it,
to have a mans input into what they do, I think it's good, yeah.
>> He's good because he's never sitting around and he's never, every time someone asks
if they can do something he always says yes and he doesn't not pay attention to you.
>> I think he's funny and I think he's kind.
>> I'm doing an NVQ level 3 at the moment, you know hopefully that will make me get to a manager
and job prospects you know are looking up. If you've got children of your own,
then you know what it's like, you play with your children and everything you get outside and organise games and everything.
It is a career that is worth looking into. You've got the possibilities of promotion,
management and the pay is quite good and it can fit in around your own time.
The best thing for me is seeing the children laugh, you know having great fun and walking down the road
"Hello Mr L, how are you?" you know it's just a great feeling. It's very rewarding for me, very rewarding.