Recently in youth Category

As a driver, I'm tired of the growing trend of jaywalking; people who risk life and limb by casually and deliberately stepping out in the way of traffic.

How many times have you drivers had to break sharply or swerve suddenly to avoid one of these people, sometimes doing their best 'talk to the hand' gesture?

It was really sad to hear of the death of a Solihull teenager last month, but truth be told, all the evidence points to the fact that he was playing 'chicken' on a busy 'A' road with friends.

What in the world made him and his pals think that this was a good way to pass the time?

I'll tell you: every council and law enforcement body that has stood silent or conveniently looked away while this practice becomes common practice.

And the romantic coverage of this accident waiting to happen hasn't helped either, as it obscures the real issue.

This practice needs to criminalized, so innocent drivers aren't victimised and pedestrians realise the law will no longer protect their stupidity.

If you empower children while disenfranchising parents and teachers, turn a blind eye to bad parenting, fail to properly punish crime and undermine the uniting merits of religious faith, what you get is what we've seen this last few days.

I'm not surprised - I wish I could say I was.

These riots have nothing to do with the cuts, unemployment or youth disaffection, it's simply the fruit of what the authorities have allowed to happen over these last two generations.

After the disturbances of 1981, 1985 and even in 2005, the government have thrown money at the supposed problems as they've seen it. Well, there is no money to give out to community projects, so what now?

There will be no change and what we've seen these last couple of days in Birmingham and elsewhere will happen again unless the authorities go back to correctly punishing criminality, instilling discipline in schools, supporting the reconstruction of family values and putting Religious Education back onto the curriculum.

But will they?

It's a bit rich, (pun intended) for our dear esteemed PM David Cameron to be blaming the education system for failing to prepare youth to be able to get jobs.

Then along comes his mini-me, Deputy Nick Clegg blaming privileged parents for using their influence to help their children get internships. Isn't that how young Nick got into banking as a teen?

It's all good for Cam 'N' Clegg to spew out all this hot air while they cut teaching staff and programmes like The Future Jobs fund that is getting young, long-term unemployed people into the world of work.

This government is over a year old (and it makes as much sense as a one year old) and it still using Labour policies as an excuse for the current national situation.

Guess what ConDems? The election is done and you've got the power now so how about spending more time on doing something positive now than banging on about the old government didn't do then?

When the subjects of youth and education come up, it's often a cue for all types of negativity, but I was at an event this past week that turned all that on its head - the second Yes We Will Project celebration at Highbury Hall, Birmingham.

Us media people are accused of giving too much attention to youngsters without ambition and systems that fail; well I'm taking the opportunity to redress the balance a little.

The Project works by encouraging youth to share their concerns about their personal concerns or issues in their communities in written form - be it poetry, fiction or non-fiction. They have been encouraged to look at US President Barack Obama as an example of what is possible when a person does not allow themselves to be limited by their surroundings or limitations, whether real or perceived.

And they did!

Scores of them wrote in with their poems, essays and letters - many to a very high standard. Even parents and grandparents got involved, either writing themselves or encouraging their youth every step of the way.

It was a real tonic to see young boys and girls receiving awards (or "get props" - I'm still down with the kids!) for their excellent work, as their relatives and teachers stood proudly next to them. Much of the talk afterward was about when the next event would be and what the youths would write about for next year's competition!

The Project was put together by senior schools advisor Dr Lorna Cork and it is causing dozens of underachieving inner city pupils to engage with education, while also challenging those doing well at grammar schools and the like, to push themselves even harder.

I wish they had something like this I was growing through school in Handsworth. I obviously had a flair for writing, but there was very little inspiration coming from teachers or my peer group. Thank God for good parenting and the power of prayer for preventing me becoming a statistic, like sadly so many with talent have become.

So big respect to Dr Lorna and her supporters, the relatives, teachers and schools that took part - but most of all the young people.

There you see, not everyone in the media is negative about youth and education.

Yes We Will? Yes They Did!

Tony Collins' story in a recent edition of the Birmingham Mail about the importance of youngsters' spiritual development made very interesting reading. So why is religious education treated like a hot potato in some schools?

Pamela Taylor, the principal of Birmingham's Newman University College, said: "the spiritual and emotional development of young people has never been more important." She goes on to say: "encouraging dialogue and understanding between different groups ... has never been so vital."

As a Christian myself, I am not surprised at her comments - I believe that all of us have a God-shaped void in our lives that only He can fill. My faith teaches me that God is interested in every area of our lives and wants to build relationships with us. So, as education is important to us, it is to God too. That's why I'm working with Christian Media Services, bringing stories of the tangible benefits of Christian faith to the world.

That said, why is Religious Education not been given full expression in schools and why is Christianity, in particular, marginalized in certain areas?

Recognition and respect should be given to all faiths in all schools, regardless of the religious make-up of that school. So what if the school is, for example, majority Hindu? That does not mean you only teach Hinduism there. Are these Hindu kids not going to encounter anyone of any other faith for the rest of their lives? And what about the non-Hindu kids in that school?

Education authorities need not be frightened of our religious differences, and more importantly, they shouldn't allow our children to be.

The society I grew up in was multi-cultural too and there was a better understanding of cultural /religious diversity because each faith was taught and discussed freely in school.

Kids are growing up now without any real understanding of other faiths, aside from that gained from lurid headlines and extremist views.

The lack of education into these issues at an early age is only storing up the potential for misunderstanding, fear and hatred when these youngsters grow up.

Am I going too far?

Do you think the lack of religious teaching in schools contribute to fear and disharmony? Did you do RE in school? Did it help or hinder your relations with people of different cultures/ faiths?

God Bless ... and I mean that whatever you call Him,

Veron
www.GMAgency.co.uk

I don't know about you, but each news bulletin lately seems to include at least one report that makes me wonder what the world is coming too.

As I prepared to write this blog, news came through of the case of Paulo Jorge Nogueira da Silva, the lorry driver who ploughed and killed a family of six with his 40-ton truck last year, only to be given a three year sentence.

What?

That discussion is for another day, but what about another incredible story, that of Alfie Patten, the thirteen year old boy who last week was named the father of a baby born to his fifteen year old girlfriend.

Are we hearing correctly? To make matters worse, other young boys have come forward saying that they, not Alfie, may be the fathers of baby Maisie. With all the talk of DNA testing to prove who the real father is and the appointing of Max Clifford as media adviser to Alfie (why?), one question remains unanswered: where are these teenage parents' own families?

As I was growing up I used to long for the 'freedom' many of my friends were given. They always seemed able to stay out later and longer, go wherever and do whatever they wanted to. They never, as I did, had to account for where they were going, who they would be with and when they were getting back.

All I can say now is, thank God for strict parenting and a supportive family network. I was raised with a generous slice of good, 'yard-style' training fresh from Jamaica. As much as I wanted to mess about as a kid, there were few opportunities to get away with anything and there were serious consequences if I got caught. What boundaries have these poor little rebels been given?

Time for the parents to be called to question and punished. Do you agree?