When people speak about this topic (and I’ll skip merrily past any attempted definitions of “excluded” or “youth”), they often refer to the lack of activities / centres for young people to get involved in. Not just politicians, but people at the grassroots who live and work across the UK.
So what is needed? Are youth clubs the answer? Well, possibly, but in a world of emo and screamo gigs, MySpace raves and GarageBand, what should they look like? That’s what one SSE Fellow Ray Brown is tackling via his project RedesignYouth. As Ray puts it, “The aim of ReDesign Youth is to radically update and improve Youth Centres to make them more relevant and compelling for today’s youth and for the wider benefit of society.”
So, having done much research and design (his background is in design / bar management which seems a good combination in this context) Ray is looking for partner organisations to pilot what he thinks will be a model for a 21st century youth club. If we’re really going to move the debate on from “hug/mug a hoodie”-type headlines, maybe it really is a case of going back to the drawing board. Then seeking partners who can make a blueprint into a building.
I would be interested in this pilot project as we have a somewhat modern youth club we are developing….www.unitystoke.co.uk
Word. I agree with your views here. It is about bringing a market style intelligence and dynamism to reaching the youth.
I will be curious to hear how the pilot goes.
I would also be keen to discuss some of my own initiatives. Feel free to ping me a line at dan.marmar@oba.co.uk, and I can send you across some materials.
Cheers,
Dan
I don’t think it is about youth clubs - I think we have to re-think our whole education system and combine the idea of a youth club approach to education.
At primary school, most children consider themselves ‘included in society’ generally; after several years at secondary level, many are “outside” society. Clubs do not address this issue.
A “school” environment is not appropriate for many young people today and that is why society has so many problems.
Excluded young people - social exlcusion starts at home or/and school. The default position of social exclusion is to see it as a social issue with social causes. This is not accurate or helpful. Social exclusion begins when children begin to fail to manage their enviroment/social demands (home or school). We can do much more than we do to support parents and children manage and succeed in facing life challenges and thus prevent the process of personal failure leading to social exclusion. For details of what can be done see www.healthpromtion.uk.com
I think you are right and ask you to read Shipwreck. If you think we should talk email me