Monday, March 8, 2010

Second Lot of Workshops-It gets good...

Wow.

I think the most important lesson learnt from the past two workshops we've had was (as cliche as this may sound) that the youth are definitely not to be underestimated and marginalised as they have been.

 Or maybe we just have a really group of kids with their heads screwed on tight.


They're very aware of the issues aruond them and, where issues of teenagers are usually being dismissed as "a phase" or hormones, I think that they have a greater effect then is actually realised.
The Upstart gang are smart enough to stay out of trouble but they're not naive enough to think that there are no issues which result in their peers being invloved in drugs and having babies at far too young an age. They're somehow aware of the issues of ethics and confidentiality and brave enough to stand up for each other as I was shown when one member suggested that I not attend an interview he was going to conduct with a friend of his who is a habitual cutter.

The Upstart members are also extremely eager. They're relishing this opportunity and the light and excitment in their eyes was unmatched even by the journalism two students I've tutored who use the same equippment. They had brilliant ideas about the things they were going to do with the recording equippment after they had done their allocated assignments.

Their excitement makes me excited because there is nothing better than working with people who want to do what they are doing it. They are seeing things with new eyes but theirs are also the only eyes which can give us proper insight into what the average teenager in Grahamstown is going through today.

The only downside is that it makes me feel quite old to realise that there is a whole new generations with which I can almost not relate to.

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