General Chat

My 14yo daughter, Michelle, has been involved with a youth forum in the whole of Cork, it started in November last year. In th last 4 months with a 3 -4 other teenagers they have been putting together a document about 'life as a teenager in a changing Ireland' and some of the problems and solutions as they see it. Most teenagers are fed up with being portrayed as being rude, inconsiderate and apathetic, amongst other things.

About 3 weeks ago some 40+ invitations were sent out to various politicians, councillors, police and ther agencies involved with young people to the presentation of this document this evening. My daughter and the youth forum chairperson, stood up and did a 30 minute powerpoint presentation......................... Only 2 councillors turned up and the deputy Lord Mayor. The young people feel their views are unimportant to adults.....well this atitude just confirmed it!!

I am so cross. Last week I was ay a meeting to establish a new youth club after many complaints from parents about the total lack of facilities for young people. After much persuading 2 local parents eventually came on board. As an experienced youth leader I volunteered to help as did a local project manager. The kids are screaming out for a club but no-one can be bothered....

Anyway, I will climb off my soapbox!!

love Theresa

I feel so sorry for your daughter and her friends. That is a terribble let down! Who do these people think they are? They should be encouraging people like your daughter to get involved and yet all they do is basically give the, a slap in the face by not showing any interest.
I'm cross on your behalf as well Theresa.

I don't blame you in the least. Many older people seem to think manners go one way only. I've learned that through my job.
Even if there were too few of those supposed to know better at the presentation, the kids achievemant still stands. Good on them.

it does make yo umad

the teens i know most of um are not as bad as made out
they are all tared with the same brush

but the ones in know id go out of my way to help um

Perhaps the group ought to put together a letter of information as to how the meeting went..say some good points were discussed with those of office who did turn up...

.....***and its hoped at a next meeting they themselves can be included in the discussions and offer support***,,,,,,,,,

dont let them feel dispondant..

They put a lot of hard work into this presentation, Michelle and Shauna, especially. They spent the last 3 weekends sorting their speeches out and overcoming nerves.

These kids are part of the solution........ I wouldnt mind but the Deputy Mayor was15 minutes late..!!!!

love T.x

Thankfully the youth group we are all part of aims to have the organisation run by the young people with guidance from adult leaders. Each club forms its own committee of young people to run the club.

We are going to send a copy of the finished document to all those who didnt attend. Its been suggested that the Regonal Youth Officer might contact the papers about the lack of'concerned' parties turning up.

love T.x

I think they need shaming really.

Had the exact response from parents in our village. Only OH and I turned up to meet the Community Policing Officer at a pre-arranged open meeting. OUR KIDS ARE 28 PLUS!! AND DON'T LIVE AT HOME.

Bloody useless parents of the kids we were trying to help, well not again.

Sue xx

As for the press todays teenagers get and their useless lousey parents.....yours and her friends sound like a credit to you all...

Well what a load of miserable *ods they are for nt turning up.....maybe if the press had been invited and photo was on the cards..!!!

If I was you Theresa I would contact my local paper..sounds very interesting tobe honest...I like te idea of the changing face of Ireland ....I would like to hear about what it was like the their parents grew up to how it is now..

Ahh but the press were there.

Its so true that the media/politicians like to glamorise the negative aspects of youth behaviour but really does not want to acknowledge the positive aspects.

love T.x

Sue,

It annoys me so much. If a youth club is established it will mean an extra hour and a half in the pub for many parents!!

love T.x

It is things like this that make me really mad, too, Theresa. I always used to think of it when August came round with the exam results coming out - it is too difficult for the politicians to say "Well done" to all the kids who sit the exam papers which are constantly changing, instead they have to say "An A Level isn't worth what it was in our day" as if it is the fault of the students who sat all the papers.

And then, if you are young and you do well in your exams, get to university, do your work, don't go out clubbing and running up huge overdrafts and don't spend your loan all in one week (as some students do) there is no point expecting any praise from the powers that be - "good" behaviour doesn't conform to the media's "demon image" of the young, so they ignore it and - if you're like I was - you wonder what the point is of trying your best and getting your homework in on time, not taking drugs or getting involved with crime because nobody praises your strength against peer pressure or your dilligent attitude to academic work. Which tells you that if you do well, you get no attention.

And sadly it is quite easy to get disillusioned in those circumstances. I think your daughter and her friends did very well to put it all together - I don't think I would have had so much about me to do something like that when I was 14.

Thanks everyone, got to say I am a little less disallusioned with adults at this minute in time but its a long road for the kids.

I wonder what sort of world it would be for future human kind if we could make 50% of teenagers feel they mattered!

love T.x

Inane drivel??

Sorry Gillian, but you obviously havent used the boards much recently.

Is it just my thread or have you posted this message to all the 'inane drivel' on these boards?? Surely the future of humankind is in the interest of family.

love T.x

How very rude of you, Gillian! We do discuss aspects of genealogy sometimes on here but there is a mine of info on tips board.
We also do talk a lot of inane drivel on gen (great fun as well sometimes) but this thread is certainly not one of them!

Theresa, well done to your daughter and friends, am so sorry they weren't listened to. and agree with Kate about the media only focusing on the negative of our youth culture.

Kaz x

Kaz you and I always think alike, I was about to add 'how rude of you Gillian' too.

Gillian, if you don't like the content of the threads, stay away from them, there are many people who are interested in each other's way of life and learn from it too.
Good for those young people, I hope the newspaper people write up a story that shows the lack of interest from those invited.


Hi Sis!

Lizxx

Well done Michelle & friends on spending your time doing something constructive. What a shame that so few of the people you invited turned up, unfortunately this will show you that adults can be just as rude as a small minority of teenagers.

It's so sad that the press pick up all the negative aspects of teenagers so that they are portrayed as a load of vandals that walk around the country in hoodies.

Someone in our town went out drinking one night & then drove his car straight into the dock where he drowned. Had this been a teenager he would have made page 1 of the national papers & would have been branded an idiot. As he happened to be a local dignitary, they named a hospital ward in his honour!

There must be thousands of you who go about peaceful every day lives causing no more problems than leaving their washing all over the floor.

Gillian How dare you tell paying members where they can and cannot post - who made you GR Prefect!

I thought the post was very interesting and I dont go on CHAT so would not have seen it if it was over there. I have no intention of going over to CHAT just because you say so.

Theresa you should be proud of what they have done and do not let them give up. Someone else suggested sending out minutes of the meeting and suggesting maybe they could turn up to the next meeting to add their own input which I think is a very good idea.

Dont let this fall at the first hurdle stop them - pick themselves up, dust themselves down and keep going!

Fuming and off to work!

well done to your daughter for doing what she did .
we need to encourage them .
take no notice of gillian and others like her , i for one never go on chat but always read general so would have missed your post.
dawn x