Young people need help

Press, 1 June 1989, Page 16

Young people need help

By

LEWIS BROWN,

, youth worker, Christchurch Youth Resource Centre.

At Christchurch’s Going for Goals forum at Queen’s Birthday week-end the focus will be on the city’s strengths and potential and people’s ideas about how these could be developed to shape Christchurch’s future. The organisers want ideas from the community. In this series of articles “The Press” is giving a range of invited Canterbury citizens the chance to give their ideas and goals for the city and the region.

What of the future for Christchurch? Christchurch, as with the rest of the country, has suffered from rising unemployment, cuts in social services and education, and a radical reorganisation of the way people live their lives.

For young people, the future looks bleak. The message to us is clear. We have no jobs, we have no money. If we want education or good health, we have to pay for it. If we want to work, there is nothing for us to do. If we want to have fun, we cannot afford it. If we trust you, you betray that trust. If we want to make our own decisions about our future, we find they have been made for us. We are alienated and isolated.

In response to that message, we suffer from depression; we commit crimes; we abuse drugs. We stop caring about ourselves. We stop caring about our surroundings and about other people, because we are told noone cares about us.

Christchurch, we are trying to tell you something. We are your

future. What are you doing to us? If you want young people involved in your goals, you have a major task ahead. We need to be convinced you will take notice of what we have to say, and we need to be empowered to have real options for our future. When the time comes, we will judge you by your actions, and not your words. The Christchurch of the future should be one that involves as many people as possible in deci-

sion-making, and shares the resources in a way that aids us to realise our potential. The future of Christchurch will involve young people. Give us something worth-while to believe in.