|
Youth
concerns in Bequia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
During
the trial phase of the Small
Islands Voice internet-based youth forum, September to December
2002, students from Bequia Community School began to develop a
list of issues of concern to youth in their island. A Fourth Form
(15 to 17-year olds) social studies class was divided into four
working groups for interactive session. They were asked to discuss
among themselves any issues that were affecting them as young
people, then to select the ones that were most important to the
various groups and write them on sheets of paper in 3 to 4-word
statements. Without any inter-communication between the groups
they were asked to post the most important issues of each group.
The results as posted on the chalkboard overlapped in four basic
categories: environmental, sexual, violence in the community and
drug abuse in the community.
ISSUES
AFFECTING YOUNG PEOPLE ON BEQUIA
|
Environmental
|
Sexual
|
Violence
in the Community
|
Drug
Abuse in the Community
|
|
Garbage
disposal
|
Teenage
pregnancy
|
Small
gang rages
|
Adults
involved in drug use
|
|
Littering
in school
|
Incest
|
Violence
in sports
|
Teenagers
being influenced
|
|
Litter
in the community
|
Homosexuality
|
Crisis
in sports
|
Drugs
and alcohol in sports
|
| |
Molestation
in vehicles by male passengers
|
Profanity
among school children
|
|
| |
Indecent
dress code among teenagers
|
Gossip
in the community
|
|
| |
|
Life
and death in the community
|
|
The
four working groups were allowed to meet again and came up with
the following solutions.
SOLUTIONS
FOR PROBLEMS AFFECTING YOUNG PEOPLE IN BEQUIA
|
Environmental
|
Sexual
|
Violence
in the Community
|
Drug
Abuse in the Community
|
|
Education:
proper disposal of garbage
|
Increased
sexual education for teenagers
|
Seminars
and workshops advocating living together in peace instead
of war
|
Education
about the misuse and abuse of drugs, legal and illegal
|
|
Reduce,
reuse, recycle
|
Guidance
in making right decisions
|
Getting
church leaders to talk about violence in church sermons
|
Avoiding
the use of legal drugs for minor problems
|
|
Burning
garbage properly if necessary
|
Protecting
themselves through family planning
|
Learning
to fight without weapons
|
Parental
guidance
|
|
Students
must protect their school environment by adopting anti-litter
stance
|
Abstinence
|
Harsher
punishment for violent crimes
|
Drug
education programmes on radio,TV, Internet
|
|
Educating
the people’s minds
|
Discipline
|
Preaching
the gospel of peace
|
Youth
guidance program
|
|
Employ
litter wardens
|
Panel discussions highlighting the problem of incest and homosexuality
|
Counseling
in school and community
|
Have
a disciplinary committee to deal with drugs in sports
|
|
Institute
large fines for litter
|
Debates
on sexual harassment and sexual issues
|
Activities
uniting enemies (socials, picnics, ball games)
|
No
tolerance for drugs in school
|
| |
Newspaper
and television articles and appearances
|
Spiritual
bonding at church levels instead of gossip
|
Guest
speakers and radio programs to deal with issues
|
| |
Posters
highlighting issues
|
Better
communication between officials and players, youth and adults
|
|
| |
Open
discussions among families about incest
|
|
|
| |
Teens
dressing more modestly
|
|
|
| |
Isolate
homosexuals if we have to
|
|
|
On
a higher level, a group of Fifth Form students (16-18 years) were
asked to write a paragraph in English class on any issue affecting
them. The same issues emerged: garbage disposal on the island,
drug abuse, alcohol abuse, gangs, teenage pregnancy, HIV Aids,
health care and gossip. These findings confirm the smallness of
the community and the issues that affect all of us, which may
well be the same as those of other small islands worldwide.
|
