Small Islands Voice Youth Internet Forum

Different groups of about students, aged 13-14 years, from Praslin Secondary School and Anse Royale Secondary School have been taking part in the Small Islands Voice youth internet forum since it started in 2002. With the help of their teachers, the students discuss and write about the theme issues in their class time and then put their responses directly on the internet forum. At Praslin Secondary School they post many of the forum articles on a noticeboard.

Youth forum poster

SIV Youth notice board at Praslin Secondary School

SIV youth students from Anse Royale Secondary School, and their teacher Ms. Marie France Barra (right), July 2003

Students from Anse Royale Secondary Schools were especially interested in an article from the Cook Islands about the asbestos in the roof of their school and the health hazards it posed. They researched this subject and found asbestos was used in their own surroundings. Their continuous questions raised concerns among their own authorities. (Please note accessing the links to the Small Islands Voice Internet Forum require the use of a username - view - and a password - only).

Some of the SIV youth students from Praslin Secondary School, 2004

Students at Praslin Secondary School, together with their teacher, Ms. Farida Camille, have been very active in Small Islands Voice. In January 2004 they visited their Small Islands Voice counterparts in the Maldives and since their return they have started on a joint project 'Zero tolerance towards littering' in their respective schools. In February they had the opportunity to meet with the Director-General for UNESCO, Mr. Koichiro Matsuura, during his visit to Seychelles. Also during February they met with Mr. Dirk Troost, Head of UNESCO's Coastal Regions and Small Islands and informed him about the benefits of their recent trip to the Maldives.

In 2006, another dialogue on the Small Islands Voice Youth Internet Forum, led to exchange visits between Seychelles and Dominica, providing youth from each island the opportunity to experience and participate in each others Creole Festivals. It is anticipated that these exchanges will lead to a strengthening of the Creole cultures in the two islands and particularly the involvement of youth.