From Mr C. J. Buttigieg
Youth is definitely not about drugs, alcohol, sex, rock music and crime. Drug use – which is not necessarily related to just youths – may be one aspect of the young person’s life, and must be addressed in the wider context of their ongoing development. The biased old timers’ contention that youth is wasted on the young people is a complete misnomer, and that is putting it mildly. The young are the fruit of the loom and need our tender care and respect to blossom; they need our stimulation, our good examples, our encouragement to develop an upright personality and to idolise the virtuous and make them their role models.
It is said that businesses don’t fail, it’s the business people that fail. It’s the same with youth nurturing; it’s the adults that fail.
I read Marie Benoît’s interview with Anna Maria Grech (TMIS, Gallarija, 9 November) and was impressed with the fresh outlook Anna Maria gave on young people’s aspirations and their natural desire to become an integral part of the community.
How right she is to underscore the fact that we have a tendency to label our young generation as a menace to society! Ms Benoît did a good job too at underlining Ms Grech’s qualifications, as she appears to have hands-on experience in her work awith young people.
Ms Grech’s reference to traditional organisations’ attitude towards youth as a numerical gain is worth deeper examination. Such entities – band clubs, local party and church centres – do give that impression and its attendant result is sadly evident.
Adult organisers and/or leaders seem to fear the possibility of their young members being taken over and therefore resort to “using” them to boost their own society’s popularity!
It was heart-warming reading the interview, which endorsed my contention that professional youth workers like Anna Maria Grech have a more objective and fresh outlook on youth, and their own way of developing pathways towards full integration within the community.
I also agree with Anna Maria that the media has a role to play here: it is sad that, unknowingly, they sometimes give the wrong impression that practically all our young people are failures and that the dynamics and essence in young people’s mentality and attitude are absent, that their life is valueless and simply wayward.
Coming from a traditional generation of pre-set minds myself, I would like to explore and know better the benefits of what is known today as “youth empowerment centres” – structures that help young people’s own development, rather than their usefulness to established committees or organisations!
In today’s world and growing challenges to society, structures and programmes need to be enhanced and strengthened. And who can dispute Anna Maria Grech’s statement that public funds would be better spent on guidance and formative exercises rather than on corrective remedies!
Charles J. Buttigieg
MELLIEHA