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Troublesome teens? No, they just want more light and cups of hot chocolate
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| Teenagers in Droitwich's Lido park say they are being unfairly demonised by the older generation. Picture by Simon Rogers. 10331301 |
Are you part of the hug-a-hoodie brigade or do you think that teenagers should be seen and not heard?
Whichever side you fall on, today many people - rightly or wrongly - fear young people.
Not so the youth detached team, a group of youth workers funded by the South Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership, which tries to combat anti-social behaviour.
The team, headed by Ann Nicholls, offers a friendly face to youngsters and it's their job to go to places where young people are - outside shops, in parks and in woodland areas.
Over the last four years, the team has succeeded in diverting youngsters to youth clubs or sometimes just explaining to them what constitutes anti-social behaviour.
Ann invites me to go with her to Droitwich's Lido Park, a place where young people have gathered for decades.
For years there have been reports of graffiti, damaged sports equipment, underage drinking, litter and noise but Ann says the majority of youngsters are law-abiding.
We meet on Friday night at 6pm just as the light is beginning to fade.
Ann says in 20 years of youth work she has never experienced violence or abuse, but I am still surprised when we enter the park and, almost immediately, 10 children hurtle towards me. All are extremely excited, aged 12 or 13, and very sweet.
They are thrilled to meet a reporter and one even phones her mum to tell her. All of them say their parents know where they are.
I'm surprised, although really they are just "playing out" but it's getting dark and there is excited chatter about a tramp lying in the park. Is it a safe environment?
Ella, aged 12, says: "It's a nice area."
Abi, aged 12, says: "It's safe here, we feel safe."
Ella adds: "My mum phones me every 20 minutes to see I'm OK."
They say people sometimes make derogatory comments about the "younger generation" as they walk past.
Josh H, aged 13, says: "It's a bit of a stereotype - anyone who is walking around in big groups is up to trouble. Usually when you go out you've got nothing to do."
Abby, aged 12, says: "There's a bowling club for older people and things for really little kids but they haven't got anything for the mid-generation like a little room with hot chocolate."
There is a youth club in Droitwich, although it is not open every night, but Ann explains that an organised club is not for everyone.
It's nearly 6.30pm, which is home time for these youngsters, so we say goodbye before bumping into Lawrence, 16, and his friends.
He comes here at weekends to relax and, surprisingly, rather than wanting to stay out of sight, he would love better lighting.
"It's not really nice walking through the park when it's pitch black," he says.
Lawrence is annoyed at how young people are viewed.
He says: "It's diabolical.
"We are thought to be in just one group and you're just out to smoke or drink and cause trouble and you don't, to be fair.
"If you walk into a shop you've got a security guard shadowing you expecting you to take something."
Mikki, 13, adds: "If you go past with a hood up and playing music they think you are going to beat them up but you're really not.
"We just like dancing to music and hoods keep our ears warm."
Next we meet three boys who refuse to give their names but say they are 16, 16 and 19.
They say they come to the park to chill out but the police check up on them.
One admits they drink "sometimes". One says: "The police will come down sometime tonight, check if you've got any alcohol. If you have they'll take it off you and move you on and if you haven't they will tell you to move on anyway."
When I ask what they think about that his friend says simply: "Isn't this what parks are for? For kids?"
He adds: "If you are hanging out on the streets people moan. If you are here they moan. You can't do anything."
Another boy says: "They say we are making a noise but we can't walk round in silence."
I ask if perhaps some people find them intimidating and one replies: "It's like me thinking you are intimidating. I'm judging you and I don't even know you."
With that, they head off and we leave too.
On the way home I reflect that, while I probably wouldn't hug any of them, I can't remember the last time I met so many interesting people.
comment: page six
5:12pm Thursday 27th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: iceman77, Lower Broadheath on 8:15pm Thu 27 Mar 08
We adults must make these teenagers feel a part of the community, and not outcasts. we need to do this before they become outlaws, as many of their elder peers have become, causing upset and grief with their anti-social behaviour. I think that the present "batch" of 16 to 21 year olds have been seriously let down bt society due to the lack of facilities, and indeed the lack of time available for their elders to integrate them into adulthood. where have all the sports and social facilities gone? those that are left cost a fortune to use and their standards are not good as can be found abroad. it is about time suppliers in this country, whether they be supplying services or goods, thought back to their basic economics and looked at economies of scale and got more people through the door by making their profit margins smaller but selling more and making more profit that way. our future generations need to be looked after because they will after all be looking after us in our old age, and I can tell you now I would rather be cared for bt someone who has respect for their elders, who knows how to speak politely and has enthusiasm for their job/career. or would you eather be "looked after" by someone who is only waiting for enough money for their next fix of drugs or tobacco or alcohol.
I could keep going on and I look forward to seeing other peoples replies because this should be a healthy debate and is the sort of thing that should be carried on in our local press - who knows we might influence someone to improve our society.
Dobtaining forget that these people are our children and our younger children (those under 10) will one day be in the same shoes as those kids in the park in Droitwich.
We adults must make these teenagers feel a part of the community, and not outcasts. we need to do this before they become outlaws, as many of their elder peers have become, causing upset and grief with their anti-social behaviour. I think that the present "batch" of 16 to 21 year olds have been seriously let down bt society due to the lack of facilities, and indeed the lack of time available for their elders to integrate them into adulthood. where have all the sports and social facilities gone? those that are left cost a fortune to use and their standards are not good as can be found abroad. it is about time suppliers in this country, whether they be supplying services or goods, thought back to their basic economics and looked at economies of scale and got more people through the door by making their profit margins smaller but selling more and making more profit that way. our future generations need to be looked after because they will after all be looking after us in our old age, and I can tell you now I would rather be cared for bt someone who has respect for their elders, who knows how to speak politely and has enthusiasm for their job/career. or would you eather be "looked after" by someone who is only waiting for enough money for their next fix of drugs or tobacco or alcohol.
I could keep going on and I look forward to seeing other peoples replies because this should be a healthy debate and is the sort of thing that should be carried on in our local press - who knows we might influence someone to improve our society.
Dobtaining forget that these people are our children and our younger children (those under 10) will one day be in the same shoes as those kids in the park in Droitwich.
Posted by: iceman77, Lower Broadheath on 8:28pm Thu 27 Mar 08
We adults must make these teenagers feel a part of the community, and not outcasts. we need to do this before they become outlaws, as many of their elder peers have become, causing upset and grief with their anti-social behaviour. I think that the present "batch" of 16 to 21 year olds have been seriously let down bt society due to the lack of facilities, and indeed the lack of time available for their elders to integrate them into adulthood. where have all the sports and social facilities gone? those that are left cost a fortune to use and their standards are not good as can be found abroad. it is about time suppliers in this country, whether they be supplying services or goods, thought back to their basic economics and looked at economies of scale and got more people through the door by making their profit margins smaller but selling more and making more profit that way. our future generations need to be looked after because they will after all be looking after us in our old age, and I can tell you now I would rather be cared for bt someone who has respect for their elders, who knows how to speak politely and has enthusiasm for their job/career. or would you eather be "looked after" by someone who is only waiting for enough money for their next fix of drugs or tobacco or alcohol.
I could keep going on and I look forward to seeing other peoples replies because this should be a healthy debate and is the sort of thing that should be carried on in our local press - who knows we might influence someone to improve our society.
Dobtaining forget that these people are our children and our younger children (those under 10) will one day be in the same shoes as those kids in the park in Droitwich.
We adults must make these teenagers feel a part of the community, and not outcasts. we need to do this before they become outlaws, as many of their elder peers have become, causing upset and grief with their anti-social behaviour. I think that the present "batch" of 16 to 21 year olds have been seriously let down bt society due to the lack of facilities, and indeed the lack of time available for their elders to integrate them into adulthood. where have all the sports and social facilities gone? those that are left cost a fortune to use and their standards are not good as can be found abroad. it is about time suppliers in this country, whether they be supplying services or goods, thought back to their basic economics and looked at economies of scale and got more people through the door by making their profit margins smaller but selling more and making more profit that way. our future generations need to be looked after because they will after all be looking after us in our old age, and I can tell you now I would rather be cared for bt someone who has respect for their elders, who knows how to speak politely and has enthusiasm for their job/career. or would you eather be "looked after" by someone who is only waiting for enough money for their next fix of drugs or tobacco or alcohol.
I could keep going on and I look forward to seeing other peoples replies because this should be a healthy debate and is the sort of thing that should be carried on in our local press - who knows we might influence someone to improve our society.
Dobtaining forget that these people are our children and our younger children (those under 10) will one day be in the same shoes as those kids in the park in Droitwich.
Posted by: sleeve, Worcester on 10:45pm Thu 27 Mar 08
After reading this I feel I must comment it is a shame that money cut backs have contributed to youngsters having no where to go apart from parks , carparks and outside shops I grew up with this situation
living in pershore now at 36 I see this a growing problem with the rise in gang culture ask the reason why they are in a gang & its ther is nothing to do what the goverment forgets is teenagers are the future with very active heads when bored they crave excitement as all generation have done & all ways will do regardless of age is not about time more thought was put into keeping these teenagers active with some thing to do after all idle hands mostly lead to misendevours with ever changing laws what was once no harm is now ilegal i.e groups of more than 25 being disperst for just being in a group even tho they are law abiding causing no harm. Yes I admit there is a small percentage that are bad but as this report shows they are good teenagers like many up & down the country so please lets have faith in the good people of the future. One day they will be as old as us saying the same thing unless things change for the better!
After reading this I feel I must comment it is a shame that money cut backs have contributed to youngsters having no where to go apart from parks , carparks and outside shops I grew up with this situation
living in pershore now at 36 I see this a growing problem with the rise in gang culture ask the reason why they are in a gang & its ther is nothing to do what the goverment forgets is teenagers are the future with very active heads when bored they crave excitement as all generation have done & all ways will do regardless of age is not about time more thought was put into keeping these teenagers active with some thing to do after all idle hands mostly lead to misendevours with ever changing laws what was once no harm is now ilegal i.e groups of more than 25 being disperst for just being in a group even tho they are law abiding causing no harm. Yes I admit there is a small percentage that are bad but as this report shows they are good teenagers like many up & down the country so please lets have faith in the good people of the future. One day they will be as old as us saying the same thing unless things change for the better!
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