Number 9
YouthMoves no. 9 Term 4 2002
A news-sheet for people interested in
Youth Issues in Australia
Written and Produced by Kirrilie Smout, Psychologist,
Speaker and Youth Specialist
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Welcome!
Welcome to the latest edition of YouthMoves, a
newsletter for those who work with and want to
understand Young Australians. YouthMoves exists to
give ‘snatches’ of youth news, info and resources
relevant to busy people relating to young people.
In this issue we will consider young people and grief,
look at discussing drug and alcohol issues with
teenagers and find out about useful resources, the
latest events and upcoming conferences. I really hope
this newsletter is of interest and help to you. If you
would like to see the back issues of Youth Moves, log
onto our website www.innovateonline.net
If I can assist your work with young people in any way
(by offering counselling services, speaking/training or
just answering a question about youth issues), please
feel free to phone me on 8357 1711, or email
innovateks@chariot.net.au.
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Teenagers: are people who:
Can't remember to walk the dog but never forget a
phone number.
Spend 12 minutes studying history & 12 hours studying
for their driver's license.
Can operate the latest computer without a lesson but
can't make a bed.
Can hear their favorite singer 3 blocks away but not
their mother calling from the next room.
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Bali, Bombs and Bus Crashes: Teenagers Grieving
I have seen many teenagers recently who are grieving
about the events of the last few weeks, including the
bombing in Bali, and several local road accidents.
Some knew victims personally. Others knew friends who
knew victims. But they were all grieving the loss of
an ideal.We try very hard to protect children from pain
and grief. Therefore, most children grow up with the
belief that the world is fair, pain can be fixed by Mum
or Dad, and they are safe. By the time they reach
adolescence, many young people still hold strongly to
this belief. When trauma strikes, this ideal is blown
apart. Most young South Australians have recently been
jolted into facing reality. A reality that safety is not
guaranteed, some things cannot be fixed, and life hurts.
Young people respond to grief in different ways. Some
young people get very angry. They are not sure why they
are angry, they just are. Some young people try to
explain and make sense of what has happened. Some
teenagers I have talked to have condemned some of the
behaviour of the victims. They are trying to make the
tragedies fit into their model of a just and fair world.
Other young people withdraw and become sad, some become
anxious about their own futures. There are strategies
that we can use to help grieving young people. These
include spending time with young people, giving them the
opportunity to express their feelings in a variety of ways,
helping them take control by making changes in their
lives or via political activism, and helping them create
traditions and customs for grief.However, limited space
allows me to only discuss two points. First, we need to
allow young people ample time and opportunity to grieve.
Young people may take longer than adults to process
information, to grieve and to come to terms with what
has happened. This may take months or years of “on-off”
grieving. A 14 year old can only grieve as a 14 year old,
and they may also need to grieve as a 15 and 16 year old
in different ways.Second, we need to communicate to young
people that life will go on. That there will be a “new”
normal for them in their life. That they will not feel as
they do right now, forever. This may be the first time a
young person has experienced trauma, and they have not
personally experienced recovery. We need to reassure
them that recovery of some sorts does occur and there is
hope for the future.If you are concerned about a
particular young person or group of young people,
please feel free to contact me directly on 8357 1711.
Alternatively,there is a short article on the innovate
website (www.innovateonline.net) about young people and
trauma which might be helpful.Best wishes to all of you
who are caring for young people at this time.
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TV IDEA!
I have noticed that many young people are big fans of the
TV show Everybody Loves Raymond. This program can be a
useful way of starting conversations about gender roles
in society. Parents, teachers or youth workers could
watch an episode with young people and ask questions
like: what different roles do the men and women play in
this program? What messages about the differences
between men and women does this program give? Are they
realistic or unrealistic?
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Kirrilie's Quote
“My teenager has come up with a great way to
save his money. He uses mine.”
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NEWS AND EVENTS!
Come Out – arts festival for young people and by young
people is in March 2003. Check Out the website for
details. www.comeout.on.net/
There are some great events for young playwrights coming
up in January and July 2003. Email Elissa MacLeod
elissa.macleod1@jcu.edu.au for more information.
Young adults interested in travel and volunteer work
should check out OZ Quest: Young Australian Adventures.
Phone (03) 9412 6627 or website www.ozquest.org
Schooling the knowledge society: International congress
for school effectiveness and improvement Sydney 5th – 8th
January 2003 Phone (03) 8344 8201
ADVANCE NOTICE: National Youth Week 2003 - 5th to the
13th of April www.youthweek.com
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FORUM: TEACHING TEENS WHO DRINK
Dear Kirrilie,I am teaching a unit on alcohol to a group
of Year 10’s. I know that most of them are drinking
alcohol, and I don’t want to waste my breathe by telling
them not to do it. What approach can I use?
From Realistic.
Dear Realistic,
First, congratulations for tackling the issue. Whether it
be in a classroom, a doctors surgery or at home, as adults
we must be talking to young people about alcohol use.
You are right when you say your Year 10’s are drinking.
Studies show that about 70%-80% of 15-17 year olds have
drunk alcohol in the last 12 months, and about one quarter
of these regularly binge drink. The “Just Say No” approach
(still popular in some parts of the US) has been proven to
have minimal effect. I have published a two lesson
curriculum package for students on drug and alcohol use.
It revolves around (1) decision making and (2) safety.
I would advise you make these issues the foci in your
lessons.
Some ideas: First, in relation to decision
making. Many young people make decisions about drinking
alcohol without thinking about consequences. Introduce
decision making skills and the concept of weighing up
pros and cons. Help students brainstorm possible positive
and possible negative consequences of drinking different
amounts of alcohol in different situations. Finally,
ask them to (privately and on paper) make thoughtful
decisions about drinking alcohol (when/how much/in what
situations etc). I call this creating your own
“alcohol policy”.
The second issue to discuss is safety. Get young people
to brainstorm how they can keep safe in different
situations (eg drinking at a party, being drunk at a club).
Get them to come up with safety strategies, or create a
“safe drinking” pamphlet for Year 11/12 students.
Include rules about staying with others, not mixing drinks,
watching and getting your own drinks, not driving with
others who have been drinking and so on.
Further information about safety strategies can be
obtained by ringing Alcohol Drug Information Service on
1300 131 340.
Good luck! Kirrilie
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RESOURCES
What kind of discipline for children and teenagers is legal?
www.parenting.nsw.gov.au/limits/
For interesting ideas on alternative schooling and the
future of schooling visit
http://www.educationfoundation.org.au.
The Government report on the hot topic of education of
boys is available at
www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/edt/eofb/index.htm
What do young people think about youth crime?
A fascinating (and cheap) video on the subject is
available by calling (07) 3857 1155 or
email: admin@yac.net.au
Young Australians and binge drinking: a new report is
available by following the links from
http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/
The Get Real Game is a career and life skills program for
the classroom. For more info see
http://realgame.dest.gov.au/getreal.htm or email
realgame@dest.gov.au
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WEBSITE
Have you checked out our new website? At long last, all
articles and newsletters are NOW available for FREE on the
site. Articles about sleeping tips to exam ideas to
depression are all found on the one site, plus back issues
of YMoves. Have a look!
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Produced by Kirrilie Smout, Psychologist and Professional
Speaker specialising in Australian Youth Issues.
Kirrilie is available for keynote presentations, training,
counselling/assessment of young people, and offering
comment on youth issues.
For information please contact Innovate Psychology and
Education: phone 8357 1711 or go to www.innovateonline.net