Youth Worker connects at-risk teens to workplace – DotNews - 16 Dec 2010

Source: http://www.dotnews.com/2010/youth-worker-connects-risk-teens-workplace

After 30 years of ground-level violence intervention work at the Dorchester Youth Collaborative, executive director and founding member Emmett Folgert has little time for ponderous citywide shifts in intervention strategies.

The Youth Collaborative opens its doors to more than 100 teens in the Fields Corner area daily, offering them a safe environment to practice break dancing, play ping pong and find employment opportunities, which Folgert believes is key to restoring a sense of self-worth to kids who have fallen through social service nets and see street violence as an unavoidable reality.

“If you live in what the police consider a crime hotspot, the likelihood you will be a victim, a witness or join a gang is 100 percent,” Folgert said. “The only way to avoid it is to provide some kind of alternative.”

While social service departments refer a small number of teens to Folgert's program, the youth collaborative often targets those who live under the radar of these departments, teens who have already given up on school and need structure to their days. With more than 1300 students failing to graduate from Boston public schools annually, Folgert says there is no shortage of teens who feel they have nothing to lose.

Folgert believes the gang landscape has changed drastically over the past decade, from large organizations dependant on teen drug dealers working corners to more dispersed operations involving older dealers who receive text-message orders and deliver to clients doors.

With less employment opportunities, teens without GEDs are now scrambling for honest jobs more qualified, recently laid-off adults have turned to during the recession, this in turn leaves many kids with no means to support themselves and little sense of worth, a “perfect storm” for street-level gang membership to swell.

In hopes of providing at-risk youths an alternative to crime, Folgert has appealed to their wallets and minds through what he calls the “second chance school.” Through this program, the DYC can offer kids who have dropped out of school a weekly stipend of up to $100 in exchange for entering a GED program during school hours and spending their free time maintaining city-owned foreclosed homes throughout Boston.

Through this “no BS jobs program”street staff can offer a potential gang member a paying, legal job regardless of whether they can produce social security cards or other documentation, a hurdle which Folgert said would make it nearly impossible for the 30 young adults in the program to find honest employment themselves.

Folgert said his organization also keeps close tabs on potential grudges between rival gangs because the youth collaborative staff is largely made up of local teens who have grown up in the neighborhood. This staff serves as eyes and ears on the street, catching rumors of escalating gang rivalries, allowing street workers to identify key players and mediate conflicts.

While the Dorchester Youth Collaborative has made strides in reducing gang violence, its reach only extends into a small corner of the Dorchester community. Folgert suggests similar programs could begin building what he calls “cultures of peace” in as little as three years by inviting kids 11 and under to participate in a community setting, instilling nonviolent principles at a young age and training these early adopters as role models for the next generation of youths.

Even with a tiered approach to peace, Folgert said organizers must be ready to face setbacks when teaching kids that they can escape inner-city violence. Sometimes, Folgert said, even the most well-prepared teen can become collateral damage on their way to school or home, causing others to ask whether or not there really is a peaceful way to reach 20.

Folgert said that despite these losses, workers need to press on for the thousands of children who visit the DYC annually in hopes of finding a safe haven.

“The loss of an innocent is a real blow, but you’ve got to pull them out of the predestination mindset and you do it one relationship at a time.”

Intervention Activities for At-Risk Youth – eHow – 14 Dec 2010

Source: http://www.ehow.com/list_7641397_intervention-activities-atrisk-youth.html

Programs for at-risk youth focus on building the teens' self-confidence, working with their parents and promoting positive interaction with their peer groups. Children who are involved in after-school activities are less likely to smoke, drink, use drugs or engage in sexual activity. According to the Ada County, Idaho, Sheriff's Department, juvenile incarceration costs can top $45,000 annually, while positive, alternative activities for at-risk youths cost $480 per year (as of 2010). Successful intervention programs combine the use of two or more activities to engage as many youths as possible.

Sports

  After-school sports and recreation programs promote self-esteem and working with others. Involvement in recreational activities can improve school attendance and grades. Little League and other city league opportunities, informal games and after-school programs based out of schools all offer opportunities for structured sports activities. Sports involvement can provide constructive activities, offer positive adult mentoring and role models and encourage self-esteem in at-risk youth.

Tutoring

  At-risk youth who struggle with grades need immediate scholastic help. Tutoring promotes one-on-one or small group classes that not only provides academic assistance but offers informal mentoring services from an older student or teacher. Having a tutor can improve student grades and boost self-esteem and confidence for students who struggle with academic performance.

Arts

  Most youths enjoy the opportunity to express their creativity through art. For at-risk youth, a visual and performing arts program can increase the student's awareness and promote positive thinking. Drama, music, dance, arts and crafts all offer hands-on ways that students can engage in healthy activities. As students participate in creative activities and see their finished products and performances, self-confidence for at-risk youth will improve.

Science and Math

  Science and math programs can improve self-esteem, increase teamwork and promote a new appreciation for science or math. Other intervention activities can be as simple as offering extra academic support for students struggling in school. A program such as the Exxon Mobile Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp offers a free program that promotes the value of science and math. Students take field trips and work on lab projects while meeting with scientists, medical personnel and others in technology-related fields. The program promotes intelligence as a value for at-risk youth and encourages them to pursue careers in technological fields.

Vocational

  Organizations such as the Job Corps offer specific vocational training for at-risk youth. Juveniles who may not have even realized what services are available can attend job and career training. A wide variety of classes are offered to spark the interest of young people. Job Corps provides free services toward a high school diploma or GED, career training and getting a job. Life skills classes round out the student's classes, which helps at-risk youth with day-to-day practical skills.

Specific Programs

  Some schools offer specific workbooks and programs designed to target high-risk behaviors, such as violence and gang activity. These programs, used alone or in conjunction with other services, offer a focused look at the issue. Small groups effectively offer youths the opportunity to discuss issues in a non-threatening environment, sometimes during the school day.
 

Helping Youth at risk stay in school – CYC-Net – 5 Dec 2010

Source:  http://www.cyc-net.org/today2010/today101206.html

Faculty members from Nipissing University’s Schulich School of Education are part of a collaborative team working to enhance educational opportunities for Youth in Care.

Nipissing’s Dr. Mike Parr and Dr. Warnie Richardson are working with stakeholders, agencies and institutions, including representatives from school boards, the Children’s Aid Society, colleges, universities and other child advocacy agencies, to form the Northern Ontario Championship Team. Together, the team is working to study and advance initiatives geared to enhancing the prospects for educational success and general life trajectories of youth at risk, specifically those under the care of the Crown, or Crown Wards.

The team recently received a $150,000 grant from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities for seed money based on their proposal to increase participation of Crown Wards in intermediate schools, secondary schools, colleges and universities through self-advocacy skills, awareness and support; and to increase awareness of how partners can be more responsive to the needs of youth with Crown Ward status in the communities of Nipissing, Parry Sound and Muskoka.

Phase one of the team’s initiative is complete. It included creating a website for students, parents and service providers that provides links to all contributing agencies offering services and programs to support Youth in Care (Crown Wards). The site can be accessed at: www.clickforsuccess.ca.

Future phases include plans for a symposium for all stakeholders to investigate current initiatives, concentrating on identifying best practices; and launching and measuring strategic initiatives designed to enhance the overall life trajectories, particularly related to schooling experiences of at-risk, marginalized and Youth in Care.

As representatives from the university sector, Parr and Richardson will be working from a research perspective to evaluate and report on the effectiveness of the team’s initiatives.

“The program is aimed at Crown Wards, youth who have been removed from their homes and placed in the care of the government, many of who are at risk of being marginalized and dropping out of school” said Parr. “All of these kids have great potentials yet to be harnessed, and we hope that though collaboration within the Championship Team we can help these youth not only in their schooling endeavours but with their overall development as individuals as well.”

CDC's $1.5 mil plan to reach at-risk youth – asiaone – 1 Dec 2010

By David Lim

YOUTH at risk will be encouraged to participate in activities aimed at keeping them off the wayward path, through a three-year youth-engagement plan.

Youth@North West, launched by the North West Community Development Council (CDC) yesterday, will provide platforms for young people to pursue sports, the arts or community work to benefit the community.

Said Dr Teo Ho Pin, Mayor of North West District: "Although the majority of youth are engaged in meaningful activities, there is a small percentage who may be at risk of straying to other activities."

Hence, the plan aims to "guide these youth who are at risk to join the community in our morewholesome activities", said Dr Teo.

This $1.5-million initiative comes in the wake of two separate gang-related attacks which took place in Bukit Panjang, part of the North West District.

It aims to reach out to young people in the North West District and guide them to develop a sense of ownership over the community, by running projects that are beneficial to the whole community.

The CDC aims to increase the annual participation of young people in its youth-outreach activities, from between 20,000 and 25,000 to about 60,000 annually after three years.

Since its formation nine years ago, the CDC has been organising many outreach activities for youth.

However, these were on an ad-hoc basis.

Dr Teo said that the CDC wanted to have a more structured and coordinated approach to its outreach activities and, therefore, spent a year to develop this framework with its stakeholders.

The execution of this plan will see the CDC spend up to $500,000 annually on its outreach activities, as compared to between $150,000 and $180,000 before this initiative.

An amount of $250,000 will also be set aside for the North West Youth Engagement & Support (YES) Fund. Through the YES fund, young people are encouraged to propose projects beneficial to the community, with a maximum cost of $10,000.

If the proposal is accepted, the CDC will fund 75 per cent of the total cost and the remaining sum will be funded by sponsors.

Youth@North West aims to attract young people through five areas: the arts, community work, leadership development, sports, and discussion and free speech. Each area is championed by a youth leader who has been trained in community development.

Ms Adrienne Ser, 23, who helms the leadership development category, said that she strongly believes friendship is key to reaching more youth.

"I believe in multiplying our number from one to two to three and so on. I feel that's how it should work. Moreover, when we organise activities, we cater to the interests of our own members as well," the executive assistant with the Singapore Sports School said.

Her guiding principle when working with at-risk teens: Never, ever give up – CSMonitor – 29 Nov 2010

Through project Roca (Spanish for 'rock') Mary Baldwin reaches out to teenagers in Massachusetts to keep them off the streets and out of jail.

The last thing Mary Baldwin would call herself is a hero. In fact, she doesn't like to talk about herself; she'd rather let others do the talking. Not about her – about their own transformed lives.

Yet so many of those people would tell you that they changed their lives directly because of Ms. Baldwin and her unwavering conviction that "as long as you're living, you have a chance."

Baldwin – or simply "Molly," as everyone knows her – became interested as a teenager in community work and especially in prisons. "I found that our penal system is ineffective, expensive – and dangerous," she says. "I thought, there's got to be a better way."

So almost 23 years ago, when the state of Massachusetts gave her a $134,000 grant to start a program to prevent teen pregnancies, she dived in.

Today Baldwin, and "some fabulous teachers and coaches," have parlayed that first grant into an $8 million project called Roca (Spanish for "rock"). Last year, Roca served more than 700 youths through an educational and training intervention program, as well as another 150 young people through less intensive services.

Roca has become a valued part of the community: a training, counseling, and all-around life-transforming center for some of the most at-risk young people in the eastern Massachusetts cities of Chelsea and Revere, and also in East Boston, as well as in Springfield, in western Massachusetts.

They all are places where gang violence and poverty intersect in a seemingly endless cycle.
Roca may have gone "a little against the stream" to achieve its goal of moving young people out of violence and poverty, Baldwin concedes. But no one can argue with its success rate.

Through its "high-risk intervention model," Roca keeps young people in school; helps those who've dropped out gain life skills (including a GED, the equivalent of a high school diploma); aids youths in finding and keeping jobs; and provides a place to stay off the streets – and out of jail.

Roca also focuses on helping teen parents succeed by encouraging them to stay in school, as well as by providing prenatal and postnatal care (while counseling them to avoid more pregnancies).

Maybe most important, Baldwin has given many forgotten or neglected young people hope for the future.

She attributes her success principally to two things: the many people who have helped and supported her, and the youth workers she sends onto the streets every day to encourage gang members and dropouts to come in and accept help.

Roca youth workers visit teens' homes, take them to and from school, tell them their own stories of how they left gangs, or just provide a place to feel safe.

Sotun Krouch, who came to the United States from Cambodia as an infant, and as a teen wound up on the streets, says tenacious Roca workers brought him around.

"They keep coming after you," he says. Today, Mr. Krouch serves as Roca's evaluation and information technology coordinator.

Perhaps Roca's biggest contribution is that it provides a safe environment. The Chelsea facility includes a gym, where teams compete in basketball tournaments. Roca offers training in framing, cabinetmaking, finish carpentry, jewelrymaking, dance, nutrition, and cooking.

A music lab supports bands that form at Roca. Young people can even produce their own CDs there. A kitchen serves free dinners every night to 75 people in the community.

Rosa Bermudez, a 19-year-old mother, works in the Roca kitchen learning about food preparation and nutrition. Ms. Bermudez's kitchen work helps her to meet the criteria for the Youth Star Program, part of Americorps, a federal training and service program.

She attends college in Swampscott, Mass., and hopes to find work in the medical field upon graduation. Roca provides the child care she desperately needs for her 2-year-old son, Isaiah, while she works to complete her program, she says.

Roca has had a deep and positive impact on Chelsea, says City Manager Jay Ash. Baldwin is the most deeply committed person he's ever seen helping youths, who often have no one else who cares about them, he says.

"She's even challenged me to look inward at myself, and outward at what I want for a greater society," Mr. Ash says. "For the last 15 years, we've been partners in contributing to some remarkable achievements for Roca."

Not all stories at Roca end in success – and even the good endings often don't come about quickly, Baldwin says. Despite some failures, the tough work, and the challenges, her guiding principle remains the same: Never, ever give up on anyone.

Thom Ke, who showed up 17 years ago as a teenage gang member, still is amazed at Baldwin's willingness to go the extra mile. Now a father and owner of two family businesses – and a volunteer community organizer himself – Mr. Ke calls Baldwin "an absolute inspiration.

"She changes lives, one kid at a time. She's my hero," he says.

"She's the real deal."

Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/making-a-difference/2010/1129/Her-guiding-principle-when-working-with-at-risk-teens-Never-ever-give-up

Mobile Technology Helping Kids Combat Bullying & Peer Pressure – Yuzzip – 24 Nov 2010

Mobile technology can inspire youth and help transform communities with life coaching tools, common sense reminders and making mentoring programs more efficient and effective.   We know that one bad decision can derail a child’s life forever. Everyday kids face relentless bullying and peer pressure by other children who have a powerful influence over them.

So, how do you change behavior and reach these at-risk kids while providing a positive influence? The answer is through their cell phones. It’s estimated that up to 75% of kids over 9 years old have a cell phone in the US.

The Power Texting Mentor Network uses text messages to connect at risk youth with a team of mentors from all walks of life; professionals, doctors, military, police officers, athletes and more. Mentors use Power Texting as a life-coaching tool to send customized motivational messages and encouragement to combat the destructive influence of others.

We know that in order to reach today’s kids, we must meet them where they are, which is absolutely through their cell phones and mobile technology. According to the Nielson Company, which analyzed mobile phone usage by 13-to 17-year-olds from April to June of 2010. The study found that teenage girls send an average of 4,050 text messages a month, or eight text messages each waking hour. That’s a 443% increase in the monthly data use by teenagers from a year ago, October 2009.

Peer pressure and bullying can be a 24/7 nightmare for children, especially with technology. The goal is to save them from isolation, make them feel a part of a group and surround them with realistic and positive messages specific to their situation. With Power Texting mentors are able to remind kids of their goals, keep them inspired about their education, help them make wise decisions and get through tough times by letting them know they aren’t alone-they have a support team.

Source:  http://yuzzip.com/technology-news/positive-texting-can-help-kids/

Unicef awards 'champions' for children – The Jakarta Post – 23 Nov 2010

Champions for Children is aimed at reaching out to children who have been neglected by Indonesia's society.

Indonesia is seen not only as a growing economy, but also an increasingly affluent country. Many Indonesian children, however, have been left behind in the progress Indonesia has experienced.

These children are not getting a full education, suffer from problems of malnutrition or poor health, and are even neglected by society. Many children are forced to live on the streets to cover their daily basic needs, putting them at great risk of harm and danger.

"These are children we often see but not really recognize," Unicef chief of communication Edward Carwardine told The Jakarta Post on Saturday, on the sidelines of a ceremony to award 10 Pendekar Anak or "Champions for Children".

The award was presented to commemorate the 21st International Children's Day.

Children's vulnerability is growing due to a number of reasons, Cawardine said, such as a lack of education, poor access to healthcare and full family and parental support.

Champions for Children, a Unicef initiative, is aimed at reaching out to children who are invisible despite Indonesia's recent achievements.

Carwardine said "Champions for Children" were valuable allies to help raise awareness in Indonesia about the challenges faced by children.

Lowe Advertising, he said, was an advertising company that had produced - for free - a number of television and newspaper advertisements promoting children's rights.

Another "Champion for Children", Kaskus, an online forum, devotes some pages to promoting children's rights.

Apart from large organizations, Unicef also granted the award to several people: batik entrepreneur Daud Wiryo Hadinegoro and businessman Herman Wenas, who travelled the world campaigning for increased awareness of children's rights.

"I just want to motivate the children that small things can deliver extraordinary results," Herman told the Post.

Yenny Zannuba Wahid, the director of the Wahid Institute, joined several medical experts and celebrities to promote the benefits of breastfeeding.

Young people were also awarded. Stephanie Handoyo, a special Olympics athlete, did a lot of work raising awareness for children's rights in Indonesia. Another Champion for Children, 11-year-old Clarissa Tamara, campaigns through her music.

"We want to make sure that people are aware of the challenges faced by children. I think we have done a lot of work to that end.

But there remains a lot more we can still do," Unicef Ambassador Ferry Salim said.

Carwardine said Unicef and the Indonesian government tried to allocate more resources to reach the most vulnerable children. "Every child in Indonesia should get the benefit of the progress this country has enjoyed in the last few years," he added.

Source: http://www.edvantage.com.sg/edvantage/news/news/499820/Unicef_creates_champions_for_children.html

They need mentors like us: ex-gangsters – AsiaOne – 12 Nov 2010

By Veena Bharwani

IT'S outrageous and senseless.

This is how a reformed gangster and drug addict described the recent gang-related attacks at Downtown East and Bukit Panjang.

Pastor Don Wong, 50, said yesterday: "It's really terrible. We spend so much time trying to help youths and we are sad when we read such stories."

The executive director of The New Charis Mission, who counsels youth offenders, said that when he was in a gang in the 1970s, gang members would never go about slashing people for no good reason.

"The gangs today are much worse than the gangs of before," he added.

"Before, we had a code of honour and we had rules. If you had a problem with another gang, you'd arrange to meet to settle the problem.

"Once you tell the rival gang you are sorry, it is over. They won't come after you any more.

"There was no such thing as staring competitions, and whacking and slashing like what's happening today.

"In the old days, if you acted like that, the gang leader would punish you according to the strict code of conduct."

Pastor Wong was 13 when he began taking marijuana and heroin. At 14, he dropped out of school, joined gangs and trafficked in drugs.

When he was 23, his father, who runs a confectionery business, had to bail him out for three days so he could get married.

"Instead, I used the three days to get friends to prepare drugs for me to smuggle into prison," he said.

For 12 years, he was in and out of drug rehabilitation and prison.

A new leaf

He finally turned around in 1993 - after another spell in prison - when a pastor got him to check into The Helping Hand, a Christian halfway house. A sermon at the shelter on his first day changed his life.

"It was then I had my wake-up call," said Pastor Wong, now married to a church worker. They have two primary school-going children. He has a son, 26, from a previous marriage.

He and his team of seven junior counsellors, who are also ex-offenders, work with gang members and youths at risk.

"What they need is a mentor, someone who talks their lingo," he said.

"When we go into the prisons, we tell them about our lives. They can identify with us as we have been through the same thing they have.

"We can't just tell them that what they are doing is bad. They need to have a goal and a plan.

"I tell them if they reform, they can have the chance to help someone else who needs some guidance, which is what I am doing now.

"They need people to believe in them."

Another ex-drug addict and gangster, Mr Glenn Lim, 39, founded Architects of Life (AOL), where former delinquents help young ex-offenders and youth at risk get back on their feet.

He said: "They need someone to care for them even before they turn the corner themselves.

"What they don't need is another intervention programme, or adults treating them as deficits.

"They don't need hardware (or another formal programme). They need 'heartware' - that is a relationship with a trusted mentor like us."

Mr Lim was mentor to David Thorairajan Manickam, the ex-gangster who was featured in The New Paper on Sunday.

Mr Thorairajan, 29, is now about to graduate with a degree in Psychology and Organisational Behaviour and Human Resource at the Singapore Management University.

"I believed in his potential even while he was still in prison struggling with who he was," he said.

Why are youths so violent these days?

Mr Lim said that part of the problem is the lifestyle.

He explained: "Look at the games they play, like World of Warcraft for instance. They just shoot and don't think."

So some end up being violent without thinking about the consequences.

Talking about his own past, he said: "I turned to gangsterism and drugs between the ages of 16 and 23."

Finally, at 23, he was caught at the Woodlands Checkpoint and faced the possibility of life in prison and 24 strokes of the cane for drug trafficking.

But he had someone who believed in him - his father.

"I gave him so many headaches and still, he believed in me and bailed me out and I made a fresh start," he said.

Source: http://www.asiaone.com/News/The%2BNew%2BPaper/Story/A1Story20101112-246993.html

Cycle of failure breeds youth violence - Young Singaporeans live up to the expectations and labels - bad and good - we place on them - Today Online

Dec 04, 2010

by Glenn Lim

In George Bernard Shaw's classic Pygmalion, phonetics expert Professor Higgins attempts to make a lady out of an uneducated Cockney flower girl named Eliza Doolittle as a kind of social experiment. I was particularly intrigued by her comment at one point:

"You see, apart from the things anyone can pick up (the dressing and the proper way of speaking and so on), the difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves but how she's treated.

"I shall always be a flower girl to Professor Higgins because he always treats me as a flower girl and always will. But I know I can be a lady to you because you always treat me as a lady and always will."

The notion that one person can "transform" another has long been an interest of discourse in the field of behavioural psychology and recognised by counsellors, physicians, teachers and parents. The way we treat youth is subtly influenced by how we view them. If our expectations are high, youth reciprocate with corresponding behaviour. If expectations are low, it will likely lead to lower functioning behaviour and performance than they are capable of.

In light of the recent spate of youth violence and gangs, one wonders how such behaviour can manifest itself in civil and safe Singapore. Is it due to parental or family issues? Negative peer influence? The media?

There are various factors that help explain this problem but one possible, overlooked reason lies in the context of how our youth are brought up today.

While Singapore boasts of a modern and advanced society, young people struggle to cope with the demands of living in a first-world country, such as academic expectations and the value placed on knowledge capital. This inevitably leaves in its wake a trail of disenfranchised youth who slip through the system's cracks.

Society then puts labels on such youth for easy reference - out-of-school youth, beyond parental control, youth-at-risk, delinquents, offenders and so on. Even in schools, we have neat little categorical references for them, notably the streaming system - Normal Academic and Technical streams (remember the EM streaming in primary schools before it was revamped in 2004?).

While I have nothing against categorisation for the purposes of developing a more targeted and tailored programme for youth, there are negative effects of such labelling. Youth live up to those names and negative images we place on them. This further drives them into maladaptive behaviours as a means to cope with perceived failure.

The cycle is set: We see them as failures, we treat them as failures; they see themselves as failures and, ultimately, behave as failures.

I have interviewed and counselled inmates from prisons, institutions and halfway houses in my course of work and, without exception, their perception of how others view them goes something like: "They don't think much of me." Of course, this may not be true as a fact. After all, it is just their perception. But we can immediately observe the cycle of failure at work here.

AVOIDING TROUBLE IS NOT ENOUGH

So what do we need to do?

In my years of working successfully with offending-prone youth, I have relied on some helpful principles that inform our intervention programmes. These are some of them.

The "strengths" approach: As a philosophy, this states that all youth are success stories waiting to be unfolded. From an existential point of view, all humans have in them the innate potential for being good and doing good. We need to focus on strengths as a way of creating a positive vision for youth to work towards.

It can be in their areas of interest or passion. Adult caregivers can help youth tap into what they are good at by affirming their positive qualities and creating avenues for them to thrive. Research has proven that youth who work at their strengths experience a greater sense of achievement, develop confidence and exhibit pro-social behaviour.

The "remove and replace" principle: An absence of problems is not sufficient for leading a purposeful life. Never be satisfied when your child merely demonstrates delinquent-free behaviour. Young people need to also embark on purposeful goals - that is why adopting a purely preventive model in working with youth is inadequate.

Adults need to help youth identify positive behaviour and activities that fill the void when negative traits are removed. I have observed many juvenile delinquents turn around, not because they were able to curb themselves from engaging in vices but because they immersed themselves in new and meaningful activities.

MENTORS DO CHANGE LIVES

Many aspects of self-efficacy and socio-emotional skills are not developed in the formal domains of education. Having a mentor has proven to be beneficial in helping youth regulate their negative emotions and build self-esteem.

Young people model their behaviours and attitudes after people they admire and respect; character and values are best caught than taught. Youth learn faster when these traits are modelled through a positive relationship.

I know of a form teacher who took over a notorious class. Her students made the discipline master's who's who list for detention class. Defiance, truancy and fights were common issues she had to handle. The first three months was challenging but she persevered. She saw in each of her students a star that needed to be brought out into the open and changed her strategy. For the next few months, she forced herself to fix personal appointments with a different student every day during recess. In that short half-hour, she would eat with them, affirm their positive qualities and encourage them to do their best. She showed genuine care and concern.

In the course of the following semester, you could sense a change of disposition in at least half her class, many of whom exhibited positive attitudes towards learning. Of course, not all responded that way and a few dropped out of school. But her remaining students attested to the empowerment they felt when this teacher instilled in them a sense of self-belief and confidence in who they could become.

They stood their ground even when students or teachers from other classes looked down on them - the positive self-image these students embraced, thanks to her, did not permit them to accept other's perception of themselves as inferior.

I have learnt much from this teacher. And I am grateful to her, because she has influenced my own pursuit to make a difference in the next generation. I would likely not be achieving the things I am today if not for her because I was one of those who dropped out of her class that year. Throughout my long journey of failures, setbacks and overcoming drug dependency, I never forgot the words she sowed in my life: "You have so much potential to succeed in life, don't ever let people look down on you."

Thank you, Mrs Lee, for believing in me even before I cleaned up my act.

Glenn Lim is a youth specialist consultant and adjunct lecturer preparing for his Doctorate in Criminology, as well as a Commonwealth Youth Ambassador (Asean) and Singapore Youth Award 2005 winner. He shares his views on gang violence on Singapore Talking on Sunday at 10.30pm on Channel 5.
 
Source URL: http://www.todayonline.com/Commentary/EDC101204-0000196/Cycle-of-failure-breeds-youth-violence

Two boys charged with breaking into flat - StraitsTimes - 10 Aug 2010

By Teh Joo Lin

TWO teenagers were brought before a district court yesterday morning for allegedly breaking into a flat and making off with $840 in valuables.


The boys, both 15, could not be named as they are juveniles.

They were said to have broken into a unit on the 13th floor of a housing block in Choa Chu Kang Avenue 5 on July 17.

Between 3am and 5.30am, the boys are said to have forced open an aluminium window grille and climbed through the window.

The loot, which was worth $840, included a wallet containing $140, two mobile phones and an iPod music player.

The court ordered the teens to be remanded at the boys' home for a week.

The police singled out youth crime as a key concern last week, when they released an assessment of the crime situation for the first half of this year.

One in four of the 8,653 people caught during this period were youth, who landed in trouble for crimes such as rioting and theft.

Those convicted of breaking into a home at night for theft can be jailed between two and 14 years.

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapore/Story/STIStory_564064.html

Why youth crime is down - and how to keep it down - StraitsTimes - 16 Aug 2010

Fewer young people had brushes with the law in the first six months of this year than in the same period last year - 2,086 cases this year, down from 2,289. YouthInk writers give their take on why this is so, and how this trend can be sustained

Thanks to economic recovery

THE fall in youth crime could be attributed to the economy's recovery from last year's recession.

Young people are benefiting from more part-time and full-time jobs being created. They are more likely to secure proper part-time jobs for additional income, instead of trying to earn money as runners for loan sharks.

Their parents, too, do not have to spend as much time working overtime, and thus are not as stressed or worried about their jobs. They are able to spend more quality time with their children, meeting their emotional needs and imparting the correct moral values to them.

To help keep the lure of a quick buck at bay, the Government should make sure that financial aid to poor and needy families is not cut, and perhaps roll out more tax rebates for them. After all, in a recession, they are hit harder than anyone else, and so may be more susceptible to temptation.

Law Che Kun, 19, has a place to study chemical and biomolecular engineering at Nanyang Technological University

Awareness, awareness, awareness

MUCH has been said about how young people are easily influenced by negative values such as the need for quick cash in a materialistic society.

I guess it is time young people themselves took the initiative to be more aware of the consequences of crime. They can do so at school, perhaps by putting on skits about youth crime, or engaging former offenders to share their experiences. Meting out punishment publicly in schools works too.

In my secondary school, one student who stole from a stationery shop was made to apologise in front of the whole assembly. Such measures make young people realise the importance of being responsible, law-abiding citizens - and that they must pay a price for breaking the law.

Youth volunteers can also be engaged as leaders of neighbourhood watch groups, and they can be tasked with spreading awareness about security among their peers. Spending their time around good influences will ensure they are not led astray.

Jonathan Liautrakul, 20, has a place to read arts and social sciences at the National University of Singapore

Don't forget to teach the parents

THERE should be more programmes that reach out not only to young people, but also to their families.

Because parents and guardians play such an important role in managing and influencing young people, they should also be empowered to impart the right values to them, and taught how to deal with youth-related problems the moment they arise.

The perils of not creating better parents are many.

I have two friends who were once juvenile delinquents. One used to commit petty crimes such as stealing, while the other used to participate in loan shark-related activities.

The main reason they resorted to such crimes was the lack of care and concern shown by their parents, as they were too busy with their work and did not take the time to educate their children.

Parents should play their part by educating their children on the dangers of youth crimes, and by showing their utmost care and concern for them.

Julian Abraham Chua, 20, is a final-year business management student at Nanyang Polytechnic

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapore/Story/STIStory_566721.html

New Youth Guidance Office set up to reduce trend of youth offences - CNA - 3 Aug 2010

SINGAPORE: A new central Youth Guidance Office has been set up to address the issue of youth offenders.


Announcing this at the Home Affairs Ministry's National Day Observance Ceremony on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng said the office will coordinate different programmes run by the government and community partners.

Mr Wong said this was a key recommendation of an Inter-Ministry Committee set up last year to address the challenge of preventing youths from offending and re-offending.

The Home Affairs Ministry said Singapore has one of the lowest re-offending rates in the world, and there has been good progress to lower school attrition rates and reduce the spate of re-offending.

However, there is still the need to intervene early before students drop out of school, become youth offenders and subsequently develop a criminal lifestyle.

The Deputy Prime Minister explained that enforcement is only one part of the long term solution to bring down Singapore's crime rates to a low level. He said the enforcement agencies must also ensure that the trend of re-offending is closely monitored.

So the new Central Youth Guidance Office, under the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, will look into early intervention strategies to prevent youth-at-risk from committing crimes.

Mr Wong said: "Breaking the cycle of offending and re-offending early can help to prevent the situation of a growing social underclass and increasing numbers trapped at the margins of society over time.

"If left unaddressed, the social costs can be high. The repeated imprisonment not only alienates the offender from society, it also puts his family and children in a crisis and raises the risk of inter-generational crime."

Mr Wong said the Education Ministry has several initiatives to keep children in school engaged in their studies and it will continue refining the system.

In the pipeline is a befriender service for inmates, where volunteers take part in a mentoring relationship that begins in prison and continues after their release.

Mr Wong said: "We recognise that for offenders, the real life challenges and temptations to re-offend happen when they are released from the controlled prison environment.

"Hence, community support networks for offenders, such as peer support, family and professional aftercare support will need to be strengthened to prevent re-offending."

The Singapore Aftercare Association will be co-ordinating this programme and will provide training for the volunteer be-frienders.

Grassroots organisations will also be encouraged to provide support for families of offenders in their neighbourhood.

One such programme already available is the We Care @ Admiralty pioneered by MP for the area, Maliki Osman. Several more will be modelled along the lines of the Admiralty division's programme.

The Home Affairs Ministry's National Day celebrations also saw several awards being given out.

Among them was a special award to the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) for its efforts to help counter the threat of extremist ideology.

Co-chairman of RRG, Ustaz Ali, said: "Our belief is - we are doing the right way to protect our religion and also our country. So this is a small role that we are playing to safeguard our country and people of Singapore, and to meet with all those who are radicals.

"Radicalisation should be cured and remedied. So the rehabilitation we are doing is (to) try to remedy them and bring them to the right path and bring them to be as Singaporean."

The Inter Agency Aftercare Group, which represented the Association of Muslim Professionals, Khadijah Mosque Management Board, Taman Bacaan and Mendaki, were also commended for their efforts to provide holistic aftercare programmes to help counter the threat of extremist terrorism.

Singapore's Casino Regulatory Authority was also awarded the "Minister for Home Affairs National Day Award" for leadership and excellence in developing and operationalising a comprehensive regime for regulating the casino industry in Singapore.

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1073003/1/.html