Young people deserve respect and recognition
Let's face it, many adults are afraid of young people. I suppose that's somewhat justified. For one thing, they tend to move in groups, accompanied by noise, unbridled energy and occasional rudeness. And, since clothing is a language, maybe a piercing here, a tattoo there, and a costume that suits a Rocky Horror Picture Show audition produce exactly the effect that's intended. And then there are the occasional reports of gangs, and killings in the park.
But to stop at that impression is to be distracted by the superficial or notorious. Young people today have as much depth as they've ever had, and possibly more.
On May 5, I had the privilege of attending the Annual Youth Awards cere-mony at Kitchener City Hall. I learned about Paul Cescon, winner of the community service award, who has personally raised more than $30,000 for various charities and $81,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. I learned about Salam Al-Attar, recipient of the unity award, who is known for "building a spirit of unity" and "reaching out to new students as they arrive in Canada."
The youth of the year award was given to Caitlin Quarry, whose lengthy list of contributions includes "delivering food hampers to families in need."
That's just a sample of the recipients. Other awards went to Scott Moyle, for arts and culture; Kerri Best, entrepreneurship; Peter Rose, environmentalism; Jennifer Huswitt, leadership; and Rohan Thompson and Donovan Bishop, sports and recreation. There were many more worthy nominees who did not win.
Some will argue that such a list presents only the brightest and the best. True. But that evening Melanie Tilson, the city's youth co-ordinator, gave me a copy of the Youth Solutions to Youth Issues Report produced by the City of Kitchener Community Services. The product of a survey done in 2001, it documents the concerns of a wide selection of young people from ages 10 to 24. The responses may surprise some.
For one thing, when asked what they would focus on as mayor of the city, they listed clean, affordable housing and safety in the city. They listed "Victoria Park, downtown (because of the bars and drunks), and homeless shelters" as "unsafe." They wanted "a real speaker's corner (like City TV)" and mandatory bike lanes on all new roads. In fact, affordable transportation was a recurring issue.
So was recreation, but not in the way one might suppose. For instance, they wanted more all-ages events. And a major concern was money, but as an issue of equity and access.
"Most programs cater to the rich" and "there's not much for kids who have no money," said one commentator. Another added: "If you are not in school, you can't access sports; membership fees are too high." Young people would love to have "more free sports and organized pickup games at community centres and parks." In other words, healthy options.
As for downtown nightlife, "the bar scene in Kitchener is totally useless." Youth centres that run all year round and "a place we won't be asked to leave" are high priority.
But whatever they do, more than 75 per cent of those surveyed listed "transportation as problematic." That included the absence of late night services, and the fact that $2 a ride was tough on many budgets. One solution was transportation lanes to utilize bikes, roller blades or skateboards.
But the concerns of youth extended far beyond themselves. Respondents had "great concern for their peers sleeping in the streets." They wanted to see a "24/7 crisis centre for homeless youth" and a "bigger and better youth-only shelter, where they don't have to put up with drunks and abuse from older people who think they are better."
I can attest to the genuineness of young peoples' concern for the poor and homeless. I have limited exposure to high school students these days, but on June 1, 27 students from Resurrection High School slept out under the stars in only sleeping bags in sympathy with the homeless. They raised $1,000 for ROOF (Reaching Our Outdoor Friends).
But that's only one example. Anyone who surveyed the schools in this region would find hundreds of charitable projects in a given year.
Ironically then, one of the most painful aspects of being a youth that emerged in the survey was the lack of respect afforded to young people. They reported a weariness with the "bad press youth get," with the lack of trust, suspicion and sometimes harassment.
To be fair, youth could help themselves by pressuring peers to reduce the sort of behaviour that causes suspicion.
On the other hand, adults could put aside some reservations. The kids are OK. Look beyond the surface. Otherwise, based on the events of a given day, being a young person can be a rather negative experience. As Melanie Tilson suggests, break some old habits, maybe even smile and wave a little.
As one young person in the survey said, "I think that the city should focus on the importance of recognizing youth. I think their talents and abilities are rarely appreciated and I think that acknowledging them would help our future."
Wouldn't it be great if Waterloo Region became renowned for the way we treat young people?
Edmond Tell of Waterloo taught English for 31 years before retiring last year.