15/01/2017
Young people need role models for inspiration
Article wrote to the Sheffield Telegraph in response to their education campaign.
“Many thanks for getting in touch. What an inspirational and interesting piece of writing” – Nancy Fielder, Editor of the Sheffield Telegraph
I am writing about your article on education in the Sheffield Telegraph newspaper dated 5th January 2017, and asking for opinions and suggestions.
Its about having role models to inspire and to demonstrate to young people with real cases, about what can be achieved and what they can aspire to, with the right opportunity, environment and support. As a community we need to find out what ‘lights there fire'. Its about 'opening as many doors' as possible, to show young people what is available and what can be achieved, and for the support network to have belief in the young people.
To achieve success, it’s about being in the right environment for you to flourish. Its like a flowering plant, it needs the right environment for it grow and flower.
It’s about realising your own skills and talents, and what you enjoy doing, from which you can flourish. But you need the opportunities, in order to find your ‘thing’, and once your ‘thing’ is found, you need the support to continue and develop your skills and qualifications.
When people find their ‘thing’, and gain skills and qualifications, it has an upward spiral effect in many aspects:
- It raises the individuals self-belief and self-esteem, and reduces depression, and reduces the impact of poor mental health has on society.
- It induces and inspires other people in the local community and who are close to that individual, to pursue further personal development and education, as the individual becomes a role model, and demonstrates what can be achieved.
- It provides economic benefits to the individual as they have something to sell to potential employers.
- It provides economic benefit to the Sheffield City Region, as the region can sell its services and bring-in more regional financial revenue and encourages business' to locate to the region and provide employment, due to the region’s skills set.
Today, there is a lot of peer and parental pressure on young people to go to University, and that if they do not go, they have failed / will not get good careers / not met expectations. You do not necessarily have to go to University to have a good career and a fulfilling life. Young people can have equally good careers by attending vocational education and/or gaining an apprenticeship. It’s about different educational and career paths for different people, and for peer groups and parents not to have expectations and not being judgmental. At the end of the day, it’s about the young person enjoying what they do, bringing happiness to their life, at the same time learning, growing and flourishing.
For example, the car mechanic and doctor are both equally rewarding and respected careers. The car mechanic has the same skill sets as the doctor, with the diagnostic fault finding, problem solving and repair of a faulty car. Therefore, young people should not be deterred from exploring all educational and career opportunities.
For some young people, it’s about providing caring places where young people can feel safe and valued. So they can gain confidence in themselves, which enables them to be curious and explore opportunities, which otherwise they would not have pursued. A caring environment where it is ok to fail and not be judged. Failure brings positive learning outcomes, as you learn more about yourself and what you like and not like doing. Having a supportive network is very important. If young people are in a negative environment, they will not have the confidence and will be frightened of failure.
Education and young people is a very important matter for the region, and your campaign needs to continue and grow.
Andrew Hudson
