Date: 16/10/2009
Page Last Updated: 19/10/2009
Brief Details: Mike Simpson Project Director Just42 Local Youth Work in Woodbridge with President Roger Burgess (Right)and Host Sandy Hamilton

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Local Youth Work in Woodbridge

 

Mike Simpson, the Project Director for Just 42, gave an interesting talk about the work that Just 42 do to help the vulnerable children in our society.  While Woodbridge has far fewer problems than inner city areas, Kyson and Melton/Ufford are both lacking in lacking economic or social necessities

The UK came last in a recent survey of 21 countries for the well being of our young people.  Each week 3,000 young people are facing the pain of divorce and 700,000 are growing up never seeing their fathers.  There are large numbers of children who are statemented as having special needs – physical disabilities, Autism, ADHT etc but thousands more have special needs resulting from emotional disturbance – family break up resulting in lack of self esteem, abuse, isolation.  There has been a 21% increase locally in the number of cases reported of physical abuse and an increasing number of children, some under 10 years old are being admitted to hospital for self-harming or eating disorders.  In a few years time the greatest disability among young people is forecast to be Depression.

The internet provides unlimited knowledge (perhaps not always reliable?) but no wisdom?  There is a gap between the young generation and us – mainly linked to the extraordinary changes to lifestyle that have occurred in less than 50 years.

Just42 helps in closing the gap by providing the age old tried and tested criteria that are so important to the well-being of young people - time, un-conditional love, community, educational guidance, physical exercise, trust and responsibility.

However we need to do more to integrate young people and old into one community. This can be achieved by Volunteering, providing facilities e.g. Skate Park, respect, tolerance, relationship, inclusion and challenge as well as replacing dependence on drugs and alcohol.

Change starts with us – we cannot leave other people to do it; we have to get involved.  Primarily as parents but when that breaks down for whatever reason – someone needs to be there to help pick up the pieces – a relation, a friend, a youth worker or a social worker. This society (UK) needs to regain some of the old values whilst embracing all that is new.