We #TrustYouth, do you?
15 August 2016
This International #YouthDay we celebrated young people’s potential and why we, as youth work practitioners, #TrustYouth to make a positive contribution in our societies.
The success of London’s young people now defines the future success of our society. Yet young people are often seen through a lens of disadvantage and mistrust, which holds them back. We often talk more about what the problems or need is or the specific disadvantage we are solving rather than the potential we are unlocking – we want to change this!
For the past year London Youth has been working with a number of other charities, led by The Foyer Federation, to promote a more ‘Advantaged Thinking’ approach to working with young people among practitioners, funders, the media and others. The TrustYouth movement is working to promote an asset-based approach to working with young people which is underpinned by the belief that everyone has a talent which, given the right opportunities, we can work to identify and harness for personal and social good.
Young people shouldn’t be seen as disadvantaged, disengaged, disabled or NEET – but instead as:
• ASSETS that can be developed
• TALENTS that can provide solutions
• EXPERIENCES we can draw on
• RESOURCES we can tap into
• ENERGY to spark change and create progress
• POTENTIAL to lead society and
• ABILITY to be the authors of their own destiny
By changing the way we all talk about, understand, work with, invest In, believe In and involve young people we can provide improved services which support them to develop into healthy, happy adults able to navigate fulfilling careers and contribute in their communities.
If you would like to take the Advantaged Thinking Quiz or become a Champion of Advantaged Thinking and join the TrustYouth movemement click here.
