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| October 2000 |
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Art workshops in new approach 
It was designed to help youths aged 15 to 18 who had no or few careers aims. Four workshops in drama, art, music and dance were held for up to 40 youths in last month's school holidays at Linwood High School. "When youths feel disenfranchised and come from low socio-economic areas we have to find something different, something innovative to attract these people. Many don't take options available so we tried to find a way to appeal with different ways," says Pauline Luafutu-Simpson, a Community Development Worker attached to Linwood Resource Centre, next to the Council's Linwood Service Centre. Pauline comes to her job from a background of Pacific Island education issues and is one of a working party that organised the four workshops from 25 September to 9 October. The idea for the arts programme arose out of an event, called Culture Shock, that showed many youths had great talent in the arts. Career options were given In conjunction with the arts workshops and Pauline hopes the experience will turn the tide of young people, particularly Maori and Pacific Islanders, dropping out of schools and not taking up any training. "Our concern is where these youths are ending up. You can look around and see the waste of our youths. What a waste it is. "The careers section of the programme was a first of its kind as far as we know." "The workshops with the career pathways might give us a lead to identifying other ideas to pursue in future. "This could involve a mentoring system with an adult outside family life. A system of one-on-one could start at third form and go until the seventh form," she says. Twenty of the students who attended came from Linwood High School and another 10 from the Aranui Rangatahi Trust. The workshop produced artwork and posters used at the LYFE festival and also gave music and dance performances. |
