Journal of Adolescent Health and Welfare

Volume 15 - No 1 - Special Souvenir Edition 2002

Including Conference Programme and Details of:-

The Fourth International Conference on Adolescent Health and Welfare

and

The World Youth Forum

Barbican Centre – City of London – October 23, 24, 25 2002

Sixteenth Anniversary

Souvenir Edition

Youth   * 1986 - 2002 *   Support

Letter from the editor -

Dear Colleagues,

This special souvenir edition has been prepared particularly with the 2002 Conference in mind and also marks a milestone of change for Youth Support. Our 4th International Conference on Adolescent Health and Welfare which is being held at the Barbican in the City of London will be a major event enhanced by the presence of our World Youth Forum. On this occasion the Youth Forum is not just a sideline but the major part of the conference and the last afternoon of our three day programme is entirely devoted to Youth presenting their findings and recommendations to the remainder of the professional audience. It will be an exciting forum – hard work but rewarding with an emphasis on multimedia and creative presentation.

This is also an occasion to look back over the work of youth support and to congratulate the charity on reaching its 16th birthday – we have come of age! Happy Birthday sweet sixteen Youth Support!

Our research has been continuing throughout the years and the teenage pregnancy research which formed the basis of the books ‘Are you my sister, Mummy?’ at 3 years and ‘the Child that Rocks the Cradle’ at fifteen years has reached twenty years of follow up and is being presented at the conference in the form of a film ‘It’s Not an Easy Road’ including information from our Jamaican and US cohorts. Youth Support have joined forces with the International Centre for Child Studies (ICCS) led by Neville Butler and the Adolescent Medicine Division of Los Angeles Children’s Hospital led by Richard MacKenzie to form the International Centre for Child Youth and Family Studies (ICCYFS)- website developing at www.world-youth-studies.com

Changes in the patterns of referral and the financially crippling regulations have forced us to close our residential unit in Beckenham but we will be continuing to support Youth on an ‘outreach’ basis and through other centres which are being set up. Assessments for families and youth will also be available but again on an outreach basis and as ‘outpatient’. Exciting developments are taking place on an International basis with expansion of both ‘Youth Support Italia’ and ‘Youth Support Jamaica’ which are both represented in force at the Conference. Equipment and materials from Youth Support House Beckenham have been sent by container to Jamaica to be used in centres in Kingston and St Elizabeth.

In this day and age one thing which is certain is that there will be no shortage of young people needing our help. Poverty, lack of education and work opportunities coupled with childhood deprivation and abuse hinder young people from developing into fulfilled adults whilst early parenthood and exploitation deprive many of their adolescence. Unfortunately there is no real commitment from governments or societies to support troubled youth financially and services are thus sorely stretched. We are fully committed to serving youth and this is evidenced also by the number of young people who we have supported in attending the Youth Forum. If we are to continue our work we will be needing to find sources of finance and hence we are launching an appeal – please do your best to help.

Best wishes and thanks for all your support throughout the years,

Diana Birch

Director Youth Support

In 1986 we said YES!.... we really did it – managed to hold our 15 year reunion. … well now we have had the 20 year …. Here are some pictures to celebrate some of our young families.

15 year cake

So now the twenty year survey is a reality... Living proof that teenage mums can do it!!.  Youth Support grew out of the work with young parents - it is therefore fitting that we begin our Anniversary year with a celebration of young families. All these young mums kept in touch, kept their babies, made themselves happy homes for their children ... Congratulations!!

The History of Youth Support

Youth Support was founded as a charity in 1986 although the origins go back to 1980 when the first schoolgirl pregnancy research began. It arose out of a need to provide a service for teenagers and support to  schoolgirl mothers and the first Youth Support publication on schoolgirl pregnancy “Are you my sister, Mummy?” came out in time for our first meeting. The statutory services - health , education and social services were not catering for this age group and there was a danger that the medical services particularly were dividing care into paediatrics - i.e. children’s services; and adult services with adolescents and young adults falling in the wasteland between. The first committee was a group of doctors, nurses and education and social work staff from the Lambeth and Southwark area of south London - but we soon acquired colleagues from other parts of the country and further afield .. by the time our Forum was started in 1987 we had links with Bristol, Liverpool, Scotland and International members from Ireland, Sweden, France, Russia and Jamaica.  Later our international work took off in a big way and it would currently be impossible to fully list the countries we have links with or indeed the nationalities of our workers.

The first Youth Support ‘event’ was the Jamaican benefit fair - held in the empty grounds of disused St Giles Hospital - with bouncy castle, burger grill and Reggae sound system entertaining the locals. We didn’t earn much money but we sure had a good time! The event competed with Glastonbury festival on midsummer day 1986 – and we held our ten year celebration party on 21st June 1996 to the sound of the blues brothers band. In 1986 Jamaica had suffered severe flooding and there was a need for medical supplies and vaccine for the children.  We obtained one thousand  doses of polio immunisation  from Burroughs Wellcome and antibiotics from Beecham which was sent direct to the ministry of health in Kingston, Jamaica. The British Government did not allow vaccine to be sent from England because it was earmarked for British children- so Wellcome had to send it from their Canada branch .... imagine my surprise and annoyance when on visiting Kingston I was asked to convey thanks to the British Government  ... we soon put them straight!

It was on this first visit to Jamaica that we made contacts with the ‘Women’s Centre’ for pregnant schoolgirls in Trafalgar Road, Kingston established by Pamela McNeil. The centre concentrated on giving pregnant girls a sense of vocation and emphasised self worth - that they should be proud Jamaican women with a future to look forward to rather than listen to those who would have them believe that having a baby during your school years is the end of the road. The Women’s centre movement has now grow to a very large organisation with centres throughout the Island. On repeat visits I was impressed by the expansion of the project which can provide tuition for any pregnant girl wanting to continue her education. Family planning and counselling clinic sessions have now also been added to the centres. We have been  delighted that Pamela has been able to visit Youth Support on a number of occasions and there has been a very close bond developed between the two organisations.

Contents

Letter from the Editor

2

World Youth Forum

18

YES! 20 years - Young Families Reunion

3

World Youth Forum Aims and Perspectives

18

The history of Youth Support

4

World Youth General Timetable Structure

18

Books and Book Launch 2002

12

World Youth Forum  - Staff and Professionals – Creativity, Music, Art, Carving, Drama, Dance

20

Conference Programme Timeline

13

Specific Youth Timetable

21

Conference Programme – Day One Wednesday 23rd October 2002

14

Youth Support Barbican Conference Suite - plan

22

Conference Programme – Day Two Thursday 24th  October 2002

15

How to get here - Barbican

23

Conference Programme – Day Three Friday 25th  October 2002

16

Youth Awards 2002 – Photograph of Jamaican Youth

23

Displays and Facilities

17

Fourth International Conference on Adolescent Health and Welfare

24

Lancelot Bryan Carver, Youth Art Work, Polina

17

Conference on Adolescent Health

40

During the late eighties Youth Support grew slowly while we struggled with the problems of finding premises and funding. Our first attempts at finding a ‘home’ met with incredulity ... you are really expecting us to give you money for that idea! Then it was .. well perhaps if you raise half we will lend you the other half ... and when we did .. they didn’t.  We advertised each year at the Lambeth fair and other venues but leaflet drops ended mainly in bins, post-outs were not read ... it was discouraging but we kept plodding on ... finding some encouragement in the fact that there WAS a need out there. There was certainly no lack of young people needing help and the work with young parents continued unabated.

Raising money to help teenagers was an uphill struggle - the public attitude is very much one of - when if they have problems it’s their own fault .. they’ll grow out of it .. or .. blame the parents... A pimply adolescent with a ring in his nose may have been abused and be in genuine need of assistance - but he does not have the appeal of a premature baby when it comes to competitive fund-raising or cute charity advertising. We did get a fair amount of publicity - not all welcome! “Are you my sister, Mummy?” had very good reviews in the press although the whole atmosphere of the ‘era’ was coloured by the ‘Gillick’ affair. When Victoria Gillick took her health authority to court to attempt to stop the provision of contraceptive advice to young people, we found ourselves frequently pitted against her group in the press, TV and radio.

At the same time we were conveying the health education message to the Soviet Union with class discussions and writing competitions - the prizes enabling youngsters to attend schools in London for a few weeks.  This initiative continued in our links with the doctors such as Andrei Smirnov in the Urals and our aid to Russian street youth and those runaways who were picked up by the militia and sojourned in an institution. We have attempted to help the staff there to gain counselling skills and this is something which will be further developed over the next year or two.

Our first major TV programme was ‘Schoolgirl, Mum’ screened in 1986 on BBC2’s ‘40 minutes’, followed in 1987 by ‘Too young to have a baby?’ - a BBC schools programme which used Susan Tully - playing the then pregnant schoolgirl ‘Michelle’ in neighbours as a link person in a sex education film. Both involved ‘our girls’. Later Horizon filmed ‘The child mothers’ in 1989. Many short clips of our young mums and of Youth Support have since appeared on TV news reports and documentaries and ‘chat shows’.

The ‘Gillick effect’ and the counter influence of ‘Schoolgirl Mum’ and ‘Too young..’ formed the basis of a presentation to the International symposium on Adolescent health in Australia 1987. It was at this conference that the ‘International Association for Adolescent Health’ ( IAAH) was born and Youth Support was at the forefront in promoting the cause of adolescent health internationally. Diana Birch (president elect ‘89-91) and Anne McCarthy  were on the committee from the outset resigning in 1991.

On returning from Australia the ‘Youth Support Forum’ was formed to provide professional support for colleagues working with young people and at the first meeting at the Royal Society of Medicine in September 87 we were joined by speakers - Paul Griffiths - who had just been setting up ‘Child Line’ and Fay Hutchinson from the Brook Advisory centres, Anne McCarthy came over from Ireland and Daniel Hardoff provided a perspective from Israel.

Eventually we discovered that one of the mother and baby homes catering for some of our pregnant schoolgirls was facing probable closure. We offered to take it over and our first attempt in 1987 met with resistance; however by 1989 the home had been completely run down and was due to be boarded up until expiry of the lease. .. a clause in the lease stated that if a group caring for young mothers was able to continue the work, then they should be given priority .. hence we were able to step in. The landlords (the Church Moral Aid Association) were supportive and fortunately did not demand a capital investment . we were allowed to take on the building on the strength of the reputation of the work with young parents.

Once we had the building .. plain sailing it was not! There followed many months of lonely, cold , dirty work by a faithful band of students and volunteers .. the house was filthy... anything of use had been removed .. somebody had even swapped the relatively OK mattresses with soiled ones from an old people’s home. .... We dragged out all the rubbish ... cleaned painted and scrubbed.  Renald an opera student from France, ‘PG’ an Italian Clarinettist and Gerry saxophonist from Ireland were the first ‘crew’.  We sang as we worked .. especially when ‘Mimi’ arrived who had a reputation for leaping on tables to add drama to her rendition of Carmen .... but there were times when Renald and I thought the end had come as we teetered perilously on the edge of the fire escape three floors up moving yet another wardrobe ... I hate wardrobes!! Then there was the time the cleaner and I got stuck to the floor after we tried to remove three layers of carpet tiles stuck down with evostick .. or the time that we were making one last run in the broken down van from the old ILEA furniture warehouse in Tottenham, we limped along with failing lights .. an old lady collapsed on the Zebra crossing in front of us .. the ambulance strike was on and the police asked us to lay her out in the van!!  The ‘coup de grace’ was perhaps the ‘crustacea nostra’  caper when it transpired that - unbeknown to us - the van had been used for a pickup of frozen shrimps from Gatwick airport .... the shrimps were packed with cocaine .. imagine the scene .. police raid .. helicopters above .. it did get sorted!

There were housewarming parties .. we needed them to keep up our spirits! The first was Halloween 1989 when we decided it would be good to have a treasure hunt by torch light .. a whole load of teenagers converged on the house dressed in fancy dress - witches, ghouls and a black cat that lost it’s tail. They followed a trail round the enormous empty old house in pairs .. not knowing that the Youth Support ‘crew’ were hiding in the shadows dressed in black, rattling chains.. The screams were blood curdling .. the best Halloween party ever. The casualty was a cleaning lady who walked out after a hysterical outburst the following morning provoked by finding a dead snake in her pail .. the lost tail!

The second party was Guy Fawkes night - the 5th November fires were great for disposing of the old mattresses and we invited all the neighbours so they would not complain. We ate baked potato and sausages by  the light of burning furniture and finished the evening with a ‘cot hurling’ contest. The soggy mattresses needed petrol to start them off - which nearly finished us off .. whoooom ... and somebody put the cheese for the baked potatoes in the freezer so breaking it up was a hammer and chisel job. .. there was actually something rather potent about that cheese .. Sean made a fondue with the leftovers which blocked the sink ...  even the Great Danes turned their noses up at it.

The third party was the actual housewarming - new year’s eve 1989 - during which our first ‘residents’ arrived .. a party of 36 Russian pupils, and their teachers from Sverdlovsk in the Urals. We had many Russian visitors during the next few years and also organised visits to Russia for London teenagers and exchange visits for professionals. The Russian visitors have built the playground equipment including our play ‘Dacha’ (Wendy house) ; “Are you my sister, Mummy?”  has been translated into Russian and we have done work with runaways and homeless youth and teenage parents. We also set up a scheme to bring gifted students to British Universities and were assisted in this by Kingston University who gave us three places for our students. Our most successful student has been Boris Slobodkin who obtained a first class honours degree - many congratulations!

The first items of furniture in the house were donated or obtained cheaply second hand but some of the items were bought with money raised by our first Catford charity dog night - this raised just under £4,000 in October 1989 - it was so successful that we repeated the event in September 93 when we raised over £6,000 for our video assessment unit and we will be having a third event in May 1996 to raise money for our new counselling centre in Penge.

The Youth Support nursery opened in March 1990 and the residential unit for teenage mothers received it’s first customer in June 1990 - the delay caused by registration quirks and the change in regulations. Daniella was number one and Chloe our first baby, rapidly followed by Shirley and baby Emma and Maria with baby Kevin.  Morale was aided by the supportive presence for six months of John Fricker from California who soon realised that even visiting professors carve the chicken when the cook freaks out! The cook’s untimely demise led to the ‘musical stand ins’ Operatic Renald was a great cook but expensive .. insisting on Gruyere rather than cheddar in his soufflé ... Campbell enthusiastic but lethal and nearly ended his virtuoso Chellist career when he sliced a piece of thumb instead of the carrots! ...By the time we had our ‘official opening’ in April 1991 we had six residents, mothers with babies; an alcohol and substance abuse programme;  a flourishing nursery plus after school children , professional teaching courses and outpatient therapy and education was beginning to take off. The ‘opening’ was very successful with a fete in the grounds, a little blessing service led by Canon Leslie Virgo at which the children held animal glove puppets and sang the St Francis song ‘brother Sun and sister Moon’;  ribbon cut by Roger Tonkin from Vancouver with Bouncy castle eminently blown up by Professor Richard McKenzie from Los Angeles. We were seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

The advent of the Children’s Act implemented on 14th October 1991 shut the light out for a while - almost permanently.  We had a disturbed resident who provoked a riot when she thought the children’s act meant that ‘they can’t tell you what to do any more..’  and that the rights of parents and young people were absolute. A great deal of furniture and fittings were destroyed and the police did nothing to protect staff or property - later we did get an apology - they had miscalculated the affair - too late for us. The residents were expelled and we rebuilt and redecorated .. it was hard but a skeleton staff pulled the unit up to scratch in a few months and we took in the first of the ‘new batch’ in April 1992. This was when we extended the scope of the unit and began the family work. Alex and her wonderful family were the first .. and they are doing very well.

Our residential unit changed to cater for whole families and took a wide age range - so many young mums are not referred in the early stages now due to funding cuts .. they are then sent several years along the line perhaps with a third child or toddlers who are giving her problems or when the family is breaking down .. a short sighted referral approach.  The ‘treatment’ side of dealing with substance abuse and alcoholism has become very important and we have catered for mothers with learning disabilities and a multitude of problems. Abuse, the sequelae and the continuing problems for the family are a focus in many referrals. We have also taken as residents single young people who need therapy - particularly in the area of sexual abuse. There are many months when we were full to capacity and had a waiting list .. the ‘outreach work’ is also at full tilt and we  soon had to open Youth Support Two – our half way house – The Bridge. We grew from a staff of a dozen people to over sixty people including five therapists - all due to the commitment of those early people.

We have had help from a number of sources - the Princes trust who gave us £2,0000 for a computer for the schoolroom - The Minet trust who gave £3,000 for our first outreach programme and Barclay’s Bank who gave £2,500 towards the new kitchen in the school room which allows the residents to run a lunch club for local elderly - a scheme designed to give youth the idea that they are useful to the community - can give something back .. and it also has aspects of ‘adopt a gran’ for those without an extended family to relate to.

Although the Children’s act nearly brought about our downfall, it did for while also prove to be a source of our success since the amount of court work increased out of all proportion bringing a great many assessment cases, some of which went on to rehabilitation. Life in the unit is different every day -  excitement as when a disoriented girl hovered on the window sill three floors up thinking she could fly .. or danger when one set fire to her room ... pleasure when children planted some flowers in the front garden for me ... embarrassment when they turned out to be stolen from the church next door ... pain when a young mother dies .. joy with each new baby and with each family able to walk out of the door to a life together in the community.

Sadly however the early promise of the children’s act was not realised. The emphasis on court assessment has meant that legal bodies, solicitors for the parent or the young person have been pitted against the local authority or social services while we find ourselves in the role of the ‘ham in the sandwich’. Rather than being able to provide an independent assessment which we aimed to do – we have been pushed into being seen to represent one side or the other.  Beyond the assessment process per se we need to plan rehabilitation and aftercare service for adolescents and young adults which will enable them to lead worthwhile and happy lives but this is not a consideration in the present structure of casework and adequate funding for work which could break the cycle of the ‘care system’ has not been forthcoming. All our research has shown that the care system has a negative influence on young people’s future. It is now politically correct to refer to children in care as ‘looked after’. Changing the name does not change the prognosis. Our youth who have been ‘looked after’ (Are they looked after? - sounds like an appeasement of society’s guilt?) are more likely to have their own kids go into care, are more likely to have unstable relationships etc etc. Why don’t we make a commitment to Youth by helping more families to support them in keeping their kids and break the cycle?

This was the philosophy behind Youth Support’s move to open ‘The Bridge’ and provide outreach and aftercare. This coupled with our shops, internet café and pet shop gave a therapeutic environment in which to learn about the outside world and obtain work experience.

Other ventures have been research on the traumas following earthquake which was conducted in Italy and followed by our conference ‘Gioventu Duemila’ youth 2000. The proceedings were published in both languages as ‘Traumatic Stress’ and ‘Lo Stress Traumatico’. Infact our publications branch has been very active over the last few years and recently we have published books by Pamela McNeil ‘As my Mother Taught Me’ which was launched in Kingston March 2002.

Now the time has come for Youth Support to move on and achieve a wider International base – may we wish it the best of luck for the future!

Programme

Day One Wednesday 23rd October 2002

Registration 8.45am

CINEMA 1  9.15-9.45 Welcome – Diana Birch

9.45-10.30 Keynote -  ‘From Aliens to Allies’ Karen Hein USA

10.30 coffee break

CINEMA 1

11am – 1pm Plenary  P1 – Pregnancy and Parenthood

Chair Fay Hutchinson and Sue Bagshaw

1.       “Teen Parenting – Fathers are important too”- Beryl Weir –Jamaica

2.       Healthy Living and support for teenage pregnant women - Anna Sherliker UK

3.       Family Planning services and schools in Christchurch - Alma Johnson - NZ

4.       Teenage Mothers who Breast Feed - Fiona Dykes – UK

5.       Education and Employment of young mothers – Suzanne Speak –UK

6.       Young Fathers – Dads Programme Los Angeles

CINEMA 2   11am – 1pm Plenary  P2 – Adolescent Development

Chair Robert  Blum  - Minnesota and Suzanne Riggs-  Rhode Island

1.       Resilience and a robust sense of personal worth Cheryl Vardon Australia

2.       Developing a sexual identity Charles Wibbelsman USA

3.       Nine steps model supporting sexual maturation Erja Korteniemi Poikela  Finland

4.       Sex and Rights of Adolescents- Lisbet Stevens - Belgium

5.       They’re just horny all the time –or are they? Victoria Inch  New Zealand

6.       Young Black Women– Mothers & daughters talk sex - Elmien Lesch – South Africa

CINEMA 3    Y1  Youth Forum Seminar

Part 1 -  11-12 Eating disorders -Ellen Rome;  work on body image Mary O'Connor  ¥ ?

Part 2 – 12-1 Youth and Drug Culture – Richard MacKenzie LA ¥ ?

LUNCH SESSIONS  1.00-2.30

CINEMA 2  2.30-4.30 PLENARY P3 – Free Papers Part One

Chair  Neville Butler and  Harris Faigel

1.       Incorporating Views of Youth into Health Strategy - Caroline Cullen et al Ireland

2.       Physical health profile of school age adolescents in Delhi Aashish Gupta India

3.       Adolescent’s management of minor ailments- Nicola Gray - UK

4.       Mental health of looked after adolescents - Nicola Smith and Sara Scott UK

5.       Mental Health of Looked after Adolescents – Youth Perspectives - Nicky Stanley -UK

6.       Mental Health Ethnicity and Young People - Peary Brug UK

2.30-4.30 Workshops A

A1 Youth and the Drug culture  ?   Peter Freeman Australia              Ashcroft

A2  Eating Disorders?       Michael Westwood and Gail Slap               Board Room

A3  Youth and Violence   ?           Ellen Rome                                             Garrick

A4  Sexual Health Education–?  John Rees and Youth from APAUSE   Redgrave

CINEMA 3    2.30-4.30   Y2 Youth Forum Seminar

Part 1 2.30-3.30 - Drop outs and street kids  – Dick Brown USA ¥ ?

Part 2 3.30-4.30-Everything you wanted to know about sex and were afraid to ask– Fay Hutchinson ¥ ?

CINEMA 1   4.45-5.30 KEY NOTE  -  Gail Slap  Introduced by Richard MacKenzie

5.30-coffee break

SPECIAL EVENT

CINEMA 1  6pm – 7pm  film showing – ‘It’s Not An Easy Road’  -   Teenage Pregnancy a Global Issue  - Diana Birch, Neville Butler, Richard MacKenzie and Evon Gordon

THE CONSERVATORY   7.00 – 8pm  Reception  in the conservatory  during which there will be  entertainment  from musicians Alistair Thomson (violin) and Jan Hicks (Piano)

THE GARDEN ROOM  8.00pm – Conference Dinner – during which there will be entertainment from musician and singer Paul Herlock

Day Two Thursday 24th October 2002

Registration 8.45am

CINEMA 1   9.15-9.45  Welcome  and introduction Gail Slap .

9.45-10.30 KEYNOTE   - Victor Strasburger

10.30 coffee break

CINEMA 1  11am – 1pm Plenary  P4 Youth Media and The Outside world

Chairs Victor Strasburger and  Paul Griffiths

1.       Sexual heath clinic on the internet - Erja Korteniemi Poikela  Finland

2.       Adolescents use of the internet for health information Nicola Gray USA

3.       Childline – Telephone Helpline– Ute Navidi

4.       The Hollywood Teen Community Project -

5.       Youth Expressions.org - Monty Messex – Los Angeles

6.       Life After Care – Ethnic Issues – Nadia Montavani and Linda Andrew

CINEMA 2  11am – 1pm Plenary  P5 Homeless and rootless - Youth on the edge

Chairs Dick Brown and Hatim Omar

1.       Social Security Young people and De-citizenship - Peter Ridyard  Australia

2.       Deprived youth in the Urals - Andrei Smirnov- Russia

3.       Street Youth and Health – Irene Adams – Brazil

4.       Youth and Crime in South Africa Rafiq Lockhat –South Africa

5.       Exposure to violence among adolescents in a developing country – Munni Ray India

6.       Effect of immigration on stress syndrome in Iranian adolescents Sina Ohadinia Iran

CINEMA 3   11-1 Y3  Youth Forum Seminar

Part 1. 11-12 –How do we communicate? Charles Wibbelsman  ¥ ?

Part 2  12-1 – What do we need to know about Smoking? - Health & smoking – Harris Faigel  ¥ ?

LUNCH SESSIONS 1- 2.30

CINEMA 2  2.30-3.50 PLENARY P6 –  Free papers part two

Chairs – Michael Westwood and Charles Wibbelsman

1.       Smoking lifestyles ‘hang about sparking up and giving twos’  Maxine Birch UK

2.       Early Sexual Violence as risk for eating disorder-Laura Dalla Ragione and Dr Ruocco Italia

3.       Reproductive health profile of students Sangita Yadav India

4.       Dieting in Adolescents Valeria Matzkin UK

Cinema 2 -  3.50- 4.30 – Seminar Sexually Transmitted Disease

Sexually transmitted diseases  – Ellen Rome

2.30-4.30  WORKSHOPS B

1.       Teenage Sexuality  - teaching safer sex Gill Lough New Zealand ?                                     Redgrave

2.       Youth Participation and healthy development–Sue Bagshaw, Kendy Stenning NZ?              Ashcroft

3.       Youth and Disability   Bryony Beresford Chronically ill Adolescents uk                      Garrick

4.       Eating disorder – medically challenging cases  - Suzanne Riggs §                            Boardroom

CINEMA 3

2.30-4.30 Y4 Youth Forum Seminar

Part 1 Risk Taking    Bob Blum  USA ¥ ?

Part 2 - Culture and Prejudice    Aggrey Burke;  Hatim Omar¥ ?

CINEMA 1

4.45 – 5.30 KEYNOTE    introduced By Karen Hein - Robert Blum Priorities for Adolescent Health over the Next Decade

7pm   Evening out in London -  choice of ‘doing your own thing’ or joining in a night out.

Youth Forum and their guests attend Umoja – Evening of African Dance and Song.

Day Three Friday 25th October 2002

CINEMA 1  9.15-9.45 Welcome Ellen Rome

9.45-10.30 KEYNOTE  Richard Brown ‘Adolescent Development: On Loss and Gain’

10.30 coffee break

CINEMA 1   11.00 – 1.00 Plenary P7   Substance Abuse and the Drug Culture

Chairs – Karen Hein and Richard MacKenzie

1.       Youth Substance Abuse Services - Fran Holgate  Australia

2.       Services for problem Adolescent Drug Users - Jack Leach UK

3.       Alcohol drugs risk behaviour night life in Nepal Raju Prasad Dallakoti Nepal

4.       Social Impact of Illicit Drug Policy on Young People – Peter Freeman Australia

5.       Substance abuse policy A journey of discovery - Sheree Limbrick Australia

6.       Exploration of adolescent drug users in treatment - Pamela Lievesley UK

CINEMA 2  11- 1 Plenary P8  Keeping Healthy

Chairs – Irene Adams and Andrei Smirnov

1.       Tobacco’s hidden toll what the future holds for adolescents who smoke - Harris Faigel USA

2.       Approach to the sleepy adolescent – Suzanne Riggs USA

3.       Increasing prevalence of obesity in children & adolescents - Michael Westwood Canada

4.       Get connected – Developing an adolescent friendly health service Caroline Cullen et al Ireland

5.       Life as a one stop health shop  Sue Bagshaw & Melanie Betts NZ

6.

CINEMA 3  11- 1 Y5  Youth Forum Seminar –

Part 1 11-12 Youth and Violence Rafiq Lockhat South Africa  ¥ ?

Part 2 12-1 A generation growing up under the cloud of AIDS – what’s true & what isn’t - Karen Hein¥?

1- 2.30 LUNCH SESSIONS

CINEMA 1   2.30-5.15pm  Y6  P9  Conference Plenary and Youth Forum Seminar –

Putting the world to rights?

- Chaired by  Richard MacKenzie / Diana Birch -

Presented by Youth Delegates

Draft  possible programme – actual content will depend on Youth and what they prepare – sections are only introduced by professionals – all rest by youth

there will be a short coffee break at around 4pm –

1.       Lancelot Bryan,  Leila Birch and colleagues introduce – Working creatively with youth

2.       How does the world see us – how do we see ourselves?   work on body image introduced by Ellen Rome and Jane Todd

3.       Do Young people care about their health? How do we identify with risk ; Peer pressures  and risk taking introduced by Karen Hein

4.       work on culture and prejudice    introduced by Aggrey Burke / Hatim Omar

5.       Drop outs and street kids  and Youth on the edge –introduced by  Dick Brown

6.       Communication – introduced by Charles Wibbelsman

CINEMA 1   5.15 – 5.30 closing Diana Birch

7pm onwards Post Conference Party at the Hop exchange? With attendance of the Pearly King and Queen.

KEY – § indicates content suitable for medical audience

? indicates content expected to be interactive

¥ indicates Youth have priority

Displays and Facilities

GARDEN TERRACE ROOM

Available throughout the three days posters and displays

Posters include -

The Next Step  Gill Lough – New Zealand

The process of decision making and abortion Lars Holmberg Sweden

Macronutrient intake and saliva Iga levels  -  Valeria Matzkin UK –§

Mental Health in Delhi Schools Sanita Yadav India

Substance abuse in Delhi Schools Aashish Gupta India

BOOK SHOP – Available throughout in Conservatory area

SCULPTURE AND ART DISPLAY - Carvings by Lancelot Bryan Conservatory

Art by Young People – Including the Italia Conti Academy Pupils – A young Russian Artist Polina

The themes will then be continued by working via a variety of media to develop concepts and methods of presentation – for example drama, movement and dance, art, music, written material, photography or video film.

Experts and professionals in these various fields will also be present throughout the conference to assist young people in using these media. A large room (two rooms Schubert and Britten joined) will be available to the youth forum to use for this purpose.

There will also be a resource room (Mozart) available where art materials, ‘props’ and computing equipment will be at the youth members disposal for producing music tracks, writing and producing PowerPoint presentations for example.

Musical instruments and some recording facilities will also be available and music projects will also be able to be developed using the cinema 3 auditorium and forum area.

Cinema theatre 3 and other areas will also be available for dance/ movement / drama work.

The youth will choose topics to work on either in groups or individually and work on their chosen topic during the three days of the conference.  The Youth Forum wing of rooms will be available for further preparation and work during the lunch period and break times.

There is an added area where carving can be done as a demonstration in the conservatory area.

Friday afternoon special session

The last day – Friday has the afternoon devoted to feedback and presentation from the Youth Forum and interaction with the other delegates in the form of a youth Plenary.  This presentation may take the form of a performance, song, readings, video showing, conventional ‘talk’ or anything that the youth wish to plan.

Posters and Display

Young People will also have an opportunity to display work which they have produced before the conference.

‘Adult delegates’ are at liberty to join in youth workshop sessions – space permitting. Teachers can stay with the youth groups if they want or attend other sessions.

Staff and professionals working with Youth Group

‘Professionals’ and ‘Helpers’

Youth delegates will be assisted throughout the three days by two groups of experts –

1.       ‘advisors’ or ‘designated experts’ who have experience of working with youth and who may be specialists on various topics such as, social and cultural problems, health matters , substance abuse, sexuality etc who can be used as source of information.

2.       Professionals in various ‘creative’ fields – art, music, dance, drama and photography for example who will assist in developing ideas and exploring different media of communication plus

Overall planning  Diana Birch

Topic list with questions will be drawn up to guide those who wish to be guided towards certain fact finding exercises. Youth will be allocated to various groups who gather the information or suggest their own projects and arrange a presentation for the Friday afternoon.

Creativity and action -

Alistair Thomson, Aaron and Paul Herlock – Music

Alistair Aeron Computing;

Leila Birch, Natasha Symms, Kate Skellern Drama;

Lancelot Bryan carving;

Jane Todd, Mary O'Connor, art ;

Lucy Morgans; Rebecca Still  Dance and movement.

Photography and video – Evah Gordon and Alistair Thomson.

Advisors Medical Social * etc –

Diana Birch                   Richard MacKenzie       Robert Blum

Richard Brown               Paul Griffiths                Neville Butler

Ellen Rome                   Aggrey Burke               Fay Hutchinson

Chuck Wibblesman        Gail Slap                     Sue Bagshaw

Harris Faigel                  Karen Hein

*These people will wear special badges   and can be approached at any time by youth needing answers.

Drama The actors led by Leila  will help youth work on drama and may collaborate or not with for example the music and dance – multimedia presentations are also good ideas.

Carving - Lance will have an exhibition of his carvings set out in the conservatory area and will have an area where he can do a demonstration of carving and how he works with youth. A group of youth will work with him during the three days also. On Friday Lance will give a little talk on his approach to carving to introduce the art/ sculpture part of the presentation.

Music – Paul Herlock will be playing and singing on Wednesday evening at the dinner 7.45 – 10.45 approx .He will also be working with youth on developing sound / music and working with the other musicians – Alistair Aeron and Jan in helping youth to explore music and the way it sets mood and can express ideas and feelings. Also helping Youth to develop themes and produce some sound tracks to use in presentations – either as ‘performance type items, or as sound track for powerpoint presentations or in combination with other media. On Friday afternoon  musicians may wish to introduce the musical presentations or comment on how they were worked on.

Alistair  (violin) and Jan (piano) will be performing at the reception on Wednesday evening 7-7.45pm

Dance – Lucy Morgans and Rebecca Still will be working with a group of young people in producing dance features and movements which express their feelings and communicate their ideas on their chosen topic.

On Friday afternoon the dancers will be able to comment on the dance aspect of the youth work and introduce (or participate in) their presentation.

Specific Youth Timetable -

(NB Can also attend the full programme if they wish)

Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd - Excursions around London

You will be picked up at the hostel - please contact secretariat if you are not staying at the Hostel

Tuesday 22nd - 6.30pm - Dinner meeting and registration

You will be advised as to where to meet - those going on excursion will be taken directly to dinner location - Registration of Youth Forum delegates who have arrived will take place and you will have a talk regarding the content of your programme.

Day One Wednesday 23rd October 2002

11-1         Y1  Youth Forum Seminar

Part one  11- 12 Eating disorders -Ellen Rome;  work on body image Mary O'Connor  ¥ ?

Part 2 – 12-1 Youth and Drug Culture – Richard MacKenzie LA ¥ ?

LUNCH SESSIONS  1.00-2.30  project work

2.30-4.30   Y2 Youth Forum Seminar

Part 1 2.30-3.30 - Drop outs and street kids  and kids in care – Dick Brown USA ¥ ?

Part 2 3.30-4.30- Everything you wanted to know about sex and were afraid to ask – Fay Hutchinson ¥ ?

Day Two Thursday 24th October 2002

11-1 Y3  Youth Forum Seminar

Part 1. 11-12 –how do we communicate? Charles Wibbelsman  ¥ ?

Part two  12-1 –  What do we need to know about Smoking - health and smoking – Harris Faigel  ¥ ?

LUNCH SESSIONS  1.00-2.30  project work

2.30-4.30 Y4 Youth Forum Seminar

Part 1 Risk Taking    Bob Blum  USA

Part 2 - work on culture and prejudice    Aggrey Burke Hatim Omar

Evening out - most of youth delegates will be going to Umoja theatre - African dance and song

Day Three Friday 25th October 2002

11-1     Y5  Youth Forum Seminar –

Part 1 11-12 Youth and Violence Rafiq Lockhat South Africa  ¥ ?

Part 2 12-1 A generation growing up under the cloud of  AIDS – what’s true and what isn’t - Karen Hein¥?

LUNCH SESSIONS  1.00-2.30  project work

CINEMA 1   2.30-5.15pm  Y6  P9  Conference Plenary and Youth Forum Seminar –

Putting the world to rights?

- Chaired by  Richard MacKenzie / Diana Birch -

Presented by Youth Delegates

Draft  possible programme – actual content will depend on Youth and what they prepare – sections are only introduced by professionals – all rest by youth   there will be a short coffee break at around 4pm –

1.       Lancelot Bryan,  Leila Birch and colleagues introduce – Working creatively with youth

2.       How does the world see us – how do we see ourselves?   introduced by Ellen Rome and Jane Todd

3.       Do Young people care about their health? How do we identify with risk ; Peer pressures  and risk taking introduced by Karen Hein

4.       culture and prejudice    introduced by Aggrey Burke / Hatim Omar

5.       Drop outs and street kids  and Youth on the edge –introduced by  Dick Brown

6.       Communication – introduced by Charles Wibbelsman

CINEMA 1   5.15 – 5.30 closing Diana Birch

7pm onwards Post Conference Party at the Hop exchange?

With attendance of the Pearly King and Queen.

Located at the heart of the City of London with rail, underground and major road links only minutes away, the Barbican is one of the capital's most easily accessible conference venues.   Due to its central location, many of London's hotels, restaurants and major attractions are conveniently close at hand. The West End for example, is a couple of tube stops away whilst historic sights such as St. Paul's and the Bank of England are just a short walk.

Parking  There are 4 NCP car parks on site with parking for 450 cars. Entrances are in Silk Street and Beech Street. Special rates are available for conference and exhibition delegates.

By Underground Barbican - within 4 minutes walk Circle, Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City lines    Moorgate - within 5 minutes walk   Circle, Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City, Northern lines   St. Paul's, Old Street, Bank - within 10 minutes walk    Central, Northern, Waterloo, City lines Liverpool Street, Cannon Street, Mansion House - within 15 minutes walk    Central, District, Circle, Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City lines

By Rail  From the North   Kings Cross - 2 stops to Barbican, Euston 4 stops to Moorgate   From the South    Waterloo - 2 stops (change at Bank) to Moorgate    London Bridge - 2 stops to Moorgate

From the East    Liverpool Street - 1 stop to Moorgate    Fenchurch Street - 3 stops to Moorgate    From the West Paddington - 7 stops to Barbican     Victoria - 7 stops (change at King's Cross) to Barbican

By Air  Heathrow   Heathrow Express 30 minutes to Paddington   Gatwick   Gatwick Express 30 minutes to Victoria   City   Shuttle 25 minutes to Liverpool Street   Stansted   Stansted Express 40 minutes to Liverpool Street   Luton   By train 30 minutes to St. Pancras or 35 minutes to King's Cross Thameslink

Youth Support

Publications Department,                              www.youthsupport.net/YSBOOKS

7 High Street Penge SE20 7HJ                      www.youthsupport.com

The Journal of Adolescent Health and Welfare

is published by:-   Youth Support,

Tel No 0208 659 9926             Charity No 296080                 Fax No 020 8659 3309