Are we winning?
It’s a question I get asked a lot. The reality is we
are making a difference, no matter how you measure it. We’re seeing a big improvement in that young people are far more aware in Beacon schools of their choices, they are more informed about industries. When they leave the school gate they understand the opportunities that are out there.
There’s increased involvement from corporates wanting to help, despite people being challenged by tough times economically. Figures will show we have more involvement and support from business and community, and from a school’s perspective there is greater awareness around this area, more requests for help from schools. Whilst much is being achieved there is without doubt a lot more that can be done. We all need to be focussed on forging stronger links, more than ever before, with young people looking to the future.
Are we creating false hope?
The challenge isn’t around false hope, it’s around engaging young people so they can see the relevance in staying at school; we need to inspire and motivate them, show them the way, help them set up for the future. We don’t want them to stay at school for the sake of it, but if there are opportunities available here and now, and they have the skills and information available to make a decision, then I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. Opportunities that were around six months ago may be gone now in this economy, but that’s not to say there are no opportunities at all; we need to be mindful of any hysteria surrounding this issue. Students need to see a future and the way to do that is to see it, taste it and feel it first hand, that’s what Beacon is about.
But what about all these redundancies with the GFC?
While yes, there are lots of jobs getting lost, and we are starting from a higher base of skill shortage, surely there are still great opportunities for our young people. We’ve had the benefit of being a thriving nation over the past 10 or 15 years, now in tougher times we’ve all got to get behind the wheel and support, inspire and motivate them to finish their education, or assist with the skills they need to gain employment. There are enough defeatists out there, who say there are no opportunities for young people so there’s no point - what’s the outcome of that? It’s a disaster, that’s what it is – do we all just give up and go home? I don’t think so.
Whose job is it to set young people on a positive pathway?
As a whole, the community has to take a stronger formal role in supporting schools. It shouldn’t be left just to educators to educate young people. There are lots of ways to lend support, and if ever it was more obvious, it’s in today’s climate where many young people lack good role models, or don’t know anyone in their family or even in their street who works. I’ve been so encouraged by the Rokeby project (industry mentoring for young people in the workplace) and am staggered at people’s willingness to help. The challenge is that people do want to help but don’t know how. Beacon has given them a simple way of working on the how. We need to spend more time with each individual young person, getting them to understand their own capabilities and direction.