|
|
 |
| |
Extra youth worker thanks to campaign
Book of Grievances grows in stature as youths sign up
A youth worker has been signed up to work with teenagers in Camden as the Book of Grievances grows in influence.
The appointment of Mehdi Hassan, 26, follows more than a month of pressure on the Town Hall from teenagers in the book – which is supported by this newspaper.
It is a unique chance for youngsters to tell the Town Hall what they are unhappy with in the borough and what they would like to see change.
Mr Hassan, who was a youth worker in Tower Hamlets for five years, said: “The book is an excellent idea. What happens all the time is it’s all top-down services – whatever people at the top deciding what goes to the young people. This way young people are deciding what should have an impact on them.”
Youths have been made a scapegoat for society’s ills, he said, adding: “They are very vulnerable. Sometimes they don’t know what to do and are lost.”
There needs to be a youth club in every area of the borough because of territorial issues, he warned, saying youths from one area are not made welcome in other parts of Camden.
John from Kentish Town, 16, wrote in to add his thoughts to the book. He said: “My friends and I feel the council does not respect young people. On the one hand they give, then on the other they take.”
He is unhappy with the council for considering an application from a developer who he thinks wants to build on a local park and sports centre. “We need more space at this park and centre, not less,” he said. “If they make good facilities for us then they should keep them for us, not sell them off to developers who don’t give a damn about us.”
The Book of Grievances is also gaining support from other pressure groups and trade unions, including Camden Federation of Tenants and Residents’ Associations, and the teachers’ union, the Camden NUT, who voted to unanimously support it at a meeting last week. Andrew Baisley, a teacher at Haverstock School and a member of Camden NUT, said: “We think it’s a really good opportunity for Camden kids to have a say about life in the borough. As teachers we see a lot of problems, particularly a lack of youth centres and employment especially.”
He also called for more activities during holidays.
He said: “It’s often quite sad being a teacher. I come back from the holidays, you think: ‘that was nice’, and you ask them what they did and they say ‘Oh, not a lot, stayed in’. There should be football training, gymastics, aerobics, even trips to the Heath and rap days at Camden venues.”
Jennie, 14, also wrote in to complain about the lack of sports facilities in Camden and feels money spent on the Olympics would have been better used on training grounds.
She said: “I am angry that the government is spending so much money on the Olympics but do little for its own young people,” she said. “Why not have yearly local Olympics – we could relate to that.”
Organiser of the Book of Grievances, Alan Walter, is campaigning for more funds to bring in extra youth workers.
|
 |
|
|
|
