| Author |
Message |
Emile Grey
Member
|
# Posted: 24 May 2009 14:39 - Edited by: Emile Grey
Reply
Hmm the Poll that I encountered on the home page threw up a lot of questions for me and moreso highlighted a stereotypical view, pushed by the media, that a Gang is your typical Crips, Bloods, Mongrel Mob, Black Power prospect searching criminal organisation! I think this is pretty sad for this "Youth Focussed" network because the facts are and state that "It is the Youth that approach/seek involvement and/or choose to join or associate with the type of 'Gang' we link to the likes of the Mongrel Mob. The question should be, "Why are youth opting out to join Gangs?"
Who am I. 14+ years with High Risk Youth in the education, community and Funding Sectors plus overseas experience in LA and San Fran streets! And am currently emplyed by a local college to provide Specialised Support. I was part of the 1st Youth Workers meeting in Ngaruwahia that Tabled the notion of a National Proffessional Body for Youth Workers but moreso to be accepted by Governement. I come from old school ground floor work and am not interested in empire building...How many here are I wonder? (The sceptic in me) I assume the majority of the management and CEO come from a totally different lifestyle then those they seek opinion about. "Gangs" Or are we a Gang of Youth workers??
My first post!
Emile
|
Manu Caddie
Member
|
# Posted: 24 May 2009 15:26
Reply
Kia ora Emile,
Welcome to the forum - based on your first post I hope you make many more...
I agree there are plenty of gangs other than the groups usually called gangs like those you name. Many people think the Police are a gang... the Army, unions, business associations, church congregations, etc. could all be called gangs.
I agree, if we are talking about the Mongrel Mob (the most organised group in my neighbourhood) and the like, then it is important to ask why young people are attracted to those whanau rather than invest their time and resources into their whakapapa whanau or more pro-social groups like sports clubs, marae, residents groups, etc.
The Mob and other gangs have some positive things going for them - they provide a sense of belonging, identity and purpose, they teach skills and provide resources for their members, they provide rangatahi with a sense of independence from their parents/caregivers and in a distorted kind of way make contributions back to their local communities.
I think these issues and the questions raised need to be discussed in depth at a local level and local strategies developed in response to the answers to those questions. MSD Regional Commissioners and Police Commanders in every region are supposed to have made an assessment as to the need for local plans to address these issues - but in our region they decided there was no need to do anything about gangs and so after one community meeting that had no notes taken/distributed they have done nothing more.
Subsequently I don't think Government can be trusted to do anything significant on these issues - unless there is major media attention in which case it may be like South Auckland where tens of millions was thrown at the community a new industry was born overnight in response to the 'youth gang problem'. It is difficult to organise the local community when Government holds the purse strings for both government and non-government agencies. Developing independent approaches without those agencies support would be tricky but not impossible if a critical mass of local residents are willing to do stuff that doesn't rely on external funding - or if independent resourcing can be secured...
Manu
|
Emile Grey
Member
|
# Posted: 24 May 2009 19:36
Reply
Malo Soifua and Kia Ora Manu
Thanks for what you have said and you are correct that these issues and questions need to be discussed in depth on a local level. I, like you, have the same sceptisism and lack of trust in any Government Party and always have reservations regarding what Regional Police Commanders call "Community Consultation" I am assumming from what I have read from you that you too have seen it all before and the beat goes on....sadly to the next generation and/or siblings.
I can appreciate from the aiga/Whanau context that Gangs or "The Gang" is and has been part of life for as long as a young person has known and so often the media chooses not to point out some of the positive consequences of these aiga/Whanau units. This is an interesting fact. The first on school based Marae was built by the Storm Troopers in the late 70's. There was a high employment success rate when Gangs were funded to do PEP schemes. They were making money honestly and as a funtional unit or units. Yes times have changed but the questions remain the same.
The unfortunate trend I have noticed is the Police are now having access to community funding that they call or use as part of their community initiatives and I know that in some regions the amount is huge. There is nothing wrong with this but the fact that many youth service providers are unaware that they too have as much right to the funding as the Police is the issue! I personally believe there is a conflict of interest due to the resources availible to the Police. I say leave Policing to the Police and Youth Working to Youth Workers! It is a relationship based on contradiction and BS, I hear youth saying! On one hand we'll help you with this approach however, I have a gang of mates in blue who will arrest harrass and deal to you, should you step out of line.
The sad reality of being a Youth Worker no matter what sector you work in, funding is always an issue! But thanks for employment law and the union or I would have been out of a job yesterday! Until we are recognised as a Proffessional Body like Social Workers, Counsellers and the likes will we be able to seek the monetory rewards of a damn hard and complex job! Count me in on any battle to get this happening! ;-)
That 'F' word will always be the issue and now with the so called recession...I wonder how harder it's going to be for us all!
Emile
|
Lone Ranger
Member
|
# Posted: 13 Oct 2009 22:28
Reply
I don't think it is appropriate for youthworkers to have an openly antagonistic attitude towards the Police, some of their youthwork gets good outcomes.
It is unprofessional to do this and not helpful in our desire to become a recognised profession....I know for a fact that some agencies find the "loose cannon" approach of some youthworkers off-putting.
You can build relationships with young people that help them to respect law, order and authority and still maintain your mana as a youthworker...I have been doing it for 15 years :-)
The gangs provide what young people want and do so by bypassing the mainstream social mores, if no gang exists for them to join then they make their own one up.
Part of any anti-gang strategy and also part of our job is to help them develop an internal sense of identity and self-esteem, to show them positive ways to have an influence or control in their own lives, it can be done.
I was in an outlaw biker gang many years ago, I know why I joined...I wanted to be seen as cool and powerful...I also know why I left and that was the loss of freedom caused by being a member of a gang, I eventually found that "babylon"as we called it then actually provided more freedom and more opportunities but I was 21 before I worked that out...I think school is what set me up for gang membership, it hammered my self-esteem, even though I was a bright student but with better support for the other 6 learning styles (see gardners multiple intelligences) I and others would have felt more connected to the mainstream.
There are also nowhere near enough clubs and activities proved free for young people to engage with...if your only youthclub is a gang, you have a stark choice, hang out or go home and do nothing...neither are positive choices...we need to provide more positive choices, young people don't need a voice, they need stuff to do.
As youthworkers we have enormous power and need to be careful not create an alternative society through our work...there is nothing wrong with going to work and paying your bills...you can't smash the system, we are the system and I believe youthwork, as a profession, has still to take a long, hard, honest look at itself and its component parts, when it does this. it will progress as a profession.
|
