Family Interaction Programme- A “Talk About Youth” Project
14 Apr 2014
Our aim for this program was is to foster youth development through constructive measures. This Youth Initiative project was designed and delivered by 18 young people aged 14 to 17 with the support of their Youth Workers, over a period of 6 months.
The project reduced levels of social exclusion, by opening up communication channels between parents, guardians, and their children, and to give parents greater insight into the views of their children and vice versa.
Our hope was that this project would be the first step in promote self-esteem and confidence of both the parents and young people of the participant families, that this project would be the beginning of developing a process of communication and decision-making abilities of the participants, and that this project will develop leadership skills, in prove their confidence, and hopefully experienced a strengthening of relationship with their parents.
We feel that the project was of real benefit to both the participants and their families in terms of strengthening the family bonds through understanding of exciting issues; and this will have a knock on affect within their community.
The idea of this programme was generated by members of the "Pearses Finest Fifteen" youth club when a number of young people explained to Youth Workers that they didn't feel that they could speak to their parents, as their relationship was poor. Youth Workers tried to encourage them to discuss issues that affect their lives with their parents however they refused. They stated that they would feel comfortable talking to other adults but not their own parents. The aim of this programme will be to build relationship between parents and the young people through participation in debates, fun activities and intergenerational comparisons. The programme gives both parents and young people the opportunity to discuss issues affecting their lives and hopefully a greater understanding of each other’s point of view.
