Thursday 27 October 2011
Want to get the NCEA credits that you missed at school - and get a sponsored gym membership?
Three Thursdays of Fun
Freedom Fitness PLUS, Rawene Community Centre, 33 Rawene Road, Birkenhead on Thursday 17 and Thursday 24 November, also Thursday 1 December at 12pm http://www.freedomfitness.co.nz/
Kickboxing, skating and bmx demonstrations, plus tour of gym facilities
Meet our Kiwisport Coordinator and sign up for your ‘free’ Kiwisport concession card* for 2012 Meet youth mentors and life coaches
Meet your Liaison Teacher
"Design your Day" - mentors will facilitate group brainstorming Lunch provided Great way to end the school year … see you there!! RSVP to: Susan Ramsay *entitles you to weekly kickboxing classes, attendance at all advisories and use of weights gym for 1 hour per week throughout 2012. Invitation to all Te Kura students and their supervisors living in the: Birkenhead,
Birkdale, Beachhaven, Glenfield and Northcote areas to join us for: Three Thursdays of Fun Freedom Fitness PLUS, Rawene Community Centre, 33 Rawene Road, Birkenhead on Thursday 17 and Thursday 24 November, also Thursday 1 December at 12pm www.freedomfitness.co.nz (09) 3021788
0274809753
Or email: susan.ramsay@tekura.school.nz sessions around what activities YOU want to be doing while studying with Te Kura in 2012
Wednesday 26 October 2011
Proposed Timeline
Mid-November 2011 – a key stake-holder’s meeting 12.00noon – 2.00pm 17th, another meeting one week later and a third meeting one week after that
Early December – commence the programme except the NCEA Learning Advisory
Feb 2012 – First term of the NCEA Learning Advisory and the three month Youth Shining in New Zealand programme begins
Consultation
In addition to our potential delivery partners, this proposed programme was prepared with the valuable insight of:
- Many local youth
- Many local businesses, some owned by people in their early 20’s. These people are all constantly in touch with local youth
- Many organisations (listed) with experience handling youth and a plethora of human conditions including mental health, health, and business success
Our programme partner prospects
List of participants and their purpose within the programme:
Freedom Fitness PLUS, www.freedomfitness.co.nz – Extending current work with at-risk youth by creating and facilitating this full programme. Several emails and letters of support for our work with at-risk youth are attached.
Salvation Army Glenfield – An organisation our students can support as they learn the art of philanthropy.
Chefs for Compassion, http://www.chefsforcompassion.com/ – Teaching the art of philanthropy through the preparation and service of food.
Parents Inc, http://www.parentsinc.org.nz/cms/ – Delivering a parenting course to the caregivers/adults/parents of programme participants.
Kaleidomedia, http://www.kaleidomedia.co.nz/ – A media company owned and run by a local 24 year old. This company will facilitate media experience and give a company perspective to programme participants as seen through the eyes of the 24 year old owner.
Arcadia Skin Care, http://www.facebook.com/ArcadiaSkinCare – Health advice from a qualified Naturopath. Another business perspective in terms of running a lifestyle business.
Musetude, http://www.musetude.com/ – Releasing the creative genius within programme participants through music. Using their methods this organisation can release sufficient genius/mind power to teach two years of classical music study in just two weeks.
Toi Ora, http://www.toiora.org.nz/ – An art space in Grey Lynn currently working with referrals from DHB’s. Wants to expand into youth work and will deliver the art, music, and drama aspects of the programme.
Four Letters, http://www.fourletters.co.nz/ – A local Birkenhead skate shop owned and operated by a 24 year old. This business is like a magnet, attracting hoards youth as young as years of age and up to mid-twenties. Liam, the owner, will deliver perspectives on creativity, business, and responsibility, with a complete understanding for what it is like growing up as a teenager in Birkenhead.
Organic Planting – This activity will be provided by a couple of different groups in possession of youth work experience all over the world. They bring to the programme creative, inter-generational, career, and maturity perspectives.
Peter Taylor, http://www.speakers.co.nz/petertaylor.html – Peter is an equestrian athlete with international experience at the top of his game. A unique circumstance irrevocably changed Tailors life. While at the Barcelona Olympics, he was unknowingly infected with a rare parasite from a sand fly bite. The illness, Visceral Leishmaniasis Donnovanni, usually kills by destroying the bone marrow within twenty months. Peter remains the only person living in the world now in his tenth year of infection and fulfilling a hard regime of chemotherapy. His ability to continue repeated rounds of treatment have made him a medical pioneer, completing 900 doses.
Now partially blind and severely deaf from the effects of the treatment, Peter brings a refreshing personal perspective to dealing with change and motivation. The only thing that keeps this viscous disease under control is those monthly doses of intense chemo-therapy and it always makes Peter extremely sick for one week each and every month. For the other three weeks Peter carries out amazing and inspiring works, which helps him to add to the hundreds (maybe thousands) of intriguingly motivational stories to tell. He also performs on stage delivering his message of courage, hope, and encouragement. Peter is the only person I know in the world in possession of every right to ask of his audience one very important question - “So, what’s YOUR excuse?” If there are others out there, I just have not met them yet.
Now partially blind and severely deaf from the effects of the treatment, Peter brings a refreshing personal perspective to dealing with change and motivation. The only thing that keeps this viscous disease under control is those monthly doses of intense chemo-therapy and it always makes Peter extremely sick for one week each and every month. For the other three weeks Peter carries out amazing and inspiring works, which helps him to add to the hundreds (maybe thousands) of intriguingly motivational stories to tell. He also performs on stage delivering his message of courage, hope, and encouragement. Peter is the only person I know in the world in possession of every right to ask of his audience one very important question - “So, what’s YOUR excuse?” If there are others out there, I just have not met them yet.
Jesse’s Superfood, http://www.facebook.com/jessessuperfood – Jesse is a chef with a young baby suffering from severe lactose intolerance and gluten allergy. She uses her cullinary knowledge to create amazing super-foods a mother with such a baby can use whilst breast-feeding. Another advantage eating these super-foods is the additional health benefits they deliver. It is not easy to substitute white flour with buckwheat. Jesse has employed a deep understanding of how to prepare food with a vivid imagination of what ingredients can be used in place of the harmful ones. She runs a business that supplies the superfoods she makes to mothers who want healthier babies. She can provide knowledge of food preparation and a business perspective.
Elias Kenaris, http://www.eliaskanaris.com/ – A Leadership Coach and Business Mentor. Elias has worked all over the world running some very large company divisions for companies like Gen-i. He specialises in helping people develop their leadership and influence potential.
Colleen Sluiter, www.bigbusinessinsight.com – A Business Coach specialising in Marketing. As an owner of several businesses and an immigrant from South Africa Colleen brings an internation understanding and perspective to the programme.
Steve Boardman, http://waspsecurity.co.nz/ – Still in his 20’s and without a single formal qualification Steve owns and operates one of the most professional, honest, and competent security businesses around. Another one who brings it all to the table, and he is young enough to remember what being a teenager was like.
Rawene Centre, http://www.rawenecentre.org.nz/ – This is the landlord for Freedom Fitness PLUS and the provider of the location where this programme will be run.
Youth On Track, http://youthontrack.org.nz/ – The brainchild of a 19 year old who had been through it all. You name it, it probably happened to him as he was growing up. He shared his desire to help others with 59 year old Pete, and Youth On Track was conceived. Some months and a whole lot of work later, this organisation is completing a number of registration processes, has a full board of trustees, and a patron, Christina Stroud of www.christinastroud.com Christina deals with P addiction and has reported a 97% success rate. The Government run alcohol and drug addiction programmes report a much more modest claim with regards to success, reportedly hovering in a single digit percentage figure.
The Flat FM, http://www.flatfm.co.nz/ – Owned by Anthony from Kaleidomedia, The Flat FM is another success story. The radio station has three transmitters – one in Birkenhead, Hamilton, and Whangarei. With over 8,000 listeners aged between 10 and 25 years of age (they also stream online) these guys bring some fantastic perspectives to the programme, not to mention an affordable way to reach our target market for this programme. The aim is to be running a radio show as part of this programme.
BNI (Business Networks International) Harbour View http://www.bni.co.nz/chapter_details.asp?chap_id=14227 – An important part of the programme providing a large proportion of the business networks we will involve to give youth different forms of work experience.
Interesting people who have shown a high level of interest in appearing as guests on the radio show intended to be associated with this programme:
Mark Knoff Thomas – Runs the city office of Kelly Services, http://www.kellyservices.co.nz/NZ/Contact-Us/Branches/Auckand-CBD/ Mark is passionate about employment opportunities and career paths for youth.
Peter Grace – Has spent 20 years working with families dealing with experience of mental illness. http://www.sfauckland.org.nz/SUPPORT/Our+Team/Waitemata.html
Many of the providers outlined in the programme.
In addition we will be working closely with a large contingency of community networks including the local Community Co-ordinators and schools. We have already been in discussions with career advisors from Glenfield College and other relevant organisations, although we are yet to see where these will lead.
How does the "Time to Shine" programme work?
How does our programme, “Time to Shine”, work?
By taking groups of local youth and their parents through a 3/6/12 month programme covering all of the above. At the end of the first three months it is envisaged participants who have enrolled will be committed to finishing the education being delivered by the NZ Correspondence School and Wananga in the gym throughout 2012, as well as staying on at the gym for fitness and connection.
Step 9 - What happens when the student becomes the teacher?
9. Teach
There is no doubt about it, you only get a real grasp on an idea that is worked and played with. And ultimate understanding comes from teaching it. We want youth who come through the shining programme to consider (officially) teaching these ideas to the next group whilst they (un-officially) teach them to their peers in conversation. Youth who successfully complete the programme will be invited to consider serving as a mentor.
We like the idea of reading to youth in residence. Perhaps our mentors can do something like that.
Step 8 - Building community
8. Integration
Freedom Fitness PLUS is a community minded service provider that employs health and fitness as a tool to assist youth to lead and achieve. We have a good membership base that can provide plenty of encouragement and support long after the programme has concluded. Adult/Youth gym memberships contribute heavily to the affordability of family and community centred health and fitness. Staff and members enjoy fulfilling a quasi-mentorship role with other members/gym users, younger or older. Because we are based in the Rawene Centre, 33 Rawene Road, Birkenhead, there is ample space for additional community activities to be planned beyond just gym membership.
Step 7 - Approaching things from a mature perspective
7. Developing Maturity – a pathway to satisfaction
Corey L. M. Keyes, was contemplating the ‘modern’ view of health and well-being. Of course, the typical measures of health and well-being are designed to operate somewhat like a light switch. It is either on, or off. You are rich, or poor. You are well, or sick. You are in, or out, of control in your life.
But, as we understand it, Corey L. M. Keyes conclusive observation went a little something like this. Life is just not like that. Everything can be measured in degrees. A person can experience mental un-wellness today, and feel perfectly functional and fine the next. A person can be very wealthy yet experience depression. An un-well person of modest means can be incredibly inspiring.
It seems Corey L. M. Keyes reasoned that a truly objective conclusion on the ‘wellness’ of an individual calls for shades of grey, from many perspectives, before a ‘line’ can be drawn that accurately describes the condition of their life. There is one measure, which is in the process of being adopted worldwide, that can be used for this purpose. Are you:
- Flourishing, or
- Languishing?
How can one person seem to have everything to live for yet be miserable (languishing)? And how can one person facing near crippling hardship be inspiring (flourishing)? In layman terms, Corey L. M. Keyes hypothesised that if a person has seven life “ducks in a row” then, regardless of anything else in their life, they will flourish. The fewer ducks they have lined up, the greater the chance they will languish. Here are those itemised “ducks”:
a) Are you giving? – You need to understand that you don’t have to be a billionaire like Bill Gates to be a philanthropist. Once you realise this fact, you are liberated from the chains of the imagined financial barriers to philanthropy (which also offers countless opportunities for personal and professional development too).
b) Are you connected? – Genuinely connecting with others is a sure-fire way to help an individual release their gifting into the world. No one person can do everything alone. We are just not built that way. We are built to work in teams, each individual maximising the whole by contributing with their unique gifts. Sadly, whilst technology promises better connectivity it is often delivered at such a level that is not real or genuine connection (ask anyone who has 600 friends on their Facebook page but only so they can achieve better scores whilst playing online games, or ask someone with a Twitter account boasting “25,000 followers”). Whilst sometimes social media is a very powerful connectivity tool (there probably are people out there with 25,000 genuine followers on their Twitter account but these will be the exception rather than the rule) other (more old fashioned) networking strategies still have their value on the basis that the connection is genuine. For example, everyone in a concert seeing their favourite musicians are arguably better connected than many Facebook and Twitter connections. Most of us would be satisfied with a one on one or small group face to face. The skills that produce real connections in these scenarios are still important.
c) Do you take notice? – I heard of a wealthy guy once who was utterly depressed. I cannot remember the exact figures but the story went something like this. He was depressed because he had only made $2 million in income that year and he was sure he should have made at least $2.5 million. True story. It sounds like a cliché but it is important to “smell the roses” that are growing in your garden. By all means (if you can) attend to any that are struggling and maybe try to solve whatever the issue is, but don’t completely ignore the fact that you have some terrific roses growing. Another aspect to this is being mindful. To stop reacting to life and live the life you want instead. This is (of course) linked to creativity. Ways to be mindfully creative (by quietening the un-helpful logical, emotional, and reptilian fight or flight noise often constantly heard in the mind – thus opening up one’s creative resources) are to meditate, pray, reflect, play music, paint, read, write, fish, walk, and certain other forms of exercise. You can use whatever quiets the mind for this purpose.
d) Are you active? – The body is its own drug lab. When you exercise it creates an enormous amount of ‘feel good’ chemicals. These are completely legal and FREE of charge to use! As previously mentioned, this is one method to open the creative mind in order to get an individual out of the reactionary rat race approach to life and begin to plan the life one actually wants to live.
e) Are you still learning? – You cannot do any of this stuff properly if you are ignorant. And we are all ignorant. Keep learning. Keep making distinctions. With ubiquitous access to the internet and books (both available free of charge from most New Zealand libraries) ignorance in a subject of importance to you is a choice. As for literacy issues, many public schools will allow enrolments from just about anyone, free of charge. I know a lady in her 70’s who went back to High School for three years and brushed up on her French alongside a whole lot of teenagers and she had a ball doing it - for FREE!
f) Are you grounded? – actually, the International List to ensure someone is flourishing ends with the items listed above. “f” and “g” were deemed out of reach for some people in some countries. But being connected with earth, nature, plants, and organic life are considered an important part of being able to develop a flourishing mind-set and attitude. In New Zealand, there is no excuse not to do this.
g) Are you eating well? – again, off the International List because some people in the world just have no way of controlling their diet. Not so in New Zealand. Anyone can grow a veggie patch or plant an apple tree.
It is true youth have many advantages, including the ability to use technology with astonishing aptitude. But this has come at the cost of many of the items listed above from “a” to “g”. So, although highly talented and very clever, some youth have a world view that does not completely serve them.
Step 6 - Finding Purpose
6. Job Choice (or purpose)
Also important is to ensure the youth concerned is satisfied that their choice of employment (or purpose – not every inspirational purpose involves getting a job) can bring them what they want in life, even if only for now. Otherwise… let’s say a member of New Zealand’s youth figures out what their dream job is (or embarks upon a mission of purpose), gets "in the door”, only to discover they hate it and want to do something else. In speaking with many youth it is apparent that some feel their only chance to “try before you buy” is to sign up for something at University that contains work placement during the first year. Most courses can be around the $8,000.00 mark for the first year (more, or less). That is an expensive fee to pay just to find you hate a vocation.
Our idea is to employ our growing network of enthusiastic business owners who will help youth get a taste of their industry without cost. In return our network get's first chance to get a glimpse of new talent. It is hoped that youth will start to make our network a part of their own so they can continue to benefit from their relationship with the business owner or manager beyond the duration of the programme.
Step 5 - Bridging the gaps between generational perspectives
5. Bridging Gaps Between Generational Perspectives
Another problem faced by today’s youth is a feeling of un-importance for what was once held sacred and an emphasis on things once considered frivolous. An example? An older cafe owner employs a young person to wait tables. The youth is able to text his friends, check his Facebook page (via his cell phone), and provide excellent service to customers - simultaneously. Somehow the youth, because of their affinity with and ability to employ various forms of technological leverage, has the capacity for incredible output levels in less time than the cafe owner can imagine. The cafe owner is operating on outdated perspectives about time and output possibilities and so can start to resent the youth on the basis that they cannot possibly be getting the work done whilst doing so much multi-tasking – even if they are getting the work done. Even if the cafe owner considered themselves dextrously adept with cell phone technology they would still probably struggle with the multi-tasking (were they to attempt to emulate the youth) and customer service would suffer so the café owner is against such behaviour. That is why most cafe owners in this position would reprimand their employee (and probably watch the youth walk out the door, never to return). But our particular cafe owner quickly gets over his employees apparent lack of focus when he begins to understand the youth is delivering exemplary service and that happy customers are complimenting the youth as well as returning more regularly than in the past. But what the owner can’t get over is the fact that the youth places more emphasis on socialising the night before a busy Saturday morning than he does coming into work on his business’s busiest day of the week. The youth, for his part, does not live to work and is adamant he won’t be giving up his regular Friday night plans with friends for his boss.
There is a void in perspective between youth and business owners in terms of certain expectations. But, with the right amount of understanding, these voids can be bridged. And it is vitally important this happens ASAP, so that opportunities are not lost to un-necessary feelings of frustration.
Oh, and it has been suggested to me in the past couple of days that the ability to multi-task (in the brain) does not actually exist. Now the experts seem to think that "apparent" multi-tasking is actually the brain switching from task to task rapidly and that it is extremely in-efficient. I never really believed that multi-tasking was possible other than in appearance (as several things can be happenning physically at the same time whilst actually the brain is operating only on one task at a time).
Oh, and it has been suggested to me in the past couple of days that the ability to multi-task (in the brain) does not actually exist. Now the experts seem to think that "apparent" multi-tasking is actually the brain switching from task to task rapidly and that it is extremely in-efficient. I never really believed that multi-tasking was possible other than in appearance (as several things can be happenning physically at the same time whilst actually the brain is operating only on one task at a time).
Step 4 - Developing Creativity
4. Developing Creativity
In a recent public debate on how to fix youth un-employment in New Zealand (held at the AMI Netball Stadium on the North Shore) a point about creativity was raised. The point made was that our education system does not do enough to uplift the importance of creativity. So, why is developing more creativity important?
Today’s world is as fast paced as it’s ever been. Communication from one side to the other is instant. If you study an accurate account of World History you will note that hundreds, sometimes a thousand years or more would be the timeframe between one nation and another discovering copper, iron, and steel (or a plethora of other advances, like use of the plough for example). Such a geographical barrier to the pace of development is completely un-known today. If you created the best thing since sliced bread and released it onto the internet you could have people from the other side of the world purchasing it from you instantly.
A job is no longer a lifelong thing either (for the most part). The ways of The Silent Generation have their importance even today (things like diligence, determination, discipline, and commitment to skill development) but lifelong company loyalty (for example) is not always (or often) appreciated. Planning to stay with the same company for life and protecting your silo of expertise as a means of remaining indispensable is not a clever career enhancing strategy any more. The preferred mentality in these times is to outgrow your job, reach for a higher place, and maybe even groom your replacement before you leave. People are expected to re-invent themselves many times throughout their working life. This pace is not always easy to deal with. The ability to do so is a gift possessed by so many of our youth. Unfortunately, the ability to deal with such pace comes with a few problems, mainly, an inability (or desire) to focus on the same thing for extended periods of time (because change becomes addictive after a while).
Step 3 - Literacy
3. Literacy - Basic Facts and Skill Development (NCEA English and Maths)
We can all agree that a full understanding of the most basic facts surrounding literacy is a critical foundation to specialisation. The trouble is, people are ready (i.e. have a good grounding in the basic facts) for specialisation at different ages. Some people are ready for University at 15 or younger, some at 16, some at 17 or 18, and some aren’t ready until they are 42 years of age (or older!). The important thing is the student has full comprehension of many basic facts relevant to their chosen area of study before they specialise. People are ready at different ages because motivation has a different vehicle for everybody but the point is everything starts with the general basics and many out there (typically at-risk youth) are missing these. Our systems seem to be maximising things at the University level so perhaps now the quickest way to lead the worldwide knowledge wave is to help more people at the basic level. Could doing so grow our already excellent tertiary sector even more?
For young people lacking the basic foundations of literacy we would suggest the most important aspect of learning the basic facts and skills behind NCEA level English and Maths is the question, “Why bother?”
A good example of the resulting conundrum is the advent of text language. Youth can be expected to think NCEA English is a complete waste of time given the total acceptance of youth and adult alike to routinely communicate in written text speak. The impression is that text speak, an overly-simplified form of English, is universally acceptable. Over time, this may become true. Right now though, if you want to be a journalist, house designer, or builder, (and probably a million other professional things), a good basis in NCEA English (sometimes to a higher level than High School) is necessary to communicate precisely.
Step 2 - Consultation
2. Consultation
We consult with:
- Local youth
- Local business
- Education Providers
- Mentors
This allows us to end up with the feedback necessary to execute all 9 steps of our programme successfully.
Step 1 - Relationship
1. Relationship
Everyone needs someone who believes in them. Someone of high standards but who is non-judgemental, accepting, and supporting of others when they are most vulnerable. Everyone needs someone to cheer them on and pat them on the back when the time is right. Trust is essential. It is all about one person lending another the faith they need to get the ball rolling. We suggest everyone has a mentor at least 20 years their senior (and further we recommend everyone has mentors of all ages). With at-risk youth (in fact any youth) we believe a mature minded mentor is essential to help them get through the rough years and make the most of them.
How can we get young people in NZ to believe more in themselves?
with a view to improving:
- youth un-employment rates
- youth alcohol and drug dependency
- romantic and family relationships
- youth risk taking and suicide rates
The Plan – Youth Shining in New Zealand
1) Relationship
2) Consultation
3) Literacy - Basic facts and skill development (NCEA English and Maths)
4) Creativity
5) Gaps in generational perspectives
6) Choosing the right career (or finding purpose)
7) Approaching things from a mature perspective
8) Integration
9) Teach
How do we approach youth mentoring?
What is the “Compound Approach” to youth mentoring about?
Let’s explain this concept in body-building terms.
Body-builders get big arms doing heavy arm curls, right?
Wrong! Arm curls develop the biceps. 2/3rds of the size of the upper arm is the triceps muscle.
OK. So then, body builders get big arms doing heavy triceps exercises, right?
Wrong! Both arm curls and triceps extensions are isolation exercises. They only work the main target muscle. As a finishing exercise these are of great importance but they are no good for building massive size, usable strength and power. That is because, when you are working the smaller muscles (like biceps and triceps), you can only load them to a certain extent. The result is that these isolation exercises are not completed with maximum poundage, therefore maximum intensity is not achieved (and gaining bulk muscle mass/strength/power is all about training at the very highest intensity).
The best method to build massive muscle mass/strength/power is to use compound exercises. These exercises use other muscles to assist, which means that much heavier weights can be employed. Heavier weight equals higher intensity. Higher intensity equals bulk muscle/strength/power gain.
The Compound approach to youth mentoring (for life skills) is all about using all of the tools (all of the muscles in the body) to create maximum effect (maximum poundage). This is our metaphor for the basic grounding required to start a successful life. To begin with, it is merely a constant transfusion of faith in youth, until youth have the capacity to generate faith in them-selves. Then comes the motivation, the goal setting, and the effort of pursuit.
In body building you still need the isolation exercises to finish, refine, and define the individual muscles. This is where bicep curls and triceps extension exercises are needed. This is our metaphor for specialisation sought at some point down the career path for youth. This is where the most valuable skills are honed.
Friday 21 October 2011
What do youth need today?
A friend of mine, Dee from the Glenfield Salvation Army, emailed me to tell me about an upcoming community meeting with politicians on the subject of youth. Bloody politicians. Always trying to capitalise on people's pain around election time. I say we hold the meeting so we can take action as a community and tell the politicians to not bother turning up. Folks, we don't need them. They cannot fix this. They can only get in the way. This is a job for mothers, fathers, family, friends, and community. Anyway, here below is my email response to Dee:
Awesome, thanks Dee.
I went to the youth prison (they call a stay there being "taken into residence") in Manukau yesterday. I listened to (well meaning, highly trained, and very professional) CYFS staff intently. I got some clues.
It is my opinion that:
1) Youth do not like themselves much.
2) A combination of Silent Generation, Baby Boomer, and X Generation attitudes is confusing to them (even the parents who have these things don't understand them).
3) The modern world is so fast paced. Youth are attracted to the next biggest flashy and sensational thing.
All of this means that their lives are completely reactionary and never pro-active. This is like building a house with no plans, each step merely a whim. Youth need more downtime, more time to exercise creativity, and they need guidance to help them harness the results. Music, art, ideas, exercise, meditation, prayer. In short, leisure and time for inspiration/guidance and mentorship to help collect the 'fruit'. But with all the noise of TV, iPods, iPhones, energy drinks, flashy marketing of the latest hip "must-have" thing, the almost neurotic obsession with 'friends' (and the idea that, somehow, hanging with friends is the meaning of life whether doing good or bad - the more anti-social behaviour* being performed the more valuable the badge of honour that is awarded for sticking together as friends - another sign of low individual self-esteem), it is very difficult for youth to find the solitude and quietness they need. The answer to these stresses is all-too-often sought in the bottom of a bottle (or worse!).
Have you seen the movie called Karate Kid? The boy's name was Daniel and his martial arts mentor was Mr Miagi. Daniel was constantly wanting to jump ahead in his training but Mr Miagi always slowed him down and made him focus on simple basics. Daniel would be drilled on the simplest of things over and over and over and over again. Did he get annoyed with Mr Miagi's training? Absolutely! But Mr Miagi, gently, insisted. Not only did this help Daniel develop technique but also his own style. That is what youth need now more than ever!!! Of course, in the competition at the end of the movie, Daniel won. He also got the girl :) The problem is that it takes time with an adult for this to happen. And most adults have made choices that mean they don't have the time. I cannot quite remember now but I am sure that Daniel's parents never even appear in any part of the movie. What does that tell you?
What youth need is the best that the generations mentioned in 2 have to offer, based on youth's needs in the modern world. For example, the Silent Generation's view on discipline is called for in the learning of skills that increase self esteem, but not in the area of employment. I say this because skill development has not changed. It takes dilligence and practice. But the modern job market? It is fast paced, full of change. It is nothing like the Silent Generation preached after the depression. Holding onto the security of one job for life is no longer the prescription, although complete dedication to the work at hand in the job you are doing this day is critical. Youth have the ability to meet the fast paced challenges, but not the staying power for dedication (it is still developing). So, when youth are rejected (for lack of staying power for example), it is just further proof to them they are no good. Then the cycle of punishment starts, as well as the alcohol and drug abuse (escapism), then more punishment (even youth jail). More proof the "system hates them". They are quick to think, good at leveraging technology, etc etc etc. But their attention span is short and so skill development is handicapped. They (like much of the modern world) have no patience. Neither did most of us when we were young. So time has no chance to work it's magic. As employers are mostly from older generations there is a gap in perspectives between youth and older people. The older people try to respond to issues with discipline alone, and that does not work for the reasons discussed. What we need to do is encourage youth as they show us what they can do, then carefully guide them so they can positively contribute. Then they will like themselves better. Then they will feel successful. Then they won't need to depend so much on the drugs and alcohol.
I think that teenagers are born to rebel and we need to stop panicking about or reacting to it. Rebellion is how they grow and it is just part of life (like the mother bird pushing the baby bird out of the nest except in reverse). I think youth need access to personal mentors at least 20 years their senior so they can make decisions with mature input and still temporarily 'rebel' against their parents (it's that nest pushing thing again that forces the baby bird to fly. Don't worry Mom and Pop, this is how your child will learn that nobody loves them more than you. The last thing they need from you right now is a tighter grip. What they do need right now is your loving patience. Don't worry, our programmes rely on your involvement too). I also think the modern fast paced world of double income and consumerism has gotten in the way of relationship formation at a young age that can help later on.
Freedom Fitness PLUS has programmes to address all of these issues. Every, single, one. We have great credibility for our ideas because they have worked well for youth for the past 18 months here on the North Shore. When I listened to the CYFS guys they were able to analyse behaviour but unable to provide solutions like I have just articulated. That is not their job anyway. Their job is to asses and refer these kids to the appropriate providers (of which Freedom is one). And I have to say we are very lucky in NZ to have CYFS people who are so good at what they do. Really.
Althought CYFS (and many others) don't have an issue, Freedom's biggest problem in the community seems to be that it is a business, which somehow makes it "evil". Slowly I am convincing people that Freedom is a "Community Business", slightly less evil. I think this 'anti-business' attitude is a hang-over from the Silent Generation and Baby Boomer experiences and is just people being people. At the end of the day a business is neutral. The attitudes of the people running it are what makes it good or bad. It is the same with anything. Money, guns, whatever you want to talk about. It is not the thing which is good or bad. The thing is neutral. I think a good business will attract it's community through service. I think having a business that exercises philanthropy is one of the biggest joys of being involved with one. I think that Richard Branson understands what I mean http://msn.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10760853&ref=rss
* Isn't itinteresting? We use a term like "anti-social" to describe an un-desireable behaviour, as if the behaviour alone is the proplem. It isn't. It is merely a symptom (or outcome) of the problem (a lack of individual self belief). I think part of the reason we focus so much on it (thinking the anti-social behaviour is the problem) is because we have all been trained to tell our young children (when disciplining them as they grow in those early years) that we love them but we don't like a certain behaviour. And something else. When the child becomes one of our youth and engages is more serious forms of anti-social behaviour then we all, like some Supreme Court, go delving into the past history of the troubled youth, thinking we can source the problem that led to their anti-social behaviour. And yet another thing. We all want to fix the problem now! The problem is the manifestation of history. It might have happenned slowly and so likely the remedy will not be instant. So we push the youth and things get intense, causing them to withdraw. This leaves us frustrated, because we are only trying to help, right?
First thing is first. There is a difference between efficiency and effectiveness. Efficiency (with time, money, or whatever) is often our priority. But thinking in this way is false economy. What we really want is to be effective! And, in terms of effectiveness, things will take as long as they take. There are no short cuts. So pushing too hard can be a bit if a waste of time (how ironic).
Next thing? The history. Why are we so pre-occupied with it? Because we are trying to find the root of the problem. Here is the thing. The problem is likely to be the cummulative product of many interactions with many people as the youth grew up. We are not going to get it all anyway. The history might help us to understand how the youth got to where they are at, but I am not sure it has complete relevance to what their future could be. It is true that history can help us predict an outcome. So it helps us understand how the person got to where they are at right now and it helps us predict where they will likely end up if they keep going in the same direction. But wait a minute! The future has not happenned yet! So that particular destination prediction is not set in concrete and can be changed (often without the full details of the youth's history). Don't get me wrong. I am a fan of history. I read about it frequently. History can (and often does) repeat itself (I think that is part of the reason for our pre-occupation with it when we work with youth). If we don't like the history we read as a future we can change our behaviour and create a new future. But, and this is the point, no-one knows every single thing that ever happenned in history and yet we can still change the future. What I am saying is this. If the youth does not want to come completely clean about their past we need not worry. We (with their co-operation) can still help them change their path and hence their future. And if they are not happy to come clean it means one thing. They don't trust us. If they don't trust us, it makes little sense to push for that past information because that will only further alienate us from the youth and the lack of knowledge probably does not prevent us helping them to move forward anyway. Whatever the skeleton is if it needs to come out it will. Life is like that. But it will come out when the youth is ready (and most likely in a better position to handle it). Hopefully, if we handle things right, we will still be around to help them get through it. If not, the youth will still find a way. So, it makes little sense to push too hard. Let us gather the background knowledge we can. Usually it is enough to get some bearings, figure out the youth has issues, and to start working on a number of them. If you are plotting the third leg of a marine journey you don't need to know all of the details of the first and second leg. Just having an idea of your current position and the final intended destination (as well as good knowledge of the likely conditions ahead) is enough to get started.
And the last thing? The anti-social behaviour. It is not the problem the youth is facing. It is the problem we are trying to avoid having to tolerate as a society. That is why we focus on it. But when the youth committed the anti-social behaviour they were following a dream. All we need to do is find out what that dream was and help them replace it with a new one that fulfills the original need without the negative (and probably with a positive) fall-out on society.
Wayne
021 176 4266
09 282 3169
Awesome, thanks Dee.
I went to the youth prison (they call a stay there being "taken into residence") in Manukau yesterday. I listened to (well meaning, highly trained, and very professional) CYFS staff intently. I got some clues.
It is my opinion that:
1) Youth do not like themselves much.
2) A combination of Silent Generation, Baby Boomer, and X Generation attitudes is confusing to them (even the parents who have these things don't understand them).
3) The modern world is so fast paced. Youth are attracted to the next biggest flashy and sensational thing.
All of this means that their lives are completely reactionary and never pro-active. This is like building a house with no plans, each step merely a whim. Youth need more downtime, more time to exercise creativity, and they need guidance to help them harness the results. Music, art, ideas, exercise, meditation, prayer. In short, leisure and time for inspiration/guidance and mentorship to help collect the 'fruit'. But with all the noise of TV, iPods, iPhones, energy drinks, flashy marketing of the latest hip "must-have" thing, the almost neurotic obsession with 'friends' (and the idea that, somehow, hanging with friends is the meaning of life whether doing good or bad - the more anti-social behaviour* being performed the more valuable the badge of honour that is awarded for sticking together as friends - another sign of low individual self-esteem), it is very difficult for youth to find the solitude and quietness they need. The answer to these stresses is all-too-often sought in the bottom of a bottle (or worse!).
Have you seen the movie called Karate Kid? The boy's name was Daniel and his martial arts mentor was Mr Miagi. Daniel was constantly wanting to jump ahead in his training but Mr Miagi always slowed him down and made him focus on simple basics. Daniel would be drilled on the simplest of things over and over and over and over again. Did he get annoyed with Mr Miagi's training? Absolutely! But Mr Miagi, gently, insisted. Not only did this help Daniel develop technique but also his own style. That is what youth need now more than ever!!! Of course, in the competition at the end of the movie, Daniel won. He also got the girl :) The problem is that it takes time with an adult for this to happen. And most adults have made choices that mean they don't have the time. I cannot quite remember now but I am sure that Daniel's parents never even appear in any part of the movie. What does that tell you?
What youth need is the best that the generations mentioned in 2 have to offer, based on youth's needs in the modern world. For example, the Silent Generation's view on discipline is called for in the learning of skills that increase self esteem, but not in the area of employment. I say this because skill development has not changed. It takes dilligence and practice. But the modern job market? It is fast paced, full of change. It is nothing like the Silent Generation preached after the depression. Holding onto the security of one job for life is no longer the prescription, although complete dedication to the work at hand in the job you are doing this day is critical. Youth have the ability to meet the fast paced challenges, but not the staying power for dedication (it is still developing). So, when youth are rejected (for lack of staying power for example), it is just further proof to them they are no good. Then the cycle of punishment starts, as well as the alcohol and drug abuse (escapism), then more punishment (even youth jail). More proof the "system hates them". They are quick to think, good at leveraging technology, etc etc etc. But their attention span is short and so skill development is handicapped. They (like much of the modern world) have no patience. Neither did most of us when we were young. So time has no chance to work it's magic. As employers are mostly from older generations there is a gap in perspectives between youth and older people. The older people try to respond to issues with discipline alone, and that does not work for the reasons discussed. What we need to do is encourage youth as they show us what they can do, then carefully guide them so they can positively contribute. Then they will like themselves better. Then they will feel successful. Then they won't need to depend so much on the drugs and alcohol.
I think that teenagers are born to rebel and we need to stop panicking about or reacting to it. Rebellion is how they grow and it is just part of life (like the mother bird pushing the baby bird out of the nest except in reverse). I think youth need access to personal mentors at least 20 years their senior so they can make decisions with mature input and still temporarily 'rebel' against their parents (it's that nest pushing thing again that forces the baby bird to fly. Don't worry Mom and Pop, this is how your child will learn that nobody loves them more than you. The last thing they need from you right now is a tighter grip. What they do need right now is your loving patience. Don't worry, our programmes rely on your involvement too). I also think the modern fast paced world of double income and consumerism has gotten in the way of relationship formation at a young age that can help later on.
Freedom Fitness PLUS has programmes to address all of these issues. Every, single, one. We have great credibility for our ideas because they have worked well for youth for the past 18 months here on the North Shore. When I listened to the CYFS guys they were able to analyse behaviour but unable to provide solutions like I have just articulated. That is not their job anyway. Their job is to asses and refer these kids to the appropriate providers (of which Freedom is one). And I have to say we are very lucky in NZ to have CYFS people who are so good at what they do. Really.
Althought CYFS (and many others) don't have an issue, Freedom's biggest problem in the community seems to be that it is a business, which somehow makes it "evil". Slowly I am convincing people that Freedom is a "Community Business", slightly less evil. I think this 'anti-business' attitude is a hang-over from the Silent Generation and Baby Boomer experiences and is just people being people. At the end of the day a business is neutral. The attitudes of the people running it are what makes it good or bad. It is the same with anything. Money, guns, whatever you want to talk about. It is not the thing which is good or bad. The thing is neutral. I think a good business will attract it's community through service. I think having a business that exercises philanthropy is one of the biggest joys of being involved with one. I think that Richard Branson understands what I mean http://msn.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10760853&ref=rss
* Isn't itinteresting? We use a term like "anti-social" to describe an un-desireable behaviour, as if the behaviour alone is the proplem. It isn't. It is merely a symptom (or outcome) of the problem (a lack of individual self belief). I think part of the reason we focus so much on it (thinking the anti-social behaviour is the problem) is because we have all been trained to tell our young children (when disciplining them as they grow in those early years) that we love them but we don't like a certain behaviour. And something else. When the child becomes one of our youth and engages is more serious forms of anti-social behaviour then we all, like some Supreme Court, go delving into the past history of the troubled youth, thinking we can source the problem that led to their anti-social behaviour. And yet another thing. We all want to fix the problem now! The problem is the manifestation of history. It might have happenned slowly and so likely the remedy will not be instant. So we push the youth and things get intense, causing them to withdraw. This leaves us frustrated, because we are only trying to help, right?
First thing is first. There is a difference between efficiency and effectiveness. Efficiency (with time, money, or whatever) is often our priority. But thinking in this way is false economy. What we really want is to be effective! And, in terms of effectiveness, things will take as long as they take. There are no short cuts. So pushing too hard can be a bit if a waste of time (how ironic).
Next thing? The history. Why are we so pre-occupied with it? Because we are trying to find the root of the problem. Here is the thing. The problem is likely to be the cummulative product of many interactions with many people as the youth grew up. We are not going to get it all anyway. The history might help us to understand how the youth got to where they are at, but I am not sure it has complete relevance to what their future could be. It is true that history can help us predict an outcome. So it helps us understand how the person got to where they are at right now and it helps us predict where they will likely end up if they keep going in the same direction. But wait a minute! The future has not happenned yet! So that particular destination prediction is not set in concrete and can be changed (often without the full details of the youth's history). Don't get me wrong. I am a fan of history. I read about it frequently. History can (and often does) repeat itself (I think that is part of the reason for our pre-occupation with it when we work with youth). If we don't like the history we read as a future we can change our behaviour and create a new future. But, and this is the point, no-one knows every single thing that ever happenned in history and yet we can still change the future. What I am saying is this. If the youth does not want to come completely clean about their past we need not worry. We (with their co-operation) can still help them change their path and hence their future. And if they are not happy to come clean it means one thing. They don't trust us. If they don't trust us, it makes little sense to push for that past information because that will only further alienate us from the youth and the lack of knowledge probably does not prevent us helping them to move forward anyway. Whatever the skeleton is if it needs to come out it will. Life is like that. But it will come out when the youth is ready (and most likely in a better position to handle it). Hopefully, if we handle things right, we will still be around to help them get through it. If not, the youth will still find a way. So, it makes little sense to push too hard. Let us gather the background knowledge we can. Usually it is enough to get some bearings, figure out the youth has issues, and to start working on a number of them. If you are plotting the third leg of a marine journey you don't need to know all of the details of the first and second leg. Just having an idea of your current position and the final intended destination (as well as good knowledge of the likely conditions ahead) is enough to get started.
And the last thing? The anti-social behaviour. It is not the problem the youth is facing. It is the problem we are trying to avoid having to tolerate as a society. That is why we focus on it. But when the youth committed the anti-social behaviour they were following a dream. All we need to do is find out what that dream was and help them replace it with a new one that fulfills the original need without the negative (and probably with a positive) fall-out on society.
Wayne
021 176 4266
09 282 3169
Thursday 20 October 2011
Dances with wine...
Ever seen the Kevin Costner movie, "Dances with Wolves"? Nah, me neither. I sat in front of the TV whilst it was playing via the video player once but I fell asleep somewhere just after it began. The movie title is cool though! And it made a nice little heading for this blog.
Last Friday I had a dance with David Prescott from Wine and More, Albany.
- He has been selling wine some 30 years
David has owned his current wine store before. He built it!
- He has made wine
From grape growing to selling the bottled product and everything in between
- He has blended wine
This is when many multiple barrells have been produced from a crop. Some will taste better than others. But you don't want to waste anything either. So, one barrell will be the base wine, and the other barrells will be blended with the base wine in a specific ratio that results in a wine product that will sell well many years down the track (once it has aged). To do this takes lots of knowledge, experience, and a well-working crystal ball. Luckily, David has enough of the first two things that he does not need the third.
- He has tasted something like 500 wines over a few days of judging and didn't even get woozy
That didn't happen over night. There was a lot of demanding training before he got to that level of professionalism. He tells me that, after one tasting/judging session, he went to breakfast after all of the tasting was over he ordered a cocktail to fix his tortured pallette...
What is David's point of difference?
You can't buy what he sells in the supermarket and you would be hard pressed to find his level of expertise in a bottle shop. He can provide you with a wine that:
- you (and your guests) will enjoy
David has a thoroughly developed pallette and experienced methodology for wine tasting. Just by listening to you he can choose something special that you will like. If you are lucky, like I was, maybe he will treat you to a lesson in wine tasting.
- will be un-pricable by anybody drinking it
David sources his wines directly. And he usually buys up the entire supply. Your guests (or corporate clients) will enjoy the wine but they probably won't know the label nor how much you paid for it. See what that does for customer loyalty!
- can help you look and feel sophisticated
Once David has told you all about the wine, you can begin to recite everything to your guests and clients.
So you look like a champ three times over. All at prices starting from $10.00 per bottle!
His perfect customer is someone who wants to learn about and have fun with wine. The 'someone' is often from a corporate, but David is just as generous with his time, service, and kindness with an individual. Over the years he has organised entire weddings (including marquees, tables, seating) as well as supplied the wine.
If you are getting married, buying corporate or personal gifts of wine, or trying to learn about wine, then best you start with David. Here are his contact details:
David Prescott
Wine and More
cnr Rosedale Road and William Pickering Drive
Albany
Telephone 09 415 3568
Cell 021 299 2792
Email david@wineandmore.co.nz
Website http://www.wineandmore.co.nz/
Last Friday I had a dance with David Prescott from Wine and More, Albany.
- He has been selling wine some 30 years
David has owned his current wine store before. He built it!
- He has made wine
From grape growing to selling the bottled product and everything in between
- He has blended wine
This is when many multiple barrells have been produced from a crop. Some will taste better than others. But you don't want to waste anything either. So, one barrell will be the base wine, and the other barrells will be blended with the base wine in a specific ratio that results in a wine product that will sell well many years down the track (once it has aged). To do this takes lots of knowledge, experience, and a well-working crystal ball. Luckily, David has enough of the first two things that he does not need the third.
- He has tasted something like 500 wines over a few days of judging and didn't even get woozy
That didn't happen over night. There was a lot of demanding training before he got to that level of professionalism. He tells me that, after one tasting/judging session, he went to breakfast after all of the tasting was over he ordered a cocktail to fix his tortured pallette...
What is David's point of difference?
You can't buy what he sells in the supermarket and you would be hard pressed to find his level of expertise in a bottle shop. He can provide you with a wine that:
- you (and your guests) will enjoy
David has a thoroughly developed pallette and experienced methodology for wine tasting. Just by listening to you he can choose something special that you will like. If you are lucky, like I was, maybe he will treat you to a lesson in wine tasting.
- will be un-pricable by anybody drinking it
David sources his wines directly. And he usually buys up the entire supply. Your guests (or corporate clients) will enjoy the wine but they probably won't know the label nor how much you paid for it. See what that does for customer loyalty!
- can help you look and feel sophisticated
Once David has told you all about the wine, you can begin to recite everything to your guests and clients.
So you look like a champ three times over. All at prices starting from $10.00 per bottle!
His perfect customer is someone who wants to learn about and have fun with wine. The 'someone' is often from a corporate, but David is just as generous with his time, service, and kindness with an individual. Over the years he has organised entire weddings (including marquees, tables, seating) as well as supplied the wine.
If you are getting married, buying corporate or personal gifts of wine, or trying to learn about wine, then best you start with David. Here are his contact details:
David Prescott
Wine and More
cnr Rosedale Road and William Pickering Drive
Albany
Telephone 09 415 3568
Cell 021 299 2792
Email david@wineandmore.co.nz
Website http://www.wineandmore.co.nz/
Wednesday 12 October 2011
Is sex education in NZ schools adequate?
One can view the recent complaints about sex education in our schools as fair when you look at how the graphic detailed explanations of performing the act itself with a view to protecting oneself from STD's seems to be the main focus (according to the articles I have read and the reports I have heard) instead of those good old fashioned (and very important) priorities of love, respect, and commitment (which, actually, bring their own form of protection from STD's). Now that I think about it, those highly charged moments in my teens had little to do with respect for anyone or anything. And I confess that all the good things about having a solid relationship never really occured to me until I was much older. So, I guess, whilst it would be nice for schools to include these good old fashioned virtues in their sex education lessons (and I think they should) I am unsure of how they will be received. I am little troubled/concerned that it appears boys from the age of 12 are (reportedly) being told that experimentation at that age is ok with consent from the girl. The legal age of consent for girls is 16 years... Even so, at the end of the day can we really blame our schools if kids are getting in too deep too young?
Well, yes, and no.
There is a train of thought that would let one think if kids didn't know what they learn at these sessions they could not perform the act. I think there is some truth to that but I think they would still try at some point and attempting things in ignorance is probably not such a great idea.
Oh I was angry when I read the articles and heard the media reports about sex education in schools today. I confess I thought 12 years of age is too young for kids to understand this stuff but then maybe the schools are responding to need? Maybe kids are doing this anyway? And, as mentioned earlier, information is better than ignorance.
But what information should be taught? When I was at school sex education was focused on the reproductive systems. And I think that should be part of it today as well (none of the reports or accounts that reached me said this is the case). I also think emotional, social, and financial perspectives should be included in the mix. Age considerations (in terms of the legal age of consent) should be in there too. Add in the good old fashioned values and virtues and I think we are well on our way. "How to" demonstrations using black condoms on dildo's (as some reports mentioned), whilst probably still important to include, is not enough.
Some say the DPB is to blame for the high pregnancy rate amongst teens. I believe that, in the heat of a teenage hormonally charged moment, caution can be thrown to the wind in the belief that "maybe we will get away with it just this once". That is when we can be grateful we do have such a great system to help mother and child if and when it is needed.
Based on reports I have seen and heard so far I think that more, much of which may well be ignored by teens in the short term, could be included in school sex education programmes. But I find it hard to "blame" the schools too much. Do you know why?
Because I believe decisions made in this aspect of teen life has a lot to do with self respect. I think that respect begins with self. I think a person who values themselves has more chance of valuing others too. I think a person who values themself has less chance of wanting to harm themselves or others. And I am sorry parents, but you can have more influence on your kids in this area than the schools do. Starting from a very young age too. That, more than anything else, will guide your offspring through those rough teenage years when all those hormones are flying out of control and decisions (good and bad) are being made (and the corresponding lessons being learnt).
So could schools do better? Based on the reports I have seen, most probably.
Can we blame them? No. I don't think so. They are not there to keep our children ignorant so that parents can avoid the tough assignments for as long as possible. And they are merely responding to the needs they see. Parents could do more by simply presenting as the best example possible, far earlier than when they think the child will need to see it. In fact, why not from the get-go?
Don't want little Johnny to be abusive towards women? Then don't abuse your significant other.
Want little Jenny to have self-respect? Then ensure you demonstrate that yourself.
Want Humphrey and Helen to minimise their alcohol and drug dependency? Well... do you minimise yours?
Even when parents do present as fantastic role-models things can still go wrong. But do it anyway. We expect our sports heroes to do so. And it is not their job to bring up our kids. No. Ultimately, parenting is a parent's job.
Well, yes, and no.
There is a train of thought that would let one think if kids didn't know what they learn at these sessions they could not perform the act. I think there is some truth to that but I think they would still try at some point and attempting things in ignorance is probably not such a great idea.
Oh I was angry when I read the articles and heard the media reports about sex education in schools today. I confess I thought 12 years of age is too young for kids to understand this stuff but then maybe the schools are responding to need? Maybe kids are doing this anyway? And, as mentioned earlier, information is better than ignorance.
But what information should be taught? When I was at school sex education was focused on the reproductive systems. And I think that should be part of it today as well (none of the reports or accounts that reached me said this is the case). I also think emotional, social, and financial perspectives should be included in the mix. Age considerations (in terms of the legal age of consent) should be in there too. Add in the good old fashioned values and virtues and I think we are well on our way. "How to" demonstrations using black condoms on dildo's (as some reports mentioned), whilst probably still important to include, is not enough.
Some say the DPB is to blame for the high pregnancy rate amongst teens. I believe that, in the heat of a teenage hormonally charged moment, caution can be thrown to the wind in the belief that "maybe we will get away with it just this once". That is when we can be grateful we do have such a great system to help mother and child if and when it is needed.
Based on reports I have seen and heard so far I think that more, much of which may well be ignored by teens in the short term, could be included in school sex education programmes. But I find it hard to "blame" the schools too much. Do you know why?
Because I believe decisions made in this aspect of teen life has a lot to do with self respect. I think that respect begins with self. I think a person who values themselves has more chance of valuing others too. I think a person who values themself has less chance of wanting to harm themselves or others. And I am sorry parents, but you can have more influence on your kids in this area than the schools do. Starting from a very young age too. That, more than anything else, will guide your offspring through those rough teenage years when all those hormones are flying out of control and decisions (good and bad) are being made (and the corresponding lessons being learnt).
So could schools do better? Based on the reports I have seen, most probably.
Can we blame them? No. I don't think so. They are not there to keep our children ignorant so that parents can avoid the tough assignments for as long as possible. And they are merely responding to the needs they see. Parents could do more by simply presenting as the best example possible, far earlier than when they think the child will need to see it. In fact, why not from the get-go?
Don't want little Johnny to be abusive towards women? Then don't abuse your significant other.
Want little Jenny to have self-respect? Then ensure you demonstrate that yourself.
Want Humphrey and Helen to minimise their alcohol and drug dependency? Well... do you minimise yours?
Even when parents do present as fantastic role-models things can still go wrong. But do it anyway. We expect our sports heroes to do so. And it is not their job to bring up our kids. No. Ultimately, parenting is a parent's job.
Tuesday 11 October 2011
How can you drive a car safely by only ever touching the accelerator pedal?
The idea is that you are going to drive a car in complete safety by only ever touching the accelerator. You may also touch the seat you are sitting in plus maybe the floor your feet rest upon but you are not allowed to touch the handbrake, the footbrake, the steering wheel, the gearshift, the indicator switchgear (nor any other switchgear on the dashboard). And you must drive this car in complete and utter safety. Do you think you can do it?
The answer is, of course you cannot do it! Now, how about your health? It is the same thing there too. Just like the components of a car all of the professionals have a specific job to do.
Doctor - treats the symptoms (prescribes pain killers for pain, anti-biotics for infection, can set a broken bone, stitch up bad lacerations, can perform some tests and sends you for other tests to diagnose conditions, and so forth)
Surgeon - Performs surgery
Nurse - Assists your medical recovery from a condition/situation
Physiotherapist - reduces muscular inflammation so you can move more freely
Chiropractor - aligns the spine
Naturopath - takes a holistic approach. Uses several methods to diagnose a condition. Uses herbs to strengthen the bodily systems including vital organs (like the liver), the immune system, and the central nervous system. Uses things like Bach Flowers (ever heard of "Rescue Remedy"?) to treat emotional issues
Fitness Instructors - can help you train for strength/flexibility balance, functionality, mobility, and performance
The best kind of gym will help you take a holistic approach using all of these resources as appropriate. Do you have a sore back? Don't just treat the symptoms (pain). Treat those for sure but then do something to fix the main and underlying problem(s). For instance, did you know gluten allergies can lead to back pain? If you did not know that and you are suffering back pain come and see us so we can help you get to the bottom of things rather than just carrying out half treatments, applying patches, and never really solving anything permanently. Otherwise you are just trying to safely drive that car using nothing other than the accelerator pedal.
Wayne
+64 21 176 4266
+64 9 282 3169
The answer is, of course you cannot do it! Now, how about your health? It is the same thing there too. Just like the components of a car all of the professionals have a specific job to do.
Doctor - treats the symptoms (prescribes pain killers for pain, anti-biotics for infection, can set a broken bone, stitch up bad lacerations, can perform some tests and sends you for other tests to diagnose conditions, and so forth)
Surgeon - Performs surgery
Nurse - Assists your medical recovery from a condition/situation
Physiotherapist - reduces muscular inflammation so you can move more freely
Chiropractor - aligns the spine
Naturopath - takes a holistic approach. Uses several methods to diagnose a condition. Uses herbs to strengthen the bodily systems including vital organs (like the liver), the immune system, and the central nervous system. Uses things like Bach Flowers (ever heard of "Rescue Remedy"?) to treat emotional issues
Fitness Instructors - can help you train for strength/flexibility balance, functionality, mobility, and performance
The best kind of gym will help you take a holistic approach using all of these resources as appropriate. Do you have a sore back? Don't just treat the symptoms (pain). Treat those for sure but then do something to fix the main and underlying problem(s). For instance, did you know gluten allergies can lead to back pain? If you did not know that and you are suffering back pain come and see us so we can help you get to the bottom of things rather than just carrying out half treatments, applying patches, and never really solving anything permanently. Otherwise you are just trying to safely drive that car using nothing other than the accelerator pedal.
Wayne
+64 21 176 4266
+64 9 282 3169
Friday 7 October 2011
How can we help Dave grow his business?
When and Where?
Wednesday, October 5, 2011, 4.30pm, at Freedon Fitness PLUS, 33 Rawene Road, Birkenhead, North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand.
What?
Dance with Dave Meys, Account Manager, Metal Exchange, 245 Archers Road, Glenfield, North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand.
Dave came to breakfast at Harbour View (our BNI (Business Networks International) Chapter) this morning. As soon as I arrived in my office afterwards I emailed him to book a dance. After a few exchanges he suggested we dance at the gym. I met him there.
He seemed interested in what we did at the gym and so I shared a fair bit about our business with him. However, the purpose of our dance was for me to find out how I can help him, so he started teaching me about the recycling industry and his business.
Dave pointed to a treadmill standing on the gym floor. He told me Auckland has two massive machines that would swallow that sucker up in one piece, crunch in down into a billion small chunks and, using magnetism and a couple of other magic tricks, separate all of the steel from the plastic, the rubber from the alloy, the copper from the LED's... (you get the idea?) and place what is left into separate piles. His company takes the stuff they are interested in and sells it domestically or exports it. If the New Zealand economy is charging along he can recycle stuff for good profit in New Zealand because who ever buys it can manufacture new product for sale domestically. If the New Zealand economy is struggling he has to export it. I am sure there are other things controlling the negotiated purchase price too but that was pretty much the basic story. Now wait a minute though. He did not want to come and pick up one treadmill from my gym to have it thrown into the crunching machine (there are two crunching machines in Auckland, both located out south). What he needs is all of the treadmills being chucked out from all of the gyms in New Zealand.
What Dave is looking for is volume. For example, he could work with individual electrician's and re-cycle copper wire. But the business plan calls for him to be working with all electricians across NZ. He was trying to answer another question too: "Is BNI the right mechanism for him and his business?"
We discussed different client acquisition models. His preference is similar to ours at the gym, which is delivering service in such a desirable way that word of mouth spreads and attracts long term business partners (not merely customers). There are a few advantages to this method:
1) People working with the company develop a relationship encouraging them to stay for the longest term.
2) The company develops it's service delivery to the point where the customers don't want to go anywhere else, thus constantly developing and maximising it's approach and leading the industry in its niche.
At the gym we do this individual by individual or, which is my preference, family by family (we offer family memberships). We also look to do this organisation by organisation. Dave needs to do it trade industry by trade industry. I had four suggestions for him:
1) Come back to Harbour View a few times and see what happens.
2) Try the Takapuna Chapter.
3) Learn all of the names of the ITO's (Industry Training Organisations) and the Industry Organisations themselves. Find out who he needs to speak to in each of those organisations in order to provide an education about recycling to all of the known and active industry players as well as the up and comings (why not future proof the business?).
4) Come to breakfast and ask for the referrals he has identified.
Another thing he might try is asking for referrals to specific company's he is interested in working with, (like, certain steel or wire product manufacturers, for example...?).
I am convinced that the calibre of membership at Harbour View will serve him well once he has shown his colours. The calibre of the members at the Takapuna Chapter is also extremely high. I just think our breakfasts at Harbour View are nicer...
So guy's (and gal's) at Harbour View? Bring along as many referrals to as many ITO's and Industry Organisations as possible for Dave this Wednesday.
And Dave? We will see you there on Wednesday for breakfast :)
Here are Dave's business details:
Wayne
+64 21 176 4266
+64 9 282 3169
Wednesday, October 5, 2011, 4.30pm, at Freedon Fitness PLUS, 33 Rawene Road, Birkenhead, North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand.
What?
Dance with Dave Meys, Account Manager, Metal Exchange, 245 Archers Road, Glenfield, North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand.
Dave came to breakfast at Harbour View (our BNI (Business Networks International) Chapter) this morning. As soon as I arrived in my office afterwards I emailed him to book a dance. After a few exchanges he suggested we dance at the gym. I met him there.
He seemed interested in what we did at the gym and so I shared a fair bit about our business with him. However, the purpose of our dance was for me to find out how I can help him, so he started teaching me about the recycling industry and his business.
Dave pointed to a treadmill standing on the gym floor. He told me Auckland has two massive machines that would swallow that sucker up in one piece, crunch in down into a billion small chunks and, using magnetism and a couple of other magic tricks, separate all of the steel from the plastic, the rubber from the alloy, the copper from the LED's... (you get the idea?) and place what is left into separate piles. His company takes the stuff they are interested in and sells it domestically or exports it. If the New Zealand economy is charging along he can recycle stuff for good profit in New Zealand because who ever buys it can manufacture new product for sale domestically. If the New Zealand economy is struggling he has to export it. I am sure there are other things controlling the negotiated purchase price too but that was pretty much the basic story. Now wait a minute though. He did not want to come and pick up one treadmill from my gym to have it thrown into the crunching machine (there are two crunching machines in Auckland, both located out south). What he needs is all of the treadmills being chucked out from all of the gyms in New Zealand.
What Dave is looking for is volume. For example, he could work with individual electrician's and re-cycle copper wire. But the business plan calls for him to be working with all electricians across NZ. He was trying to answer another question too: "Is BNI the right mechanism for him and his business?"
We discussed different client acquisition models. His preference is similar to ours at the gym, which is delivering service in such a desirable way that word of mouth spreads and attracts long term business partners (not merely customers). There are a few advantages to this method:
1) People working with the company develop a relationship encouraging them to stay for the longest term.
2) The company develops it's service delivery to the point where the customers don't want to go anywhere else, thus constantly developing and maximising it's approach and leading the industry in its niche.
At the gym we do this individual by individual or, which is my preference, family by family (we offer family memberships). We also look to do this organisation by organisation. Dave needs to do it trade industry by trade industry. I had four suggestions for him:
1) Come back to Harbour View a few times and see what happens.
2) Try the Takapuna Chapter.
3) Learn all of the names of the ITO's (Industry Training Organisations) and the Industry Organisations themselves. Find out who he needs to speak to in each of those organisations in order to provide an education about recycling to all of the known and active industry players as well as the up and comings (why not future proof the business?).
4) Come to breakfast and ask for the referrals he has identified.
Another thing he might try is asking for referrals to specific company's he is interested in working with, (like, certain steel or wire product manufacturers, for example...?).
I am convinced that the calibre of membership at Harbour View will serve him well once he has shown his colours. The calibre of the members at the Takapuna Chapter is also extremely high. I just think our breakfasts at Harbour View are nicer...
So guy's (and gal's) at Harbour View? Bring along as many referrals to as many ITO's and Industry Organisations as possible for Dave this Wednesday.
And Dave? We will see you there on Wednesday for breakfast :)
Here are Dave's business details:
Dave Meys
Account Manager
Metal Exchange Glenfield Ltd
245 Archers Rd, Glenfield, North Shore
PO Box 90099, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Mobile: 021 676 293
PO Box 90099, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Mobile: 021 676 293
Ph: 09 444 9700dave@metalexchange.co.nz
Wayne
+64 21 176 4266
+64 9 282 3169
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