Kids are bored in the summer holidays: and social media could help

Aunty reports:

Thousands of teenagers could be wandering the streets over the summer holidays because they have nowhere else to go, a charity has warned.

The 4Children charity found 80% of the 16,000 youngsters surveyed said they had nothing to do outside of school.

And 70% said young people became involved in anti-social behaviour and petty crime because they were bored.

Now, I'm not going to say that blogging could solve the evils of our world but being bored in the summer holiday is nothing new. Schools offer to put on summer schools, some universities, too, but to be honest the last place a teenager wants to go when the sun is out (or, in our case, the torrential rain is coming in) is back to school.

However, judging by the number of "online now"s on Bebo at the moment I reckon the vast majority of kids are quite keen to be online and interacting during the summer holidays. It's just that Bebo in itself is what teachers would call "unstructured activity" - fun for the short term (i.e. 47 minutes) but running out of steam when you've got a whole day on your hands.

What they might appreciate is for Bebo to start playing a great big ARG with them, to get them out and exploring their local area with their mates, having fun, solving challenges, winning stuff from sponsors and maybe even learning something on the way. It might even involve a bit of constructive telly watching to solve some of the puzzles and using Bebo's Author feature to write some amazing "what happens next" stories which go up for voting.

Or they need some extreme learning projects of their own design to get their teeth into, collaborating through Bebo with people elsewhere in their Local Authority or neighbouring city to create something incredible.

I don't think I'm being too teacherly here. When Don was Head Teacher of Dunbar Grammar School he offered the challenge to his students of creating some extreme learning projects over the summer hols. He expected maybe a couple to return with anything and ended up with fifty, fifty who had taken him up on the challenge and appeared with their glimmering projects on the first day of school term.

Kids wants structure in their school lives and, to some extent, want it in their holidays, too. These are just some of my ideas. Anyone else got some suggestions?

Comments

[DK]

Maybe something for McIntosh Ltd and MediaSnackers to develop...?

Peace

DK

[Ewan McIntosh]

Well it's certainly given me some food for thought for next summer's offerings from LTS, but it would be great to have regional partners who could help deliver some F2Fs as well, in the form of events to celebrate the multimedia output of the participants. Something could maybe start in the school year and come into summer and culminate in the week before school's back. Hmmm. Hold that thought until 2008 ;-)

[Fiona Macintosh]

This post has really interested me. I am a college lecturer and as such most of my students get holiday jobs so this isn't an issue for them.

However, I am also a Squadron Commander with the Air Cadet organisation and have wonder if the "because they have nowhere else to go" has more to do with they haven't really tried looking. Our community is a small one, but we have Air Cadets, Army Cadets, Sea Cadets, endless sports clubs, Youth Club, Young Farmers Clubs, pipe bands and many others. A huge variety to suit anyone's taste.

I really worry about the time today's youngsters already spend in front of a computer screen and I don't honestly believe that encouraging them to spend more time doing this 'unsocial', yes unsocial, activity. There is no replacement for good old fashioned 'getting together' with your peers.

I watch youngsters that come into our Squadron at 13, who are shy, unconfident, lacking in people skills and agree, desperately in need of some stucture (and discipline in a lot of cases). You can't imagine how satisfying it is to see these kids develop into mature young adults, who are capable of leading their peers, working in a team, organising activities and communicating without a keyboard.

We are developing really employability skills and often, give those who are academically weaker a chance to shine at something else. One cadet, who went for a job interview recently told me "we spoke about my school work for 5 minutes, then we spoke about cadets for half an hour. It was great!". We should be encouraging every child to get involved with the youth organisations that are out there. Of course, I recomend the Air Cadets (www.aircadets.org) but as long as they are out working with others it doesn't really matter.

[Ewan McIntosh]

I'd argue the toss about social networking being unsociable, or blogging for that matter: look at what we're up to now.

However, I do agree that some balance is needed and that youth organisations provide a great structure, some adventure and friendship when they are well run.

I also have an affection for what the cadets and armed forces offer, after spending about nine months doing the Royal Commissioning Board runup and sponsorship.

Keep up the good work, but, as I say, I think there's a need for balance to engage *all* kids, not just those who enjoy computers or those who enjoy the outdoors.

[Neil Winton]

Hi Ewan...
Interesting to read this, especially as I've got a number of my blogging pupils who are using their blogs through the holiday. So far I've been hearing about an orchestra trip to Poland, a recent Youth Theatre show, and some interesting films...

Maybe the summer holidays would be an ideal opportunity to organise a pupil oriented 'Teachmeet' with you and DK (for example) giving pupils a chance to try out and learn about many of the tools... I'd certainly be willing to help out if you were to go along these lines...

[sue Corfield]

"80% of the 16,000 youngsters surveyed said they had nothing to do outside of school." This is nothing new. How much was spent on finding this out? I work with YP in a youth service and this tends to be just something they say even those that do do activities still when asked say "there is nothing to do" Its just a phase and one that teens use, dont take it to literally. Those that do nothing or stay at home on computers its because that is what they want to do those that do nothing because they actually cant find something is because as someone else suggested they have not looked. Youth services all over the country offer summer schemes yp just dont come as whats on offer is not whats wanted hanging round on a corner drinking, talking with mates, and the like is more fun to a teen than anything any one can offer on mass. Yes there are lots of activities that are fun but its impossible for all young people to attend those. The answer????