What do I love about working with young people? Well, there are so many things to write about here; young people are for our future, it is critical that we help them in any way we can whether it be professionally, formally or informally. These are the people who are going to take over the running of our country, keep business’s in business and take care of the environment. So, let me put my ‘loves’ into categories so that it makes it easier for you the reader to understand where I am coming from.
The categories explaining why I love working with young people are:
1. They are young
2. They are optimistic
3. They are fearless
4. They are not afraid of making a mistake
5. They live in the now
6. They love trying out new things
7. They enjoy learning
8. They like sharing
9. They speak their mind
10. They admire talent
1. They are young – with the whole world ahead of them, they think they will be young and youthful forever and they will if they keep this mindset…stay forever young.
2. They are optimistic – it is rear to find a young person who is not optimistic or at least is happy about what the future holds for him or her. They always hope for the best and most times they get it.
3. They are fearless – young people are risk takers. Their attitude is, ‘What is the big deal, what is the worse thing that could happen to me?’ And most times, nothing ever really bad happens.
4. They are not afraid of making a mistake – a mistake to a young person is rarely seen as a mistake at all. They see it as an experience, a learning curve that they will either do again, learn how to do it better or learn not to do it again.
5. They live in the now – young people live in the here and now, not in the there and then. They live in the present, never thinking about tomorrow or the day after. They focus on doing their best now, enjoying the moment right now.
6. They love trying out new things – young people get easily bored. They always want to be doing something new / different that gives them a new buzz, a new interest and new focus. Repetitive ‘stuff’ is not always appealing (a trait that they will need to re-develop for the world of work).
7. They enjoy learning – most if not all young people enjoy learning or at least they know that they have to learn and study or they may get left behind. They see their friends and colleagues work hard to achieve the place, course and / or job they want and they know they have to follow and most times they do.
8. They like sharing – young people are very sociable whether it be in person, on the telephone or On-Line. it is crucially important for them to have friends, someone to share their every minute / every hour / every day experiences with. To them, this is what life is all about.
9. They speak their mind – some might say they over do it, but all young people let their parents / guardians know what they think of them, the world and themselves, it never stops. We have to / need to listen, putting ourselves in their shoes and understanding the world from their eyes.
10. They admire talent – young people will always be the first to say if they like something you have done, something you have achieved, are something you are wearing. They like to observe, compare and comment. It is good for them and good for you.
Young people…we are responsible for making them responsible…!
