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The
following observation are gleamed from my work on the project Mut gegen Gewalt
(Stand against Violence) aka Work-on-Peace.
Background
It is
very important to remember that most young people ages 12 –25 have very little
sense of who they are. This search for affirmation and identity during
teenage-hood is quite normal.
But,
it can also be a lifetime battle and for many it is often the source of untold
pain and suffering.
The
project Work-on-PEACE was initiated by Anne Schmeckies and Shamiel X after the
discovery of frighteningly high levels of violence in high schools in
Bremerhaven, Germany, to some it is the poorest town in West Germany. Inspite
of serious incidents of bullying and even sever physical attacks youth generally
remained about and accepting of the abuse.
This
projects aims to bring a positive message to youth. To celebrate their inner
strength as-well-as present a safe space (workshops) for youth to explore
alternatives and discuss the challenges and dreams they are concerned with. Most
importantly throught this process youth can spread the messages and ideas to
their peers, parents and friends and in fact to the world.
The
projects street-logo is Mut gegen Gewalt (Stand-up against Violence). Our online
presence and also our one-to-one theme is Work-on-Peace. In this way taking a
dual stance of courage, but also peace so as to ensure that this is not just a
message of doom but also of hope.
Workshops approach
The
context of these workshops included various age groups (6 – 21), language
differences, short workshop time (maximum 3hrs), the deeply personal issues of
violence, limited preparatory and capacity, presence of teachers, and/or prior
learning / teaching habits. Considering this I used the following approach in
workshops:
-
Be clear about the rules
From
the start of the workshops I make it clear to the youth that this is not a
lecture. I am not the expert, while I have experience, their input is what is
most important, they have to ask questions. Their learning requires their
commitment, work and cooperation, and that all ideas are important to make the
process work.
-
Follow the process
As the
questions slowly start to come out, a process emerges that deeepens the issue.
These questions are vital as they create the direct sense that the youth build
the issue, from the perspective that they know what they need. During this fluid
process I wait for key issues like: What can we do? Is there hope? Etc..
When
they emerge I compliment the individual and/or the group, again creating and
affirming TOGETHER, rather than expert/learner.
For me
what is critical in such a fluid process is to hold the group together with some
statements that stimulate, but does not take over the flow or interaction. Be
silent when needed, but encourage input. Ensure a clear level of respect for ALL
statements, but encourage open discussion. Create a sense of safety, but give
the dominating individuals room to express themselves also.
-
Audio visual materials
Is
used when time allows. It is interesting to see the reaction to the poverty
levels in Africa. While the language is often not understood, clearly the images
make sense, and suddenly youth realise that other young people are a lot
worst-off than they are.
-
Peer to peer learning
In the
group always allow a healthly level of debate, both as a big group and within
smaller groups. Most important is to check whether people understand by asking,
making sure they commit, and then asking them to summarise the key issues (as if
they were teaching the class). It always puts pressure of learners, but also
allows them to see their peer/s reflect the learning and they feel more open to
contribute, discuss, rectify thus re-enforcing the learning process.
-
Self discovery rather than instructional
The
fluid process is a process of discovery. One which can be created by the room
itself, rather than a lecture. Buy picking up and supporting the rooms ideas,
one can pin point areas of self-discovery making the learning process instantly
fullfilling. A vital sense which youth need and appreciate. For example: In
every workshop I have done, the key questions always emerge from the
participants. With carefull carrying of the process the discovery is made
possible and can serve as a foundation that makes learning exciting and
worthwhile.
-
The student is important
The
success and/or failure of the workshop lies in students ability to engage the
issue. This makes the student the most important part of the whole process.
Often teachers, dominant voices, or bad consultants manage to shift the focus to
them as experts, rather than the participants. It is vital to bring in the
voices of those who are always quite – they often share insight which is mind
blowing. It is also vital to let the learning take place at it’s own pace (where
possible). We can only offer learning stimuli, we cannot force people to
remember or deepen issues as we expect them to, thus bringing the student into
this learning as a vital part of the learning is key to ensuring that the
stimulation is maximized.
Once
students realise that we are NOT just teaching, but THEY have to work to learn,
they become most important, but teachers also have to LET GO of the idea that
students want to be rescued.
-
What happens after I leave
I
always say to students, what you do or say in the room is not that important, it
is what happens after I leave that matters. The idea is to build a sense of
student ownership for the learning process. Some key messages here are: To be
successfull, work hard and read, read, read, Take little actions everyday, and
once you will be BIG, Treat others like you want to be treated, If it is safe,
stand-up against violence, racism, oppression rudeness, bullying, Choose to have
hope, Dream big, and believe another world is possible.
-
Music, Fun and laughter
In all
my workshop humour, music and fun is vital.
Shamiel X – Key messages
1. Peace is possible.
But first we must
imaging it, believe in it and talk about it. Then as these seeds of togetherness
germinates we can bring the idea into our lives each in our own way.
2. Faith
For a little faith just
close your eyes and be quite. Faith lives in that silence somewhere.
To revive a wiery body
and mind, or when you filling low on confidence just close your eyes. Make a
quite space for yourself where you are perfect, where faith flows in abundance
and love is free. Just imagine it, and grab some – as much as you like. For a
little faith just close your eyes and be quite. Faith lives in that silence
somewhere.
3. Work hard
This is self explanatory
yet so rare in our world today. Work hard means to put in some extra study time,
help at home, pay attention to others needs and to give that little push when
you feel you just can’t any more. You will be surprised what you can do if you
push yourself.
4. Read, read, read
Knowledge is power,
language is power, imagination is power, facts, travel, concepts, debates, ideas,
and our wildest fantasys are possible in the world of reading. (Ban all
advertsing to children and youth) and encourage them to get back to reading.
5. Take little actions everyday, and once you will be
BIG.
There is NO quick fix.
Work hard today for what you want tomorrow. Each and every minute which passes,
is a minute that can turn into a golden thread of the final step to all your
future dreams. So action, action, it is vital.
6. Treat others like you want to be treated
A cliche if ever there
was one. But an important shift of focus for us.
7. If it is safe, stand-up against violence, rascism,
oppression rudeness, bullying,
8. Chose to have hope,
We are what we think we
are. And if we believe then anything is possible. What is harder than having
hope to is to try to be like the Hollywood stars our youth aspire to. Media has
created this fantasy land, and what we must do is to choose to be hopefull.
9. Dream big, and believe another world is possible
Close your eyes and
visit Jamaica – go for all you can be and dont settle for 2nd best.
10. Every town has a hero: Honour your parents, leaders,
teachers ( the good ones)
These leaders and heroes
must be honoured and supported. It takes only one strong individual to change
the world.
11. Do it for the children
What wakes me up is
those innocent little faces, the laughter, the idea of what future they have of
only we can change the world a little but. Do it for your children.
Key statements from youth at the workshops I held
1.
We need more local adults involved.
2.
Violence can also be experienced in a non-physical manner
3.
It is hard to talk to people about personal issues
4.
Role models who show us the way is important
5.
Don’t judge anybody before you get to know them
6.
Support us, don’t press us down
7.
Even after experiencing violence, we still stand for peace
8.
We must believe in ourselves
9.
Peace must be joint effort with all people in the community
10.
We have a lot of privilege compared to Africa
11.
Violence and ignorance will always be around, choose to be different
12.
What can we do to make a difference?
13.
No more war...
14.
We are all the same, different, but the same
15.
I wish we were just acknowledged and taken seriously
16.
Soon I will leave this town
Friday, 12 march 04, Dienstleistungszentrum Grünhöfe,
"Nacht der Jugend"
Inspired by the evening I sat down and wrote this... WHAT
IS HIP HOP:
Hiphop is NOT
bling,
bling, gangster ass swinging, pimp, blunt smoking, Snoopy snoops...
Hiphop is NOT
hydrolic low riders, G string ODBs, big budget music videos, killers dogs,
18inch rims, world fame, MTV, hydrolic low riders, G strings ODBs.. and all
things material
Hiphop is NOT
disrespecting to women or those with less power or less money, or less whatever,
or other than you sneering like you’re disgusted.
Hiphop is NOT
perfecting the accent, flauting the gold, sampling the Soul and leaving your
roots in the wake of a fake twang.
Hiphop is NOT
definately leaving school before your black ass in educated, motivated and wide
awake.
Hiphop is NOT
sucking on tobacco, or any other kind of stick, trip, sip or flip reality
enhancing enabler ’cause everone else does so
Hiphop is NOT
an
annual culture conference, the art of turntablism, graffitti, sylibal flows, and
Bboying day-in and day-out. It is certainly much more.
Hiphop is NOT
designer labels, off centre peak caps, baggy jeans, sneakers, an MP3 player,
online chat rooms, flash websites, and Yo Yo Whats up..
Hiphop is NOT
violent, ignorant, aggressive, commercial, token ghetto, head bobbing, P.I.M.P
and all things jiggy...
Hiphop is NOT
four\four
time, over sampled loops, boring, preditable beats, over stale messages about
thug-life and the hardship of poverty, while you treat your women like property.
Hiphop is NOT
victim
to the G8, George Bush, the WTO, or the World Bank, Record labels, Napster, The
Dow Jones, Vietnam, World 1, 2 or 3...
Hiphop is NOT
Shaken,
or stired, derailed or deferred, detered or conquered by the presence of
rednecks, skinheads, nazis, apartheid, seperatist, female oppressors, or Bill
Gates...
Hiphop is NOT
Kept
in it’s place by western borders, pop trends, sales figures, or Darwins theory
of evolution, and/or the educated West’s new improved strategies to develop the
poor
HIPHOP is
Responsible, reliable, on time, honoured, dignified, educated, self-respecting,
independant worshiper of the goddess of life
HIPHOP is
Hard
working, honest, informed, active, caring, giving and stable as a family unit
HIPHOP is
Female
leadership, humble, gentle, and focused men, involved fathers, well rested
mothers and both parents at home at the supper table, harmonised
HIPHOP is
Creative, positive, anti-corporate globalisation, HIV aware, gender sensitive,
North\South
East\West youth uniting in working hard to change this world
HIPHOP is
Shaming the greedy, contributing to global policy, setting examples of a new
world where trade is fair, everyone is feed, and education is free. A world
where there is NO Advertising to kids anywhere in this world
HIPHOP is
Acting,
not talking
HIPHOP is
Treasuring our water, rejuvinating our forests, minimising air pollution
HIPHOP is
Talking about our past openly and honestly, no matter how painfull. In this way
we can build a world free of guilt, unconscious rank, stereo typing, subtle
patronisation, and uncomfortable silences .... He!He!He!!
HIPHOP is
Busy
learning about itself all the time, growing, evolving, reshaping to be more
effectively work in the local community and in the world
HIPHOP is
Never
done as long as there is injunstice, greed, hate, oppression, ignorance, corrupt
politicians, child trafficing, slave labour, greedy business men and other
simple human challenges.
You
cannot escape the HIPHOP I know.
As
long as you keep your hearts open, HIPHOP is there.
Sometimes in the light, sometimes in the shadows.
Always present, always ready.
Shamiel X.
Bremerhaven, Germany. 15/03/004
Copyright Protected. All rights reserved.
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