 Shamiel X Adams Seit mehr als zehn Jahren sammelt er bereits Erfahrung in der Gemeindearbeit und ist des weiteren für den „Standards Generating Body“ des South African National Qualifications Framework tätig. Seine Projekte in Südafrika umfassen u.a. die Einrichtung des ersten Radios für jugendliche Strafgefangene (Bandvlei awaiting trail) und die Entwicklung der Leitlinien von loveLife (die größte südafrikanische HIV-Hilfsorganisation). Shamiel hat auch bereits in England, Nordirland, Deutschland, Norwegen und in den Niederlanden mit Jugendlichen an sozialen Projekten gearbeitet. Zur Zeit ist er Projekt-Koordinator für Baobabconnections und baut sein eigenes Jugendnetwerk Contact Interactive auf. Creative Life Workshops sind ein Konzept dieses Jugendnetzwerkes. Contact Interactive glaubt, dass es notwendig ist, die Perspektiven und Sichtweisen der Jugendlichen zu erweitern und so eine neue Jugendkultur des kritischen Bewusstseins, bedachter Entscheidungen und lebenslangem Lernen zu erschaffen: Diese alternative Jugendkultur ist dringend notwendig in einer Zeit, in der viele Jugendliche ihre Lebensträume auf der Basis von wucherndem Materialismus, der westlichen Popmusik-Kultur, kommerziellen Massenmedien und dem daraus resultierenden Massenkonsum bilden.
Diese Atmosphäre, in der Jugendliche heute aufwachsen, wird weiter verschlimmert durch den wachsenden Zugang zu Freizeit- aber auch zur harten Drogen, durch HIV und Aids, Arbeitslosigkeit und Kriminalität; alles Folgen von schlechten sozialen und ökonomischen Bedingungen, einem schlechten Zustand der Ausbildungssysteme, und der Wirkung einer expandierenden Wirtschaft, die beide Eltern zwingt, zu arbeiten.
Die „Creative Life Workshops“ wollen Jugendliche durch eine lockere, interessante, lebendige Herangehensweise erreichen. Kurz gesagt, wir wollen, dass es cool ist, sich für die Welt und andere Menschen zu interessieren und zu engagieren.
Die Creative Life Workshops möchten Jugendliche zusammenbringen, damit sie Informationen und Erfahrungen für das Leben und die Zukunft austauschen können. Dies soll Jugendliche in der Bildung einer gemeinsamen Jugendvision und in der Planung von Aktionen, die für eine nachhaltige, menschliche Gesellschaft und Erde werben und eintreten, inspirieren und unterstützen.
Die workshops sind dynamisch und interaktiv gestaltet und bedienen sich einer Menge aktiver Methoden wie kreative Ausdrucksformen, Musik, Kunst, Poesie und Bewegung. Dabei wird versucht einen Ausgleich zu schaffen zwischen eigenständiger Erkenntnis und gegenseitigem Lernen.
Für weitere Informationen können sie ihn gerne persönlich kontaktieren: |
Junge Menschen, die in den entwickelten Ländern der westlichen Welt aufwachsen,
bekommen oft ein falsches Bild der Welt vermittelt. Es ist sogar so, dass viele
Jugendliche, unabhängig von sozialer Herkunft oder ethnischer Zugehörigkeit,
gar nicht wissen, wie viel Macht sie selbst haben, etwas in der Welt zu verändern
- sei es durch ihre Rolle in der Wirtschaft oder durch Wahlen – und schlecht
informiert sind über die Konsequenzen von wichtigen politischen Veränderungen
und der Entwicklung der Umwelt, die rund um den Globus ständig stattfinden.The following
observation are gleamed from my work on the project Mut gegen
Gewalt (Stand against Violence) aka Work-on-Peace.
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 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
01.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.
02.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.
03.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.
04.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.
05.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.
06.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.
07.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.
08.Music, Fun and laughter In all my workshop humour, music and fun is vital. |
Shamiel X – Key messages
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01. 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.
02. 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.
03. 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.
04. 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.
05. 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.
06. Treat others like you want to be treated A cliche if ever there was one. But an important shift of focus for us.
07. If it is safe, stand-up against violence, rascism, oppression rudeness, bullying,
08. 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.
09. 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
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01. We need more local adults involved.
02. Violence can also be experienced in a non-physical manner 03. It is hard to talk to people about personal issues 04. Role models who show us the way is important 05. Don’t judge anybody before you get to know them 06. Support us, don’t press us down 07. Even after experiencing violence, we still stand for peace 08. We must believe in ourselves 09. 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"
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| 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. |