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PART TWO RECOGNISING THE BARRIERS
THE UNDERSERVED
Are young people really hard-to-reach or is it more to do with the barriers put up by some service providers? In other words, what is it that some organisations do or not do that stops young people from accessing the opportunities that appear to be on offer? Is the range of provision boring, irrelevant or simply not provided?
BLACK AND MINORITY ETHNIC YOUNG PEOPLE
The membership of local centres, clubs and associations rarely match the cultural and religious diversity of our communities. Yet, now more than ever before, community wellbeing and cohesion depends on reaching out to some of the most isolated young people in our communities i.e. those from minority ethnic and religious backgrounds (particularly those in rural areas) and making sure that local opportunities are open and accessible to them. To reach out to these young people, consider employing workers from different minority ethnic and religious communities who can help build trust and act as role models.
LGBT
Most lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ( LGBT) young people face discrimination and exclusion in their everyday life. The lack of visibility of LGBT adults at school and in society means that bullying and harassment continue to be major problems for LGBT youths, which can affect mental well-being, lead to lower achievements at school and to higher suicide rates. Discrimination and prejudice influences the transition of young people into adulthood and is at the root their social exclusion. Advice on good youth work practice is readily available from LGBT Youth Scotland www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/
DOES AGEISM START AT 16?
For young people under 16, the local youth club can be a great place to meet friends and socialise. By the time they are 16, however, the youth club can seem boring and irrelevant as they aspire to access the pubs and clubs of the over 18s. The lack of community facilities for the over 16s may be one reason why so many prefer to drink in the poorly lit parks and embankments in the evenings with their pals.
RURAL ISOLATION
In more remote rural areas of Scotland, services and opportunities for young people are much more likely to be geographically, structurally and financially out of young people's reach. The biggest problem for them is transport and getting the opportunity to spend time with friends outside school hours.
The transport and financial barriers simply compound the sexual and emotional health barriers faced by young people who struggle with things like depression, self-harm, abuse and worries about sexuality, teenage pregnancy and sexual health.
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