Last Saturday members of the Ntonga Music School Committee shared what they considered to be necessary life skills. It was invaluable to hear the perspectives of a different generation of black men and women.
Derrick, an Ntonga Music School Committee member, emphasized the importance of role-models. He spoke about how the township lacks role models. The current generation of youth are sorely frustrated. Lacking reliable teachers and supportive parents and guardians, youth turn to gangs for acceptance and drugs to heal inner pain and frustration. While the situation is much more complex, the fundamental problem is youth dont take initiative and older generations remain in an apartheid mindset, disillusioned and hopeless.
The life skills course encourages youth to become agents of their own destiny through self reflection. Through awareness youth are invited to recognize they themselves are the change they have been waiting for.
David, another committee member, spoke about the issue of abuse and what it means to "cross the line." The life skills course is designed to raise awareness about the concept of abuse. As facilitators we do not seek to tell youth what to do. Rather, we aim to equip youth with the necessary knowledge to make educated choices.
Today, I was asked to facilitate the life-skills course in Sam's absence. The topic of the day, was the "Pursuit of Happiness." After spending considerable time gathering a group of fifteen, I encouraged the youth to define what happiness meant to them and share their methods of cultivating happiness in their own lives. I opened the session by asking, "who seeks happiness." Most hands quickly shot up. I then asked, "what do you do to attain happiness?" I was grateful to find several students name playing an instrument as one means to attain happiness. While the younger students remained quiet throughout the class, a few teenagers shared personal information opening to their peers about their weaknesses, life struggles and how they are dealing with these issues. One student admitted to seeing a counselor and being unsure of the means to maintain happiness. Another student expressed feelings of uncertainty in dealing with feelings that are too difficult to confide in a friend. This openness created a dialogue of understanding and greater trust. It is good to see students receptive to, and participating in, this course.
A guest speaker is scheduled for next Saturday, so stay tuned.
Ntonga Music School, Guguletu!
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www.playingforchange.org
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