Sarah Newton

Communicating with Young People…..

Facebook, Twitter or the good old Written Word?

As a Fitness Coach for Teenage Girls I am passionate about getting every teen girl healthy.  On a daily basis I provide girls with exercise and nutrition guidance to help them live healthy lives and achieve their goals. 

I do this via face-to-face sessions at schools, youth clubs, and in the community, as well as mum and daughter sessions and personal training for teenage girls.  Then there’s my blog, my facebook page and my twitter feed.

But it’s not enough.

I want to be able to spread the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle further.  I want to reach more teenage girls.  I want to play my part in developing a healthy next generation.

In short I have big plans.

I was pondering this shortly before Christmas and I decided to try something new.  Well, when I say new I actually mean a return to one of the oldest forms of communication there is. 

I decided to produce a newsletter.   A single page of A4 with three articles, a recipe and a competition; something the girls could pick up at school, youth club or local café read over their lunch and discard once they’d taken in the information relevant to them.

I have designed it to be thought provoking and informative.  I’ve kept it relevant to what is important to teenage girls; I’ve kept it short, sharp and to the point.

If the girls want more information they can always have a look at my blog and if they want something even shorter and snappier there is always my twitter feed and facebook page.

In today’s society we are constantly trying to think of the next new thing.  Is there an APP that can do that?  Can we communicate via a mobile medium?  Let’s do a video to show that….

Whilst I think all of these are excellent and invaluable for getting our message across and sparking discussion I believe there is also a place for traditional communication.

I plan to produce a quarterly newsletter and distribute it locally although you can also download it via my blog (www.maggieayre.com).   Please have a look and tell me what you think.

My next step is to increase the amount of speaking I do.  It’s time to get out from behind the computer and in front of young people through school assemblies, radio shows and small group discussions.

The spoken and written word – they’re as old as the ark but still immensely important for communicating with young people.

 After spending her teenage years as an international athlete Maggie Ayre qualified as a Personal Trainer and Nutrition Adviser.  For the last three years she has specialised in teenage girls working as a Fitness Coach for Teenage Girls.  In 2012 Maggie will launch her Girls Nutrition Workshops and her 3G Program as well as continuing her work with individual girls and their mothers.  She is available to speak at schools, women’s groups and community events.  More information about Maggie’s work with teenagers can be found at www.maggieayre.com or www.femalefitnessrevolution.com

 

Keeping Children Away from Crime

Children and Crime

Although the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention maintains that the juvenile arrest rate for violent crime is at its lowest level in the last 30 years, there are still an average of 262 arrests for violent offenses per 100,000 youth in the United States. Today's parents must face the challenge of keeping their children from becoming involved in crime and becoming another sad statistic.

The National Crime Prevention Council offers sound advice for concerned parents. These tips offer more than just advice telling parents to teach their kids that “hurting others is wrong” or “drugs are bad for you”; according to Criminology Guide, prominent schools of thought derive criminal attributes to a variety of factors including biology, psychological upbringing, and demographics. The most important thing parents can do to prevent their children from engaging in criminal activity is to play an active role in their kids' lives. Parents should know who their children are spending time with and, meet their friends and be in contact with parents of playmates.

Many children turn to illegal activities when they are left bored and unsupervised. After-school programs and community clubs can keep children busy and off the streets. Participating in sports programs can give children the confidence they need to say no to peer pressure and volunteering can help them participate in improving their community. These skills and values are essential to avoiding crime.

Keeping the line of communication open is equally as important. Parents should talk to their children about crime, including gangs, and the risks of violent or illegal behavior. By emphasizing morals and downplaying the supposed upsides of criminal activity, parents can influence their child's choices.

According to the After School Alliance, children that participate in after school activities are less likely to be suspended from school, less likely to commit crime and less likely to try drugs or alcohol. In San Diego, California, the juvenile arrest rate plummeted by 73% after the introduction of after school programs.

Parents cannot rely on community programs alone to steer their children away from crime. Household rules must be established, explained and enforced in order to encourage good behavior. Rules regarding curfew, friends, notification of whereabouts and spending money must be respected. Setting a good example for children is an effective way of communicating rules and teaching kids to be honest, productive and law-abiding young citizens.

 

Ending Ephebiphobia: Young People Deserve More

My 2012 wish 

"The stereotypes of young people and the irrational fear we have of them have no place in modern society.

Pliny the Elder was on to something when he said, "What we do to our children, they will do to society." If his words are to ring true, then we are in for a whole lot of trouble.

If we don't counter this trend, our young people will increasingly lack the emotional resilience and social competence that is needed to make society a safe, fair and happy place. What we need is a model for empathetic behavior when it comes to dealing with young people. A model that every adult can apply in every situation—be they a parent, an employer, a schoolteacher or a concerned citizen.

Isn't it about time that, as a society, we stopped crushing the spirits of the next generation and started to understand their situations, feelings and motives and in turn change our own feelings, thoughts and attitude towards young people?”

Download my manifesto and make 2012 a great year 

Millennials - best generation ever

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