How to Build a Better Future for Young People

◆ new ted talk recommendation

Hey guys! Happy Sunday!

Today I want to address an issue that’s very close to my heart. I’m going to be a teacher in the near future and I’m currently in contact with many fellow students, teenagers and kids, who regularly express their personal worries and concerns. Therefore, I educate myself a lot on the actions each and every one of us can take in order to improve our current educational system, maximise chances for an adequate work space and give young people hope for a better future.

That’s why I need to share this TedTalk with you, where Henrietta Fore is talking about Generation United and why it matters now how we treat young people (which she defines as people who are 10 to 24 years old – which includes me and maybe you too). It’s just a nice approach with a lot of thought provoking stories, statistics and ideas she presents all under 15 minutes – so please check it out if you’re interested:

https://www.ted.com/talks/henrietta_fore_how_we_can_help_young_people_build_a_better_future

◆ playlist of kids, teens and their incredible ideas

Also, if you’d like to listen to some incredible kids speaking about their breathtakingly innovative ideas, there’s a list for you as well:

https://www.ted.com/playlists/528/kids_teens_and_their_great_big_ideas

◆ for everyday life

Some more general advice everyone (including myself) can easily pay attention to:

listen to others – sometimes just having another human being to talk to about their problems and fears can change and improve someone’s life immensely (guess who’s probably going to be doing a program to become a school counsellor one day … damn right, it’s me, who would’ve guessed)
take young people seriously – there’s nothing worse than being made fun of or being dismissed only due to being young and please for the love of our lord and saviour Harry Styles never use the sentence “you’re gonna get it when you’re older”
give people a chance – and most times also a second chance (remember, we’re all still learning and making mistakes is a crucial part to the process)
take time to explain things – simple as that, whether it’s politics, climate change, how to use the dishwasher, what certain words mean in a different context, societal rules, why it's important to __ and so on

Again, I’m really interested in everything that could improve the overall situation for young people – but also, to be more specific, how I can best help my own students in the future. So, if you have any advice or any stories you’d like to share – I’m here to listen! No matter if it’s a description of your favourite teacher, how you educate yourself outside of school, or anything else you can think of!

I guess that’s it for today. I hope I achieved my goal of getting you on board of the ship that’s sailing towards a better future for our generation (wow ... now I get why I try to avoid including my cheesy metaphors in articles, oh gosh). Well, as always, feel free to stay in touch with me by leaving a comment or writing me a message - I do my best to reply as soon as possible, I promise! See you next Wednesday!