Last week CelebYouth joined with IDYW to explore the influential, contemporary notions of the ‘celebrity and the ‘entrepreneur’ and their impact on how young people see the world. By all accounts the event was stimulating and challenging. Amongst the comments from participants were:
Very thought-provoking. Make a difference to youth workers!
Thank you for today. I feel both angry and hopeful.
Enlightening, very good reflections but case studies are too wordy
Fortunately we’re able to post the three Powerpoint presentations given at the workshop, which offer a real insight into the proceedings. The first from Heather Mendick uses extracts from interviews with young people to explain the intent, process and findings of the two year Economic and Social Research Council funded study on the role of celebrity in young people’s aspirations.
Young People’s Aspirations and Celebrity
In the second Tania de St Croix interrogates critically the impact of the enterprise culture on youth work
Youth workers as critical entrepreneurs (1)
Finally Akile Ahmet looks at the knowledge and resources for practice emanating from the research study. The presentation should be viewed in conjunction with visiting CelebYouth’s Mythbusting site, where the stories of young people touched on in the presentations can be found in full, together with a number of videos of young people discussing their reactions to differing forms of celebrity.
IN DEFENCE OF YOUTH WORK 