>I was a "listener" in a conversation the other day with a group of people
>on an education foundation board. They were discussing "kids at risk" and
>cause(s) of this social issue. One suggested conducting a teacher's
>survey or having a teacher's forum to probe further into understanding the
>causes, with the assumption teachers close to kids at risk would have a
>good understanding of the causes.
>
>I am a rookie in the education field and am just beginning to get involved
>in my community's education system. I am wondering if there are common,
>nation-wide systemic causes for kids at risk that have already been
>identified and published somewhere.
>
>Any information on this issue (insights, research references, etc) would
>be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
This kind of problem is just now being tackled in a corner of Australia
with a high incidence of teenage [and younger], suicide. Medical doctors,
Police, School teachers, Psychologists and Churches meet to develop a
strategy for early detection of at-risk children in early stages of
depression, which could lead to a number of outcomes, including premature
leaving home and in too many cases here, suicide.
It is early days. and we are funded by the Australian Government to tackle
this issue. {Australia has one of highest rates of suicide among young
people 15 - 21 and kids are killing themselves at increasingly younger
ages}
We hope to develop a support net for kids before things get out of hand
[early detection, referral specialist care etc.]. The government hopes
this might become a model for the rest of the country..
It will involve training the community to take responsibility and to know
what to do, where to go. Other funded projects elseqhere in the country
have developed resources to help with this education program. Some Web
connection may be suggested as many children can access this at school....
The idea could have many benefits, not only preventing young people taking
their lives, but developing a stronger sense of community. Perhaps
developing specially tailored learning programs for those identified as
'under achievers' to bring out their best potential. We need to help
children develop a strong sense of identity and provide pathways into some
thing for their future. Many kids are afflicted with a sense of no future.
Hopelessness eventually kills. We are working to identify those at risk
and intervene before their young lives go horribly wrong.
Peter J Wharton
Design
Queensland College of Art
Griffith University
Australia
Ph 3875 3150
--P.Wharton@qca.gu.edu.au (Peter J Wharton)
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>