Last updated at 15:08, Friday, 05 February 2010

Anybody who was ever a teenager will remember how impressed they were by worthy adults preaching the merits of best behaviour. Hardly at all.

Anyone who witnessed the progress of that old chestnut, sermonising “Just say no” – designed to divert youngsters from drugs – can testify to its success. Not much.

And only those with a blindness to the needs and aspirations of young people growing up in a rapidly changing and increasingly confusing world could believe any quick-fix to substance abuse will be found any time soon. It won’t.

Professor John Ashton, Cumbria’s director of public health, believes the key to prevention is passion. He argues that youngsters will be less likely to turn to drink and drugs if they find a new passion in life – something to absorb their interest more than drugs and alcohol could.

It’s not a bad start. Youth clubs and young people’s activity schemes, adventure projects, Carlisle’s new £5m Youth Zone – they all make a pitch at lifting youngsters from the vacuum of boredom and inertia, into which drugs and drink so frequently drift.

And there’s no doubting their proven success in the lives of many young people who owe fulfilment of ambition and realisation of dreams to inspiring mentors in precisely such programmes.

Aspiration and inspiration are not one size fits all affairs though and we’d be remiss to overlook the views of teenagers who are in the thick of a youth-targeted culture working determinedly to coax them into harm’s way.

On this page young people make clear that dedicated activities and amenities are welcome – but they won’t and can’t provide all solutions to a whole raft of difficult problems.

They know first hand the challenges of peer pressure; celebrity promotion of risky lifestyle; constantly changing educational priorities; a scarcity of university, career and job opportunities – and sermonising adults who will insist on claiming to know best.

First published at 14:09, Friday, 05 February 2010
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk