A Bad Name
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"They'll do anything to get some drugs, even breaking into a house."
Transcript
Introductory Music
"I'm going to tell you how drugs affect my community. Like most seventeen year olds around here, I took drugs, because I was bored and because it was fun.
We were so bored that we'd sit around drinking and smoking on street corners, smashing bottles, making a nuisance. Sometimes the police were called.
For people who are addicted - things can get much worse than that - they'll do anything to get some drugs, even breaking into a house, just for a few quid.
Music again
The police and young people have never got on. They both need to sit down together and put forward our points of view and try to make our relationship better.
Young people have been stereotyped since the beginning of time. I know all of this as we have tried to make a difference, but people still give us a bad name.
Music again."
End slide - Thanks to Mooq for the music.
An interview with the author
Please tell us about yourself.
I am 17 years old and live on a deprived estate where there is absolutely nothing to do.
What's your story about?
It's about how drugs and alcohol affect the community and how young people in the area have a bad name. People often don't reveal the full story as they are from the outside looking in - they don't know what it's really like.
What did you find the most rewarding aspect of this workshop?
It gave me the chance to learn some computer skills - I had none before doing this workshop.
Your comments
"Chris is dead right young people do get a bad reputation. people stereotype young people because of what one young person has done and that gives us all a bad name."
Darran French, Mountain Ash, Wales.