TODAY’S YOUTH, TOMORROW’S ADULTS

IT is time to stop the name calling and collectively come up with a solution for the group that congregate in the mall.

The future for these teens is bleak — drug and alcohol addiction, pregnancies, unemployment, crime and jail. These teens often come from broken homes, poverty and abuse while some are just rebellious. Now it is up to the people of Geelong to break this cycle. People are missing the real issue — let’s be known as a city that is changing the lives of our youth.

The jail sits vacant. Have a meeting, offer to clean up this site with their help. There could be pool and table tennis, movies and many other ways to make these kids feel like part of the community.

Some are good artists, they could paint and sell their art, start a garden and eat or sell the produce.

Healthcare workers could be involved, the kids will need help to get their learner’s (permit) then licence, also be informed about voting and at 18 years they are eligible to rent.

They are only my ideas and I’m sure others have better, but let’s start now. These kids did not ask to be born, but they do deserve to live happy, productive lives like most of us enjoy. Helen McLean, Bell Post Hill