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99% Campaign

Magazine
Promoting the positive contributions of young people

Issue 3 | 2016
1
The IARS International Institute
IARS PUBLICATIONS
14 Dock Offices, London, SE16 2XU, United Kingdom
+44(0) 207064 4380
contact@iars.org.uk
www.iars.org.uk

The IARS International Institute is a leading, international think-tank with a charitable


mission to give everyone a chance to forge a safer, fairer and more inclusive society. IARS
achieves its mission by producing evidence-based solutions to current social problems,
sharing best practice and by supporting young people to shape decision making. IARS is an
international expert in restorative justice, human rights and inclusion, citizenship and user-
led research. IARS vision is a society where everyone is given a choice to actively participate
in social problem solving. The organisation is known for its robust, independent evidence-
based approach to solving current social problems, and is considered to be a pioneer in user
involvement and the application of user-led research methods.

Published in the UK by IARS Publications


2016 - The IARS International Institute
The moral rights of the author have been asserted Database right IARS Publications (maker)
First published December 2016

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing
of IARS Publications, or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the
appropriate reprographics rights organisation. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside of
the scope of the above should be sent to IARS at the address above. You must not circulate
this book in any other binding or cover and you must impose the same condition on any acquirer.

British Library Cataloguing


ISBN 978-1-907641-40-4.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this publication are those of young people exclusively.
IARS International Institute accepts no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness,
suitability or validity of any views expressed in this issue and will not be liable for any errors
or omissions in this information or losses or damages arising from its display or use. This
publication has been produced with the support of our funders; Erasmus+, Eurodesk Uk, and
Southwark Council. The contents of this publication are those of young people and can in no
way be taken to reflect the views of our funders.

2
CONTENTS
14 
WHEN COMPROMISE
ISNT FAIR OR SAFE
16 CAMHS IN CRISIS:
THE CHANGES FACING
YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH
18 TO BUY OR NOT TO
BUY: DO WE EVEN
HAVE A CHOICE?
20 THE STATE OF
BRITISH DEMOCRACY
30 POETS CORNER
5 EDITORS NOTE
Editor Lux Rix-Standing 32 PHOTOSHOOT
6 COMMENT 34 WELCOMED AT 13
REFUSED AT 20
THE EU AND YOUTH
DISILLUSIONMENT 36 YOUNG VOTER
DISILLUSIONMENT:
8 YOUNG GIRLS NEED WHAT WOULD CHANGE IT?
SUPPORT
36 T
 HE EX-OFFENDERS
9 GETTING HARD ON CHANGING HEARTS
CAMPUS FREE SPEECH AND MINDS
10 
THE DEATH OF 41 99% CAMPAIGN TEAM
POLITICAL CENTRISM
12 RESURRECTION?

3
FOREWORD
It is a great pleasure to introduce the third issue of the 99% Campaign Magazine.
The IARS International Institute is proud to act as the publisher of this youth-led
publication at a critical point in time for youth policy nationally and internationally.
The magazine is a product of a wider initiative that our charity has been hosting since
2010, The 99% Campaign. This initiative was set up by young people for young
people and remains until this day completely youth-led. Despite lack of core funding,
the young people behind the campaign continue to make significant contributions
to local, national and international issues impacting on them and their peers. These
have stretched from matters of crime and security, to health inequalities, politics,
democratic engagement and inequality. A key topic that remains high in young
peoples lives is unemployment. This is not only highlighted in the online blogs
of the Campaigns own website (http://www.99percentcampaign.org/ ), but also
the key theme in the Campaigns social media: @wethe99percent | www.facebook.com/the99percentcampaign/
Employment through volunteering, training and internships is also the by-product of the Campaign.
Since the last Issue, we have seen some important positive developments in youth policy nationally and
internationally. The EU Youth Strategy is slowly being embedded in government policies, while there is gradually a
recognition of the youth-led method of evidence gathering. IARS has pioneered this method since the early 2000s,
and we are proud to be one of the few organisations providing accredited training to young people and professionals
on youth-led research.
The third Issue could not have been more timely. It is published at time when the UKs ties with its EU family are
being questioned. Hate crimes towards young people and minorities have reached unprecedented levels while there
is no longer a UK government department with youth policy responsibility. As the Founder of a user-led social policy
think tank, I continue to believe that true change happens from the bottom up and not through formalised structures
of decision making. Despite the difficult financial environment and the resistance of institutions, civil society and
young people have the power to mobilise and bring relevant figures to account.
IARS does not have a catchy name and I am often asked what is my lift pitch for funders. My answer is in IARSs
logo and slogan Community-led solutions for a fairer society. We are a solutions focused Institute and this youth-led
magazine is a testament to this claim. I encourage to engage with the authors of this magazine. They are all keen
to hear from you. We are also keen to work in partnership with you. A campaign is by definition a collective effort.
Consider writing for the campaign, volunteering, mentoring, donating or providing in kind support. For every 1 that
you give, we can raise a further 10, keeping one young person in internship for a week.
I am grateful for the hard work that has gone into this magazine. First, big thanks and congratulations to the Editor
and IARS Intern, Luke Rix-Standing. He has worked hard, professionally and diligently in order to produce the
magazine that you now have in your hands. Also many thanks to Andriana Ntziadima, our Communications and
Youth Projects Manager for providing guidance and support to the team and for coordinating the publication. I am
particularly grateful to all the authors and our Youth Advisory Board for their continuous and active engagement.
Finally, many thanks to you for picking up a copy. I hope that you will be inspired to join us in making a change.

Dr. Theo Gavrielides


Founder & Director of the IARS International Institute
@TGavrielides

4
EDITORS NOTE
It has been a great privilege to edit the 99% Campaign Magazine, bringing
together a diverse group of young people to write about the issues that matter
to them. With no-platforming and safe spaces rampaging through university
campuses, the BBC under threat from political and regulatory upheavals, and
broadsheet newspapers buckling under pressure from social media, its crucial that
there are still opportunities for the expression of varied opinion.
The internet has made it very easy for people to superficially express themselves,
but amidst the cloud of social media noise it can be difficult for sincere voices to
make themselves heard. If something is overused it can become blunt: petitions
for example, which used to carry serious weight, are now nineteen for the
dozen. Its one thing to have the length and breadth of social media to rant and
rave, quite another to do so in a way that may actually be heard. Freedom of
expression is only worth something if it is exercised, and for that there must be
the platforms to allow you to meaningfully do so.
These rights are precious: freedom of speech is the sort of thing that goes not
with a bang but with a whimper, and you may only realise its gone when its too
late. It is deeply dangerous to defend the censorship of any particular platform on
the grounds that there are others: you wouldnt tell the Mexican journalist whos
just been removed from their newspaper that they could still stand in soap box in
the street.
And so it is my pleasure to introduce a magazine filled with a broad range of the
interests, concerns and opinions of todays young people. I hope youll find it
interesting.

Luke Rix-Standing
Editor

5
COMMENT
pompous back-in-my-day-ing that
the older generation must engage
in to repress the fact that they are
now boring too.
The trouble is that as one
of these oh-so-anodyne millenni-
als myself, I can see where theyre

The EU and Youth


coming from. Young people need
some passion in their lives a bit
of John Hughes or James Dean

Disillusionment
and the current generation are
woefully lacking in both icons and
causes. No Woodstock; no Sex
pistols; no greed is good; no pick-
Has the EU referendum result woken et lines in Rotherham. Pre-marital
sex is more than allowed, smok-
the sleeping generation? ing is stigmatised by our peers
as much as our parents, and the
by Luke Rix-Standing post-industrial wastelands that
sprawled across 70s album covers
have been replaced by luxury flats.
Generation yawn: 20 is the Will Self put it better than I can
new 40 reads the Telegraph head- when he wrote: the avant-gar-
line, above a picture of a well-be- de was always about there being
haved-looking girl with knitting real taboos, and those taboos just
needles, framed snugly between arent there anymore You guys
a climbing hydrangea and a large have nothing to rebel against.
red teapot. Young generation re- Were apres-garde, it seems. Or
bel by being mainstream declares perhaps just garde.


the Guardian, heading a long and We have a few legitimate
rather derisive exploration of the whinges - the housing crisis per-
popularity of check shirts, 2:1s haps - but none of its exact-
and the Conservative Party. They ly protest song material. Weve
dont drink, they dont smoke, grown up under the wing of our
what do they do? asks Julia
As a generation Llewellyn Smith (Telegraph again),
parents generation - reaping the
rewards of the property ladder,
while Spiked Magazine laments the easy money of the 80s, life-
we despertely the boring politeness of what the
Daily Mail calls generation sensi-
time pensions. Now, as we fly the
nest, were facing the stresses of
need a counter- ble. It appears to be the one thing
the national press can all agree on
a job market comparatively tough-
er than our upbringings. Degrees,
cultural voice: at the moment: young people are
dull.
self-medication and at least an ex-
tra decade of living with our par-
something to It sometimes seems like
my generation cant win. It feels
ents; our problems are just as nig-
gling and tiresome as we are.

make us think, only yesterday that the London Ri-


ots were burning through Totten-
Never has a generation
had more of the world available
ham and Hackney, and columnists to them, and less of a desire to
write and vote across the land were lining up to change it.
take a swipe at the violent anar- When you look for them,
differently to chy of youth. Now that statistics
have come out suggesting that
signs of repression are every-
where. The mental health crisis
our parents smoking, drinking, teenage preg-
nancies and crime are all plum-
unfolding amongst young people is
perhaps the biggest marker. Rates


meting, were told that were tedi- of depression have risen 70% in
ous. The hypocrisy is obvious, the one generation, while hospital
journalistic motive all too easy to admissions for self-harm have
pinpoint, providing oxygen for the doubled in just four years. Anxi-
6
ety is the fastest-growing disor- need something to care about that I dont know what the fu-
der among under-21s, particularly isnt fraught with personal stress. ture holds, but what I do know is
amongst undergraduates. A third Something external. that at Londons youthful pro-Eu-
of all those arriving at university And in the EU, maybe, just rope rally I stood side-by-side with
with no outstanding mental health maybe we might have found it. two-home Tories from Richmond,
problems have clinically signifi- After the referendum result was bespectacled vintage-shopping
cant levels of anxiety by half way announced the outpouring of grief Marxists from Islington and first
through their second year. Eating on Facebook and Twitter was as generation immigrants from Tow-
disorders are rife in both genders, heartfelt, angry and deeply sin- er-Hamlets, all chanting in unison
while suicide is the biggest single cere as anything Ive ever seen on that Londons youth felt betrayed,
killer of men under 19 - and rising. social media. Thousands of young and that our voices should be
It would be the understatement people nationwide shocked out heard. Id never been to a political
of the century to say that the cur- of apathetic torpor were commu- demo before, and nor had many of
rent crop of young people are not nicating freely and expressively them.
facing lifes challenges with confi- with not a filter in sight. Finally I think theres something
dence in their convictions. we could feel screwed over; final- rather beautiful in that. Maybe
Throw into the cauldron ly we could claim the romance of theres life after Brexit after all.
the toxic ingredient of social me- self-righteous resentment; final-
dia, and the self-esteem drops ly the older generation had done
yet further. Many young people something that we, predominant-
live vast proportions of their lives ly, did not agree with.
online - an environment in which Much has been made of
even complete strangers can the wilful disenfranchisement of
watch, judge and minutely quanti- British youth consistently low
fy your every social mistake, while turnouts in General Elections, and
bombarding you with airbrushed a comparatively low 64% for the
microcosms of their own. At first EU but of those who did vote a
glance your Facebook news feed massive 75% opted for Remain,
may look overloaded with infor- rising to the high 80s in London. No


mation, but it often contains little party-political movement has com-
actual truth. Instagram is perhaps manded that kind of enthusiasm
the worst offender - a cascade among the young, and not even a
of carefully filtered, meticulously Taylor Swift wardrobe malfunction
posed lifestyle shots which blur to- could have dominated Facebook
gether into a mass of perfection-
ism against which no-one meas-
Trending the way the EU did on
June 24th. Just maybe this new Accept that by
ures up. Carving your own identity political doctrine Europeanism,
in a social group of ten can be a internationalism, outward-looking gaining lung
challenge; to do so on the web tolerance can provide our bor-
means immersing yourself in an
near-infinite ocean of idealised
ing, sensible youth something to
get excited about.
capacity, clarity
projection. No wonder were a bit
timid.
So please, lose the ciga-
rettes, lose the bomber jackets,
of judgement
These are vast and com-
plex problems, with similarly vast
have sex in your parents house
with a condom and at a reasona-
and an absence
and complex causes, but the re-
curring themes are social anxiety,
ble age. Choose life, choose a job,
choose a fucking big television of unwanted
stilted self-expression and a strug- etc. etc. But accept that by gain-
gle for identity. ing lung capacity, clarity of judge- toddlers youre
As a generation were in ment and an absence of unwanted
desperate need of a counter-cul-
tural voice: something to make us
toddlers youre also losing some-
thing, and that that something has
also losing
think, write and vote differently
to our parents, to force us from
to be replaced. We have to have
something to energise us, to care
something
our rooms and supplant our UCAS about and to fight for, or else well
worries, to claw us away from retreat within ourselves and stress
the thousands of eyes that rake about grad schemes until we all go
through our online projections. We mad.
7
Young
One in three girls between sought, which is why these figures
the ages of 10 and 15 are unhap- are so high. The report paints a
py with the way they look. A re- bleak picture about the wellbeing
cent report by the Childrens So- of young girls across the UK, high-
ciety has revealed that theres an
increasing number of young girls
- about one in seven - who arent
lighting the extent of such insecu-
rities among girls especially. This
may be through the increased in-
Girls need
happy with their lives. The same
report has also highlighted that
the proportion of boys around the
fluence of social media and celeb-
rity culture, such as the Kardashi-
ans, which is readily accessible to
Support
same age who were worried about all but does not accurately portray
their lives remained constant at a healthy and attainable body im- Bullying and body
one in nine. These figures were age.
for children in Wales, but the same Furthermore, these factors image are blighting
situation could be found across contributed to a correlation be- the new generation
the UK. tween emotional bullying and the
The Charity called these increased pressure to look good in
findings desperately worrying front of peers. The report found by Eileen Gbagbo
because they believe that young that behaviours such as name
people in Wales are suffering rath- calling, isolation and cyber bully-
er than thriving. ing were more common among
However, the statistics in girls than boys and could be linked
the report arent quite as unex- to mental health issues, like ano-
pected as the charity implies, as rexia. Stars such as Zendaya and
many people have witnessed or Alicia Keys are using their social
experienced this trend. There have platforms to spread positive mes-
been many incidents of young sages of acceptance, but it is not


girls committing suicide because enough.
of harassment or bullying on sites There needs to be a fun-
such as Ask.fm. More shocking still damental support system in place
is that many of these girls may throughout schools as well as
continue with the mentality of dis- homes where these girls can feel
liking their bodies and it will either comfortable talking openly about
go unnoticed by parents, friends
and teachers
issues that affect them, and learn
where they could seek the right There needs
or the right kind of help. Furthermore, Person-
help would
not be
al, Social and Health Education
(PSHE) should also place a
to be a
greater importance on these
issues, offering relevant and fundamental
practical education to every-
one - parents and teachers
included - about body im-
support sys-
age and mental health.
tem in place
throughout
schools and
also homes

8
Getting Hard on
the idea that symbols of female
pleasure are more offensive than
symbols of male violence is cer-
tainly worth protesting.

Campus Free Speech The campaign also ad-


dresses another issue with the
campus carry law: the danger it
poses to free speech. Campuses
#Cocksnotglocks flies the flag for campus should be societys hub of debate,
freedoms when all about are losing theirs a place where young people ques-
tion difficult and sometimes pro-
by Madeleine Stone vocative issues. For pupils to fear
a violent reaction from a classmate
will, without a doubt, chill the free
From 1 August 2016, li- are allowed here, but other, more speech that enables universities
cense holders in Texas have been overtly phallic objects, are not: dil- to function. Some professors have
legally allowed to carry concealed dos. The University of Texas pre- already resigned, while some visit-
weapons on campuses across the vents students from brandishing ing academics have cancelled their
state. Texas is now the latest state or openly displaying the sex toys, presentations. During a discussion
to pass campus carry, a law and so students have chosen to of campus carry, the University of
which forces public universities to fight absurdity with absurdity. The Houston warned its staff that they
allow guns on campuses, includ- Cocks Not Glocks movement has may wish to be careful discuss-
ing dorms and classrooms. Private been handing out free dildos, sup- ing sensitive topics, drop certain
colleges are exempt and, tellingly, plied by local sex shops, in a mass topics from [their] curriculum, or
none have chosen to allow guns. protest against the new law. Over not go there if [they] sense an-
With 9,820 fatal shootings and 30 4,000 were handed out, and one ger.
school shootings so far this year, student was even spotted juggling Having guns in a classroom
campus carry has made many stu- them, while another tripped over will inevitably lead to certain topics
dents and professors fear for their one while attempting to take a being off limits, and inevitably lim-
safety on campus - a space de- selfie (#millenials). The founder it the quality of teaching provided.
signed to create a sense of com- and president of Open Carry Tex- Students in Austin deserve better
munity. With almost unbelievable as told the Texas Tribute that he than a cushioned, bubble-wrapped
irony, 1 August happened to be did not attend the protest because education, one that tiptoes around
the 50th anniversary of Charles theres only so many dildos [one] issues for fear of a disgruntled stu-
Whitmans shooting spree at the can look at. Many students proba- dent pulling out a pistol.
University of Texas, which killed bly feel the same way about guns. UT professors launched a law-
17 and ushered in an era of mass Somehow, Texas has reached the suit against their university and
school shootings across the U.S. bizarre position where sex toys the state in a bid to have the law
It is from this campus in are more distasteful than firearms. overturned, arguing that it in-
Austin that the movement against With men three times as likely to fringed the First Amendment right
campus carry has erupted in a par- own a gun as women, and com- to speak and teach freely. Unsur-
ticularly big and bold way. Guns mitting 98% of mass shootings, prisingly, it was denied by the fed-
eral judge of the southern state.
Cocks Not Glocks are still fighting
though, despite threats, conserv-
ative distaste and a strong Texan
gun lobby.
American students are of-
ten criticised for being overly cod-
dled or unwilling to face opinions
which diverge from their own; the
rise of no platforming and safe
spaces indicates a growing desire
on campus to look inwards and shy
away from tough debates. Cocks
Not Glocks proves that there are
some American students who are
yet to go soft.
9
The Death of Political
sensus is also absolutely nowhere
to be seen. But does this mean
that the ideological stance of Cen-
trism now ceases to exist?

Centrism It seems that especially


amongst the young, we have an
incredibly short political memo-
Between Corbyn and Farage, polarisation ry. It was not long ago that the
UK experienced one of the larg-
is the order of the day. But are these really est ideological upheavals that
has been seen by global politics,
new trends, and where have ushered in by the likes of Marga-
all the moderates gone? ret Thatcher and the neo-liberals.
History was not always the so-
cially liberal benchmark that we
by Adele Momoko Fraser were accustomed to previous to
the 2010 election. The Thatcherite
As dawn broke on the 24th era, characterised by desperately
June, many centrists were faced unforgiving economic policies and
with the task of accepting a new individualistic attitudes, was con-
political reality. Gone were the sidered by contemporaries to be
days of consensus politics and so- the cure for what was described
cial cohesion. We were met by Ni- as The sick man of Europe. This
gel Farages smirking visage plas- was after seeing the extreme deg-
tered across TV screens declaring radation of the economy and the
the Brexit result a victory for de- shocking scenes of protest in the
cent people. UKIP, initially con- Winter of Discontent, induced by
sidered to be a protest party, had Labour pay caps. Although com-
now in fact achieved their raison parable to recent junior doctors
dtre. Elsewhere, Boris Johnson strikes and other major protests
was seen floundering in front of that have been seen in recent
press conferences, appearing shell years, the degree of polarisation in
shocked at the prospect of facing society is simply not in the same
a self induced nightmare. Labour, ballpark.
whose leader Jeremy Corbyn was At the time, the only thing
lukewarm at best in his campaign that drove the country away from
to remain in the EU, is now widely such polarisation was the develop-
considered to be responsible for ment of the new centrist evolu-
the incompetent and haphazard tion of the Labour party, New La-
destruction of his own party. bour. This new alternative shifted
Looking at this picture, its the conversation to more politi-
easy to assume that the political cally common ground, combining
stratosphere has been altered be- the needs of the working class
yond recognition, or even repair. with more economically free mar-
With numerous societal factions ket principles. This combined with
developing which were formerly the economic prosperity seen after
considered inconceivable, for many policies took hold, the enor-
this result and its implications are mous majority held by the
shocking and others have also de- labour party after the 1997
clared that our current political election and a charismatic
climate is a sign of the death of leader, led to the mainte-
centrism. I most definitely take nance of the first successful
issue with this assessment. Os- mainstream centrist party in
tensibly it is true that the polit- the UK.
ical situation we currently see In September 1997 - af-
is significantly more polarised ter the leaders galvanising
than the 2000s and the Blair- speech in response to the
ite era. The post war con- death of Princess Diana Tony
10
Blair was polled to have a 93% approval simply cant write off an entire approach to politics
rating, making him the most popular due to the failures of specific politicians. The po-
democratic politician in history. Now larisation we see today is not due to some kind
dont get me wrong, Blair was a fool- of dark unforeseen cloud developing over the
ish and nave man who impressively public. Discontent with the establishment, and
juggled his apparent inteligence with feelings of fear and alienation have always
being starstruck by a Yankee buffoon. existed within society.
Whilst his policies included suc- The simple fact is that cen-
cesses such as introducing the trists currently lack the confidence
national minimum wage act to be elected and unify these
and human rights act, he also factions, while their ideological
oversaw a rise in tuition fees, stance has been besmirched by
the destruction of an already the Blair name. Blairite is now a
deficient education system catch-all term for all things evil
and deregulation of the bank- in politics, and so individuals
ing sector, all visibly negative such as Liz Kendall and Owen
points in hindsight. Its also Smith feel they must hide
undeniable that his current behind the faade of being
approval rating is famously something other than what
low, with a whopping 53% they are. The only way for
of the population stating that Westminster to become the
they will never forgive him for truly representative and bi-
his failures as prime minister, partisan body that this coun-
mostly due to his role in the try needs, is for centrists to
War on Terror. shake off the shackles of
In the wake of this Blairs legacy and return to
great fall from grace, people the forefront of political dis-
looked to the Liberal Demo- course..
crats during the 2010 election However, due to this lack of
for some kind of centrist hope. centrist conviction, Labour-voting
Instead, the general public were giv- youth now believe that the remedy for
en a Lib Dem-Conservative coalition, polarisation is to accept Jeremy Corbyn
the greatest of betrayals for those and a return to the Labour values of Cal-
who believed that Nick Clegg could take laghan, which caused the pre-Blair polar-
on the centrist mantle with which Blair isation in the first place. But the fact
had so faltered. In retrospect, many is, that we live in a globalised age, in
have commented on what a positive which values, that were developed
hindrance the Lib Dems were to the in the pre-internet era no longer
Conservatives achieving their pol- work. Whether we like it or not,
icy objectives. Nevertheless, the Capitalism has been established
2015 election result and the dec- and is here to stay. Even Tony
imation of the Liberal Democrats Blairs view of radical centrism is
was pretty clear response to how now outdated and has to be modi-
centrists felt about their collabora- fied.
tion with the enemy. In a tearful To paraphrase some-
speech, former deputy PM Nick body rather important
Clegg stated, Fear and grievance (Im sure I dont know
have won, liberalism has lost, who): where there
and although thereve been re- is discord, there
ports of a successful Lib Dem will be harmony;
fight back - with 15,000 new but there is much
members post-Brexit - it has work to be done.
not been sustained through This is a call for
recent months. sense, and a call
But centrist ide- for reason. Tony
als are much bigger than Blair is gone, and
Tony Blair, or to a lesser centrists must get
degree, Nick Clegg. We on with it.
11
Resurrection?
Any cursory ancient belief system
Google search will at its core espous-
tell you that religio es the sacredness of
the entire universe.
in Britain is declining.
With fewer and fewer
Religion is no longer the norm among This translates into a
people defining them- British youth, but has it's death been kind of mindfulness
selves as Christian, about ones actions,
and more and more greatly exaggerated? making no distinction
claiming no religion between kindness to
at all, we might seem
by Imogen Malpas animals and humans,
to have entered an eating vegan, and ac-
age when young knowledging the
people turn cycles of the
for answers to natural world.
Google rather Living in Lon-
than to God. don, she admits
But British this is often
youth are think- easier said than
ing outside the box when it comes done, but maintains that the ben-
to religion. The older generation efits outweigh the inconveniences.
may be skipping church, but the People dont take time in cities,
younger generation are flocking to and religion any religion re-
it. Jessica, a law student, convert- quires you to stop and think about
ed to Christianity a few years ago things and be thankful, which is so
and has been hugely active in her important. [Otherwise] life goes
churches in Malaysia and London. by so quickly.
She calls herself a Christian, but Of course, there are mil-
says the word doesnt adequate- lions of young people who are
ly encompass the intimacy and atheist, agnostic, or somewhere
strength of her relationship with in between. When I speak to Cas-
sian, a student from London, hes
God; a relationship that goes far
also adamant that religion has its
beyond church on Sundays and
benefits motivation and positivity
dull sermons. Rather than just
among them but that ultimately
fitting in the occasional prayer
its designed to serve a social func-
around the edges, her faith per-
tion. People love going to church
vades every part of her lifestyle:
not because of the ceremony and
a Christianity that might seem for-
liturgy, he suggests, but to feel
eign to many of the older gener-
important and as though theyre
ation. Her God is personal, she
part of a community. Is this so
explains, and her religion doesnt
follow the spiritual structure of bad? Perhaps not in itself, but re-
come with the necessity of rules
ligions potential use as a vehicle
and tradition. She makes it clear Christianity wanting to believe in
for hatred poses a threat that he
that her faith wasnt imposed by something but being unable to
suggests could be neutralised by
parents or upbringing: she is one the pieces fell into place when a
re-establishing such a communi-
of many young Christians who friend suggested she explore pa- ty in a non-religious context. The
have personally decided to turn ganism. If Im praying, and look- dizzying array of choices we face
to Jesus and to play an active role ing up to something I dont know in careers, travel, education in-
in church. is there, its hard, she explains, cludes the opportunity to worship
Obviously, to equate re- whereas if youre looking down, who and how we want. Faced with
ligion to Christianity would be as connecting to the earth, you know this freedom, its vital for our gen-
bizarre in todays Britain as equat- its there, so it makes sense to eration to reevaluate what it might
ing food to fish and chips: the pro- worship it. Were not (necessar- mean to be religious, or indeed to
verbial melting pot is exemplified ily) talking dancing naked in the reject religion entirely. Katie puts
nowhere more clearly than in the light of the full moon: paganism, it succinctly: We get bad press,
variety of faiths adhered to by Katie is quick to clarify, is less but were just figuring stuff out,
Britains young people. Katie's a extreme than many imagine. Al- because for us theres never going
student and pagan. After trying to though it takes many forms, the to be just one way of thinking.
12
The only people to whose opinion
I listen now with any respect are
those much younger than myself.
They seem in front of me. Life has
revealed to them her latest wonder.
- Oscar Wilde

13
FEATURES
When Compromise
isnt Fair or Safe
Med student Ellie Jenney gives the
inside track on junior doctor disputes
With a new series of strikes looming, a solu- Often overlooked in these figures are the hid-
tion to the Junior Doctors dispute is urgently re- den costs of being a junior doctor. Examples include:
quired. Doctors are not renowned as a radical group; membership fees for the General Medical Council,
until last year, the doctors union (the BMA) had not Royal Colleges and BMA; medical indemnity insur-
taken industrial action for 40 years. Arguments from ance, exam fees (necessary for career progression),
the government and the junior doctors seem wholly courses (some mandatory, eg Advanced Trauma Life
contradictory; the government claims that the new Support costing 600). Until 2007, hospitals provided
contract will increase patient safety, increase junior free accommodation to junior doctors since they must
doctors pay, decrease working hours and introduce rotate placements every 4 months, often to different
a 7-day NHS, whilst the BMA claims it will decrease areas of the country, making private accommodation
safety, cut pay, increase hours and that we already tricky. Removal of this resulted in an effective 20%
have a 7-day NHS. Confusing. So, what are the facts? pay cut without compensation. Additionally, hospitals
started charging junior doctors for on-site accommo-
Who are Junior Doctors? This term is unfortu- dation during mandatory on-call shifts. In total, the
nately misleading. A junior doctor is any qualified personal cost to a doctor for progression from grad-
doctor (post 5-6 years at medical school) who is not uation to surgical consultancy is 131,397. This does
a consultant or a GP. A doctor is considered junior not even allow for increased tuition fees; doctors
for 5-15 years after graduating. graduating after 2017 will pay around 74-110,000
in student loan repayments over their career, with an
How much are junior doctors paid now? initial graduation debt of 81,916. 37,000 pa (gross)
The basic starting salary is 23,000 pa, rising to suddenly doesnt look so generous.
28,000 in the second year. Extra banding is paid for
a n t i - social hours (nights/weekends). The And hours? We currently have a 7-day emergency
overall average sala- NHS and a 5-day elective NHS. This means that at
ry for a junior doc- the weekend, surgery and clinics are limited to cases
tor over the course that cannot wait. The European Working Time Direc-
of their career is tive limits junior doctors to 48hr working weeks and
37,000. hours are independently monitored. If these hours
are breached, the trust must compensate the doctor
financially.

What will change under the new contract?
Is that bad? Basic pay will increase by 11%, but
changes to antisocial hours and banding mean
reduced overall pay for many doctors. Perversely,
those doctors working the most nights and week-
ends and where rota gaps are the most common,
such as in A&E or obstetrics, will be hardest hit.
The new contract gives doctors a mere 60pm
extra for working 1 in 2 weekends versus 1 in 4.

14
60pm wont cover the costs of, the costs of, for ex- in 2015 due to underfunding of the NHS. If this con-
ample, doubling weekend childcare. There will also tract goes through and doctors leave as a conse-
be a limits on pay rises over the next 3 years of 1%, quence, this figure is likely to increase. It is worth
0.9% then 0.8%. With inflation expected to be above noting that junior doctors do not get paid during
1%, this represents continued real terms pay cuts. strikes and risk failing to progress to the next year of
Rostered hours will decrease to 42hrs/week training through insufficient training days completed,
and the number of consecutive night shifts and so these are not decisions taken lightly. Since the NHS
weekends will be limited. However, the current in- is a monopoly employer, junior doctors cannot vote
dependent monitoring system is being scrapped and with their feet like their private sector counterparts.
replaced with trust-appointed guardians. If hours are Striking is their only available means for demonstrat-
breached, this should be reported to the guardian ing their concerns.
and the trust will pay a fine to the trust rather than
the doctor. This fine should be used to fund better Is it all about pay? Sort of. Junior doctors are not
rota design and service improvement projects. Es- demanding a rise, merely resisting a further cut on
sentially, overworked doctors could be compen- top of the loss of about 30% in real terms over
sated by employing more HR staff. the past 6 years. Whilst the final stick-
What is more, the time from re- ing point in negotiations between
porting a breach of contract to a the BMA and the government was
panel review is a maximum of pay-related, this does not mean
16.5 weeks. Given that place- that doctors arent concerned
ments last only 4 months, about safety. If doctors feel
this seems ill-thought overworked and underval-
through. Doctors are ued it stands to reason
therefore worried that al- that a proportion will quit
though contractual hours or relocate abroad. This
may decrease, they will could spiral, increasing
be forced to work unsafe pressure on the remain-
extra hours through the ing doctors who may then
removal of safeguards. feel that they are unable
to adequately care for pa-
What about the week- tients, leading to more
end effect and 7-day departures. 2016 is
NHS? The authors of the paper the first year that the
cited by Jeremy Hunt as evidence foundation training
of the weekend effect (more deaths programme (the first
at weekends) have stated that the assump- 2 years of employ-
tion that staffing levels of doctors are responsible for ment for doctors) has
the effect is rash and misleading. Junior doctors do been undersubscribed.
not exist in a vacuum and if we want a 7-day elective Rota gaps are increas-
service (controversial in itself), it is not only more ingly common, rising by
doctors that are required. Nurses, porters, radiogra- 60% between November 2015 and
phers, HCAs, occupational therapists, social workers January 2016, especially in the acute specialties most
and so on are all vital to maintaining patient safety. affected by the changes. Medicine is a vocation, and
Increased weekend working for these essential staff doctors are as a rule happy to accept reduced pay and
has not even been suggested. high stress in exchange for the priceless benefits of a
Jeremy Hunt claims that: 1) no doctor will see fulfilling career. However, doctors are not angels and
their pay go down 2) the overall pay-packet for doc- their selflessness is not infinite. Applications to work
tors will remain the same and 3) we will have more overseas have already increased since the threat of
doctors at the weekend. These 3 pledges are simply imposition of the contract. It takes many years to
not compatible: either we need more doctors to staff train replacements and patients bear the cost.
the hospital at the weekend (assuming we do not
want to reduce weekday care) or we need to make Whats the solution? Back in April a cross-party
existing doctors work longer hours for the same pay. coalition of MPs suggested piloting the new contract
in a small number of hospitals and monitoring its ef-
Will the strikes cause harm to patients? This fects on patients and staff, rolling it out nationally
is possible. Cancelling elective surgeries and regu- providing it was successful. Jeremy Hunt dismissed
lar clinics is, at best, annoying for patients; at worst the idea as opportunism by the Labour Party. Per-
harmful. However, 74,000 operations were cancelled haps it is time to revisit this practical way forward.
15
CAMHS in Crisis: the Challenges
facing Young Mental Health
Though progress has been made, up and down the country young people are still being denied
access to proper mental healthcare. Katie Wetherall investigates

young people.
A study by the Chil-
drens Society in 2008 revealed
that 10% of children and young
people (aged 5-16 years) have
a clinically diagnosable mental
problem, yet 70% of children
and adolescents who experience
mental health problems have not
had appropriate interventions at
a sufficiently early age. The ONS
estimate that there are around
720,000 children and young peo-
ple experiencing a mental health
problem in England.
These statistics, based on
research from 2004, likely under-
play the full prevalence of men-
tal illness among young people.
Imagine youre a chilld. Indeed, the lack of up-to-date
Now imagine being locked away information not only presents fur-
in a cold, bare police cell, miles ther challenges for care providers
away from your parents. Scared trying to estimate supply and de-
and confused, youve been mand, but obscures from public


stripped of all your belongings attention the severity of the is-
and could be detained for days sue. A couple of cold hard facts
and days upon end. But you ha- then: The number of young peo-
vent committed a crime - youre ple ending up in A&E because of
suffering with a mental illness, a psychiatric condition has more
and there arent any hospital beds than doubled since 2010. One
available. This is how Britain, the in 12 teenagers in Britain self-
Only 0.7 per cent 5th largest economy in the world,
treats its most scared and vulner-
harms, and between 2010 and
2014, the number of girls aged
of NHS funding is able children and young people.
In 2014-2015 in England,
between 10 and 14 admitted to
hospital in England for self-harm

spent on young over 22,000 children were held


overnight in custody, one for over
increased by 93%.
Explanations of the in-
15 days. Statistics like these are creasing scale of the problem
peoples mental shocking, but are just one ex- have been found in the inescap-
ample of the manifest problems able influence of social media,
health and pressures facing Child and
Adolescent Mental Health Servic-
especially in cases of online bully-
ing. Others cite a culture of per-
es (CAMHS). Its a service that is fection surrounding body image,
overstretched, under-resourced or blame the intensive academic
and unable to meet the huge pressure heaped upon teenagers
scale of mental illness among by examinations and competition
16
for university places. There is no one explanation, simply arent enough nurses and psychiatrists work-
and nor should those suffering with mental illness be ing in child mental health care. Its not uncommon for
expected to rationalize their condition. job posts to receive only a couple, if any, applicants,
The demands upon CAMHS are coupled with leading to a shortage of specialist staff and cancelled
an age old institutional bias against mental health appointments.
within the NHS, as mental illness is far from achiev- The scale of the mental health crisis facing
ing the same esteem as physical illness. Only 0.7% young people isnt just a matter of human resourc-
of NHS funding is spent on young peoples mental es. Its about the ethos we take into our education
health, and only 16% of this funding is on early in- system and the lives of young people. The chal-
tervention. lenges for CAMHS are political, but also social: ask-
The result? An overstretched service that ing how best to build emotional resilience and help
varies enormously nationwide in terms of access to young people to thrive. Parents and community lead-
specialist care. Some parts of the country, such as ers should encourage positive discussion of mental
the south West, are subject to extremely high thresh- health issues and highlight avenues for support. The
olds for treatment, unable to seek the support they Education system too must fulfil its responsibilities to
require because their problem isnt serious enough young people. It is an outrage that mental wellbeing
yet. The Educational Policy Institute found that Ser- is still not on the national PSHE curriculum, despite
vices turn away, on average, nearly a quarter (23%) endless lobbying by mental health charities.
of children and teenagers referred to them by their Its not going to be solved by apportioning
GPs, teachers or others. Even if accepted, at risk blame, but by governments, health care providers,
teenagers are being forced to wait months before and the public working together. The crisis facing
they get an appointment. teenage mental health isnt new, its an issue that
Thankfully, CAMHS has risen up the political has been brushed under the carpet for decades, and
agenda in recent years, as well as being more openly CAMHS is dealing with the ramifications. We should
discussed in the media. In March 2015, the govern- encourage the fact that more and more young people
ment took its most significant step towards modern- are seeking support when things get tough, rather
ization with the publication of Future in Mind, a de- than waiting until its too late. Mental health
tailed strategy which instructs local service providers workers do fantastic, inspiring work and
to publish transformation plans. for CAMHS, the only way is up. We
A word of caution. The pledge to invest should just hope too many dont
1.25bn over the next five years appears less suffer along the
progressive in light of the fact that austerity way.
cuts have slashed mental health budgets by
20% in the last five years. CAMHS is also
at risk from a lack of ring-fencing sur-
rounding the funding to NHS England,
meaning those in charge locally could
simply choose to spend the money
elsewhere.
Loosening the Treasury
purse strings isnt enough ei-
ther. The challenges to im-
provement are overwhelm-
ingly locally based. Though we
should commend the speed at
which all service providers have pub-
lished plans, there is much to provide
pessimism about the potential for
transformation.
According to analysis of the
122 published Local Transformation
Plans by think tank the Education-
al Policy Institute, only 18 areas (15
per cent) have good plans. 58 (48 per
cent) plans require improvement and
45 (37 per cent) require substantial
improvement. The largest challenge
they identify is recruitment: there
17
A 22-year-old university graduate commenting on
the housing crisis facing Britain today? One might

To buy or not to assume that the following pertains to little more than
bourgeois whinging. However, this housing crisis is
real, affecting young and old; rich and poor, all over

buy: do we even the country. There is, however, debate as to what


caused it.
Some blame the sale of council houses un-

have a choice?
der right-to-buy, beginning in the 1980s, driving up
demand and limiting supply. Recently the buy-to-let
craze amongst private landlords has attracted criti-
cism for exploiting a generation who may never af-
ford a house of their own. Is it the fault of property
Frank Kibble assesses the Hous- developers, driving up prices and restricting supply
ing Crisis, the reasons for it, and by being deliberately slow to build on land? Others
blame the banks for not trusting
the options facing young people young buyers with mortgag-
es after the 2008 Financial
Crisis, with questionable
sources like George
Osbornes Help to
Buy scheme the alter-
native. Or are wealthy
foreign investors guilty
for buying up real es-
tate and letting it lie
dormant? It is all of
them: phenomena
that have come to a
head while young people are dealing with escalating
education debts and fluctuating job prospects.
For students, the cost of renting accommoda-
tion is a serious cause for concern. In London, more
and more wealthy students are foregoing grotty digs,
instead choosing luxury pads in fashionable parts of
town. Empiric Student Property recently paid 10.6
million for a 70-bed premises in West Hampstead,
with rooms typically costing 240 per week. Access
to a gym, games room and cinema on site hardly
evokes The Young Ones. Companies like Empiric
claim that they are responding to the rising cost of
living in London and an influx of rich foreign students
to the capitals universities, but the existence of such
accommodation only serves to drive up rent for stu-
dents who cannot afford such extravagance.
Throughout my four years of study rent has
been rising, and it bears no signs of slowing. It had
previously gone relatively unchallenged, until the Na-
tional Union of Students recently backed rent strikes
against landlords and proposed that a quarter of all
beds be capped at half of a tenants student finance
allocation. This is a welcome intervention from an
organisation seen as toothless in recent times in ar-
ticulating student concerns, and could help to allay
the rising cost of student living.
But this only accounts for part of the prob-
What would the Young Ones think of Sky Plaza, lem. The end of university is glorified as the be-
Leeds, the worlds second tallest student block?
ginning of bumper pay cheques and London living.
18
However, the NUS recently published statistics claim-
ing that 47% of the class of 2015 had moved back
in with their parents after graduating. The economic
and cultural draw of London means that those lucky
enough to live within commutable distance live with
parents longer. But those from different parts of the
country often have no choice but to look for exorbi-
tantly priced housing that is in short supply.
Alex, a native of the West Midlands, graduat-
ed from university last summer with the promise of a
job in London but finding a flat with his friend turned
out to be a very stressful process. Not already living
in London made viewings a real challenge, he tells
me, Whenever we found somewhere good it tended
to have gone before we could see it. Desperation
meant we ended up taking the first reasonable place
that allowed us both to get to work. The tribulations
of racking up over a hundred calls to estate agents
contributed to Alexs decision to move away from the has been set. Owing to criticism of the right-to-buy
capital. scheme, 200,000 of these new builds will be starter
Now back in the West Midlands, he says that homes, available at 20% below market value to first
the attraction of Birmingham, with its favourable time buyers aged 23 to 40. This represents a rela-
property prices and growing cultural profile, was an tively unreported step in the right direction, but again
incentive to move away from London. The arrival of reveals the misplacing of priorities with housing.
HS2 in the next few years, paired with several big Homeownership is an unattainable prospect
financial firms announcing that they were moving op- for most young people of generation rent. The
erations up the M40, could see more people like Alex present system should be geared towards tenants
rejecting the expensive charade of London living. rights, however the Government have been accused
Sadiq Khan says he wants to reverse this trend, that of privatising social housing with the recent Housing
led 58,220 30-39 year-olds to leave London between and Planning Act, and are not interested in unneces-
2013 and 2014, despite its potential to spread the sary regulation for landlords. For example, a Private
housing burden. Realistically, however, it is very un- Members Bill in 2016 to reform the Housing Health
likely that significant movement away from London and Safety Security Rating System of 2006 by estab-
will ever be prolonged. lishing a fitness for human habitation standard was
The Government are looking to respond by defeated. Nonetheless, opportunities for fair rental
passing a Neighbourhood Planning and Infrastruc- systems and affordable housing should be pursued
ture Bill in this session of parliament that tack- to a greater degree.
les some of the recurrent problems In New York, a fear that a doughnut ef-
of this housing crisis as they see fect of the rich living right in the centre of the city
it. The new Bill will penalise and the rest encir- cling them led to Mayor Bill
developers using pre-com- de Blasio pledg- ing to build 200,000 new
mencement units of afforda- ble housing. A key tenet
planning con- of his push is mandatory
ditions to drag inclusion housing, which dic-
their heels over tates that new developments
construction, redrawing the parameters of
with the hope of a property must designate
speeding it up a proportion to affordable
and generating homes. There is state sup-
housing stock. port for such initiatives in
They also want to give power back to residents via the Big Apple, with the idea of affordable housing
neighbourhood groups who can help decide where engrained in the citys consciousness. Indeed the
developments will be located. Mitchell-Lama Programme, which provides reasona-
On the flipside, the Bill will enshrine the pro- ble rental opportunities for families, dates back to
tection of Green Belt land, an untapped resource for 1955. This suggests that London has a long way to
the building of houses. This Governments push to go to match these efforts, requiring a cultural change
boost ownership may require reconsideration of this, and a shattering of the idea that homeownership is
given that a target of a million new homes by 2020 the be all and end all.
19
The State of British Democracy
Blame the system? Brendan Welch explores the many peculiarities
of Britains political power balance
Britain (or rather England) had its revolution er with a true majority, and Tony Blairs re-election in
too early. The religious puritanism and authoritarian 2001 is the only time in the 21st century that a Gov-
bent of the Cromwell Commonwealth set Britain up ernment has come to power with more than 40% of
with enough skepticism and political liberty to quiet- the vote. The representation error the difference
en moves towards rebellion during the Enlightenment between the percentage of votes and the percentage
and Century of Revolutions. The reintroduction of the of seats taken by a Party totals 47% points for this
Monarchy in 1660 cemented the gradual evolution of Parliament: the worst in modern history.
the ad hoc and bewildering Westminster Model that This is a byproduct of the localised, and winner
confronts modern voters. The system is poorly put to- takes all nature of British voting. Although many peo-
gether, and this can be discouraging to voter partici- ple feel they are voting for a national party, or Prime
pation. The 2015 election provided a particularly clear Minister, they are actually voting for only a single in-
example of the disproportionality it allows. dividual to represent their constituency, while voting
The 24% of eligible voters who favored the blocs only matter nationally when they are locally sig-
Conservative Party took near complete control of the nificant. Over half of local elections are won by plural-
government by securing 37% of the vote and taking ity, exacerbating the disproportionality.
51% of the seats in Parliament. The Labour Party, Luckily most of British politics has noth-
compared to the 2010 General Election, increased ing to do with elections. The Parties rule in Britain:
its national vote share by 1.5%, but netted a loss of they control whos nominated and for which seats.
26 seats. The Conservative Party increased their vote They control who becomes PM and they control the
share by only 0.8%, gaining a net 24 seats. UKIP took parameters of political debate. There are less than
12.6% of the vote and one seat in Parliament; while one million Britons registered with any political par-
the SNP took less than 5% of the vote and captured ty about 2% of registered voters. Entering this
56 seats 9% of the Commons. elite group costs between 0.08 and 2.09 a month,
Since 1945, no Government has taken pow- depending on the Party, your age and employment
20
that as many as 14% of eligible vot-
ers remain unregistered with high
concentrations among young, poor and
minority communities, statistics echoed in
turn-out.
In 2015, 34% of registered voters did not
vote. This is ten points more than the 24% that car-
ried the election for the Conservatives, and more than
sta- three times those who voted UKIP and scared the
tus. Tories into promising an EU referendum they did not
As a want to hold. The story of UKIP presents perhaps the
student, most compelling reason to throw your vote away on
joining the a Party doomed to Parliamentary failure based on the
Liberal Demo- geographical dispersement pressure within constit-
crats is cheapest. uencies, translates into change within dominant party
The Conservative Par- platforms.
ty is the most expensive. Beyond the parties, if even a marginal percent-
The Labour Party is in age of voters much less 34% of voters turned
turmoil over people joining in spoiled ballots, that would be headline news. For
their organisation in the wake of those frustrated with the system and direction of the
voting reforms passed in 2014 that country, this is a powerful tool offered to you to artic-
brought the Labour system in line with ulate that opinion in a way that cannot be written off
the one-member-one-vote rules used by as too lazy or too dumb to participate.
the Lib Dems, Green Party, and (in part) the The Economist publishes an annual democracy
Conservatives. index: in 2015 the UK ranked 16th globally with the
Labour Party membership rules are currently exclusion of micro-states. Our flawed system is one
in flux, but conservatively 2.00 a month will secure of only 20 systems deemed full democracies. In to-
you around a one in 500,000 say in future Labour Par- tal, these contain only 8.9% of the worlds population.
ty leadership. This is an unbelievable amount of pow- 52% live under at least semi-Authoritarian regimes,
er when compared to the impact of national voting, with little to no political representation.
which is 1 in 43 million, further diluted by constituency Not voting cannot be about disenchant-
demographics. ment with the system, but is rather a failure
Its at constituency level that things become to recognise the privileges presented to one
important. In the Labour Party, its been sitting MPs of the freest and most democratic socie-
whove disrupted political change - and they control ties in world history. Single votes may
leadership candidate shortlisting. These MPs only face not matter, but those who dont vote
reselection when voted on by constituency Labour will live under the political dom-
Party members. The size of constituency parties var- ination of people who realise
ies, but given that people have to show up to meet- that a single act of insig-
ings, the process by which these selections take place nificance, when taken
usually involves mere hundreds of people. Its com- in tandem with mil-
plicated, time-consuming, costly, and rather unusual. lions of like-mind-
But they involve so few people that organised involve- ed individuals,
ment can have a substantial effect. means social
The last avenue for change is the SNP model: control.
concentrated local rebellion. The SNP was capable of
taking seats in the Commons, almost doubling their
representation compared to their supporters
and table a referendum by campaigning on a single
issue to a small portion of the British population.
If none of the parties are appealing, start
a new one, or help hijack an existing platform,
and at least vote. Even if you live in one of
the 225 safe-seats that has not changed
hands since before 1950, not voting
is a blight on the system, and an
abdication of power. Estimates
from the 2011 census indicate
21
The Issues
We asked our writers to take
on 3 of the most important
issues of the day Brexit,
feminism and social media
to cover these vital areas from
as many different angles as
possible.

22
23
Feminism Womens issues, female PMs, and
the notorious fouth wave

Theresa May the Feminist? by Adele Momoko Fraser


Many have hailed Theresa Mays appointment as Prime Minister as a huge success for women
across the globe. She was praised for her commitment to womens issues and named Britains first
feminist prime minister. But is this a title she deserves?
It is true that the mere existence of women in power helps to normalise the concept that women
belong there. It is also true that she has furthered womens issues whilst in parliament. She co-founded
the Conservative Party group, Women2Win, supporting the selection of women to fight winnable seats.
She instated protection orders for women at risk of domestic violence and promised 80m over the next
4 years to support services for rape victims.
Nevertheless, Theresa May cannot be good for feminism until she begins to work in support of
women of colour to the same extent, and revokes her support for austerity. May has refused to end the
detention of vulnerable asylum seekers, including pregnant women and victims of sexual violence at
Yarls Wood. There have even been cases of sexual violence by guards and yet nothing is being done
to help these vulnerable women.
Austerity has hit working women and single mothers and BME groups hardest and yet May con-
tinues to support it. May also remained conspicuously quiet throughout the EU referendum campaign,
which causes us to question her commitment to the Remain campaign and therefore to rights of preg-
nant women in the work place.
Though a self-proclaimed feminist, May cannot be accepted as a representative of feminism if
she continues to pick and choose when to apply its principles.

The new feminists must remember their roots by Frank Kibble


Germaine Greer pioneering feminist academic or bigoted dinosaur? After her recent com-
ments, positing that post-op transgender women were not real women, Ive been weighing this up.
Shes been widely condemned by a generation of populist feminist millennials and academics alike, with
Sir Elton John, branding her attention-seeking. Shes presented as out-of-touch, proving that even
feminism cant escape the age-old dichotomy between young and old. The real tragedy here is how the
vital legacy of feminist theory that Greer is poised to leave is forever tainted by these comments. Their
social media footprint is likely to endure longer than The Female Eunuch. Insensitive and incorrect as
Greers comments clearly are, her pioneering achievements shouldnt be sacrificed so easily.
Its unlikely shell ever be reconciled with mainstream feminism again, since interviewers now
consistently focus on these comments. Longer answers are reduced to soundbites and she is portrayed
as an enemy of feminism (ironically, of course, she was once portrayed as an enemy of masculinity).
Given the widespread interest in trans issues over the past five years, shes caused particular ripples.
In fact Greer first articulated the idea 17 years ago in her 1999 book The Whole Woman.
Greer has been a particularly convenient target in an ageist media campaign to portray her as
an over-the-hill bigot, however her recent comments remain completely false. Accusing Caitlyn Jenner
of having wanted the limelight nurtures Greers narrative, but its worth remembering that Greer has
always been controversial, ruffling feathers and breaking taboos.
In light of this standoff, feminists young and old should work towards a reciprocal education-
al relationship where theories and populist opinions are communicated between one another. Social
media should not be a forum for attack, rather the perfect platform for this exchange of ideas. Some
will argue that Greer the dinosaur must be consigned to the scrapheap but Id say theres much to be
salvaged. We, the current crop, must not let our feminist heritage be discarded or denied to future
generations despite this unfortunate episode.

24
Feminism is more than the sum of its tweets by Imogen Malpas
Its wonderful to check the news and see feminism being not only widely discussed, but cel-
ebrated. The popular support of feminism by everyone from multimillionaire singers (Taylor Swift) to
presidents (Obama) is more than I, as a burgeoning feminist a few years ago, might have hoped for.
But the pendulum of popular opinion, well-placed as it might appear, seems to be risking a swing too
far in the opposite direction. Feminism is becoming an easy buzzword; a term with which celebrities
proudly plaster themselves when it suits their public image, whilst its meaning and legacy one that
women have fought and died for is diluted into emoji-studded tweets and half-hearted interview
comments.
Its a good first step for celebrities to claim the label of feminist, but it remains only a first step.
To be a feminist, beyond paying lip-service to the term, requires careful examination of ones ethical
principles and practices: mere statements, however fervent, cannot take the place of action. Celebrities
like Swift, for example, are perfectly placed to publicly support any number of movements or causes
that support women. Yet Swifts brand of feminism benefits herself alone, relegating her time and time
again to the role of the victim under threat from the black male aggressor (e.g. Kanye West) or from
the jealous woman (e.g. Nicki Minaj): both outdated and frankly dangerous tropes that do nothing but
harm intersectional feminism.
Im delighted that celebrity culture is, on the whole, embracing a label that historically has
excluded and denigrated those who claim it. Feminism is cool: but to reduce it to a trend that can be
shrugged on and off at will by privileged, rich, and predominantly white women is an insult to the many
thousands of women sidelined by the same culture: poor women, trans women, women of colour and
disabled women, who fight the exhausting fight daily against oppressive social structures. We mustnt
be fooled. Feminism is never as easy as it looks, especially when it looks like Taylor Swift and her girl
squad posing in the Hamptons, so its time we stopped pretending otherwise.

No, youre not overreacting by Katie Wetherall


Another night. Another night ruined by having to constantly fend off unwanted hands, assum-
ing they have a right to grope and pull at your body. Another night seeking rescue from friends in the
crowd. And another night of doing nothing, of shrugging it off and accepting that being subject to
routine sexual assault by complete strangers is a normal, part of the clubbing experience.
A survey of 5,000 students by the Tab found that 95% of female students reported being
groped on a night out. a brief chat with friends quickly generates anecdotes of hands thrust down their
top when they refused to kiss a guy, of being seized forcibly round the waist and pushed against the
wall, of, when they refused to go home with a guy, having their earrings forcibly ripped out. All of these
qualify as incidents of sexual assault, defined under UK Law as intentional sexual touching of A by B,
where B does not consent, and A does not reasonably believe that B consents.
Youre not expected to treat groping as a criminal offence, though it can carry a penalty of up to
10 years imprisonment. We live in a society where women do not possess autonomy over their bodies.
Catcalls in the street are normal, the right to look, comment and touch women is more entrenched than
any protection against it.
Its not easy to know exactly how to react in such a situation. Call it out, and you might be
subject to a barrage of abuse, as I once was in my university nightclub. In contrast to Mary Brandon,
a 22 year old woman from London who in 2014 was punched in the face after pushing a man off her, I
consider myself lucky. Another option is to seek the assistance of staff, who can kick the assailant out,
ban or even report repeat offenders. Call me demanding, but I dont want to have to my spend my
evenings constantly seeking security protection: Id much rather it didnt happen altogether.
We can only change things by rightfully treating groping and catcalling as crimes. It means
clubs and young people working together to make sure environments are safe. It requires courage to
speak openly, in the face of disquiet from others, to make the normal abnormal.

25
Social Media All things online, viral and
insta. Minus the trolls

The dangers of vicarious living by Eileen Gbagbo


Many teenagers now feel that there is an increased amount of pressure to have a constant so-
cial media presence, and this has been linked to the rise of anxiety, depression and sleep deprivation.
The desire to lead or at least appear to lead a glamorous lifestyle especially on social media is a mindset
which most teenagers now have: its become the norm in our society. This is because of the impact
of the rise of celebrity culture, which may be having more of a negative effect on teenagers than the
actual sites themselves.
Social media breaks down the barrier between the lives of celebrities and the rest of us, espe-
cially on sites such as Instagram and Snapchat.
We are able to witness the glamour of celebrity life firsthand which makes many of us envy it,
but more importantly, we then idolize and get carried away with these celebrities and the high stand-
ards of beauty and glamour which they epitomise. Then, as teenage consumers, we try to replicate this
glamour in our own lives by producing images which would get us the most amounts of likes so as to
feel an element of reassurance that we too can also be popular though it may be in parallel to the lives
that we actually lead.
But I cannot solely criticise celebrity culture on the rise of mental health problems among
teenagers. The uncontrollable nature of the internet and social media means that teenagers should
be effectively taught about the impact and dangers of social media, but also how to utilise it to their
advantage. Then hopefully, this would be a long term and hopefully successful solution to the rise of
mental health issues due to social media.

Social media stifles proper debate by Luke Rix-Standing


Social media was a funny place during the EU referendum. As my Facebook news feed trans-
formed overnight into a cascade of blue hands in blue ballot boxes (I get it, we can vote), my attention
was drawn particularly to a lovely little status from a friends account. Everyone make sure you go out
and vote! it trilled, Doesnt matter at all which way, just be sure to exercise your democratic right! All
very noble, Im sure youll agree.
Except that the next morning, following a surprise Leave victory, the tone was somewhat dif-
ferent. How could you?! it remonstrated, Im sickened and disgusted to call myself British! It would
appear then, that which way you voted mattered after all.
This little dichotomy is, in many ways, like a parable for social media behaviour. Either we have
a carefully constructed and polished public statement, designed to fit the image we wish to project, or
something deeply emotional whose entire purpose is to break through that same facade. In both cases
its fundamentally all about you, and nothing to do with the thousands of people who are likely to read
it - or any real interaction between you.
Debate gives way to rant because social media is not a place that enourages you to care about
what other people have to say. With clunky comment threads, no body language or tone of voice, and
no need to remember your pleasantries when hiding behind a monitor, social media is where manners
and mutual understanding go to die. Every conversation is a series of monologues masquerading as a
dialogue; a measuring contest with likes to quantify the winner.
With social media now our foremost forum for debate and information, this is a cause for some
concern. These days users spend more time crafting intricately uninformed responses to South Korean
trollbots, than putting the world to rights with real people down the pub.
Social media is an excellent arena for mastering the art of performance, and perfecting your
public persona. Its a dreadful place to hold discussion or debate.

26
Can Social Media cure the generation gap? by Olivia Williams
Social media is present in most peoples daily lives - individuals reportedly check their phone an
average of 85 times a day and spend a third of their waking hours browsing the web. Is all this brows-
ing serving a progressive purpose or is it just aimlessly passing time? The generation gap refers to the
disengagement young people feel from the older generation, particularly those in authority. Resultantly,
there is a sense of helplessness among young people, who feel that their opinions are ignored because
they lack political power.
That said, thanks to social media, anyone can share their opinion and have their voice heard.
Young people are the future leaders of society and because of social media, instead of waiting until our
generation takes centre stage, we can begin to shape a better future now. The Black Lives Matter pro-
tests occurred as a result of a hashtag - a key example of social media being utilized, in this instance to
campaign against a ludicrous reality where people of colour are being murdered by US law enforcement
officers almost weekly. Thus, anyone and everyone can become an activist when details about protests
are available on their Facebook feed.
We now have this accessible medium of which our age group are the predominant users, and
it can be used progressively. Young people can collaborate through social media and ensure that when
our time comes, we get it right. When used in this way, social media helps squash the assumptions
that the older generation are the only group worth listening to and that young people cannot actively
change the world. However, social media is not mainly used as a pathway to political activism, and
so the generation gap is not being cured. Instead the digital world is dominated by those seeking to
entertain, such as viral video creators. These individuals infamously stay silent on political issues and
instead use their platforms to perpetuate unrealistic lifestyles and materialistic ideals.
Social media is the medium through which we can avoid making the mistakes of our predeces-
sors. To do so, young people must utilise this opportunity and make sure their opinions count.

Tweeting terrorists: the danger of full connectivity by Lucy Thompson


A recent study by Oxford Universitys Reuters Institute found that for the first time social media
has surpassed TV as a source of news, particularly for young adults. As we turn to social media for
news, IS is increasingly using it as its breeding ground for recruitment and a vehicle to insight terror.
Given that social media is largely unregulated and unfiltered we need to be cautious of the information
we consume and the way we distribute it.
The UK Home Affairs Committee this year criticised social networks for consciously failing to
address terrorist propaganda, but theyre fighting a losing battle. Twitter has suspended 360,000 ac-
counts since mid-2015, yet ISs recruitment videos and tweets continue to appear as fast as theyre de-
leted. The Quilliam Foundation found that they released a staggering 38 new items per day. Testament
to ISs reliance on social media is the case of Mohamed Merah, who after killing seven people, spent
his final moments uploading footage of his attack.
So, users of social media must be discouraged from circulating sensationalist news articles and
graphic images of heinous attacks which IS have published and glorified. While it is important to be
informed we have to ask whether sharing terrifying details is contributing to ISs over-exposure.
There have been a string of false alarms this year, in Germany and in American airports. Due to
the speed of social media, false reports are distributed rapidly, exacerbating their effect and inducing
fear. I was caught up in a terrifying paranoia-induced stampede in the French town of Juan les Pins
when the sound of firecrackers were mistaken for gunshots. 40 people were injured. Within minutes
there were inaccurate reports from witnesses and supposedly reputable news sources on social media.
These false alarms are signs that terrorism is working and infiltrating our consciousness, without the
terrorists lifting a finger. While some would argue that we shouldnt self-censor, we need to ask who
this narrative of fear is benefiting? We must question social media as a news source and ensure that
our tweets do not contribute to ISs campaign of fear.

27
Brexit Our writers take on Brexit, Farage and its
extraordinary political surroundings

Students set to suffer as Europeanism declines by Jack Bellamy


The Remain campaign often mentioned the direct benefits the EU had for young people in
particular. The topic of student mobility stood out as the headline subject when talking about young
people and the EU. In light of the referendum result this is one area where discussion has been rela-
tively scarce.
Will UK students be eligible to study abroad? Will the UK be taking fewer European students?
Will UK students lose out on Erasmus exchange programmes?
These are all questions which are yet to be answered fully. While Universities have given short-
term assurances that EU students are welcome and fees will not change, this may not last forever if the
UK is determined that its future should be outside of the EU.
In a time when the value of university degrees is being questioned, by the generation currently
considering higher education, Erasmus plays a key role for many students. The value of the EU in this
area has been very clear through the recent Erasmus Impact Study, showing for example that European
mobility programme students have better employability skills than 70% of all students. Erasmus was
also a self-perpetuating programme in that mobility also promotes a European identity.
I personally felt European before I embarked on a years Erasmus programme in Germany, and
even more so when I returned. However, I now feel frustrated that Brexit has left us facing challenges
in this area students may miss out on opportunities, young people (all across Europe) may be less
inclined to study in the UK, and ultimately the UK will become even more marginalised from the rest of
the EU by its students not experiencing the benefits of European mobility programmes.

Identity and anger: the demographics of Leave by Brendan Welch


The Brexit vote brought people together while exposing fissures in how we view our problems
and society fueling an ongoing culture war. 58% of Conservatives were joined by 37% of Labour
supporters, 30% of Lib Dems, 25% of Greens, and 36% of the SNP, in campaign Leave.
The principle of national sovereignty and the ability to control immigration were ranked as the
top two reasons to Leave. But when voters were given more licence on a range of answers, the most
relevant and mentioned topics on both sides revolved around quality of life, economic security,
job prospects and the NHS. People who thought that life had worsened in Britain over the last 30 years
voted Leave by a 62% margin.
Blue-collar workers and the unemployed both voted Leave by 20% point margins, unless they
were young or lived in a city, but the Brexit divide seems less based on class than identity and perspec-
tive. People who have a positive view of multiculturalism, social liberalism, feminism, and the green
movement all voted Remain by at least 20% points. Identity can impact the solutions we see as best
suited to address the similar problems we all list as our highest concerns.
Both parties deflect from discussing (in specifics) a large number of systemic issues that go
beyond the scope of short-term political cycles, and cant be blamed on the actions of a single party or
individual: global warming, depreciating income, globalisation, stagnant productivity, the migrant crisis,
the rise of China, etc.
To brush away the Brexit victory as nationalism, or racism, is a failure to understand the way
people even those who voted mainly based on immigration understand their own perspective; and
is only applicable to a few of the many reasons to oppose the EU. Brexit is a parallel of historical prece-
dents if discontented, society will begin to pull itself apart by any means available. Small-mindedness
and infighting on the left creates space for right-wing narratives to direct this anger. Doing nothing will
make the anger worse.

28
A very British human rights problem by Katie Wetherall
When politicians start treating human rights legislation lightly, we should be concerned. Follow-
ing the decision to leave the European Union, Theresa Mays government has affirmed their 2015 elec-
tion manifesto commitment to repeal the Human Rights Act and replace it with a British Bill of Rights.
Introduced by Tony Blair in 1998, the HRA formally incorporates 16 of the rights listed in the
European Convention of Human Rights into UK law. These include the right to life, the right to a fair
trial, freedom of religion, speech and association. It doesnt sound particularly controversial, but since
its inception, the Human Rights Act has drawn criticism, mostly from the Tory right, for allowing the Eu-
ropean Court of Human Rights to overrule the decisions of UK judges, especially regarding controversial
cases such as the deportation of foreign nationals. Behind the tabloid headlines, much of the everyday
work of the Human Rights Act goes unnoticed.
Uncertainty clouds the furore over Human Rights in Britain. Despite May arguing only in April
that The ECHR can bind the hands of Parliament, adds nothing to our prosperity and makes us less
secure, it remains unclear whether Britain will leave the Convention and the jurisdiction of the Court
altogether. Nonetheless, Conservative MPs will be keen for the government to stick to their plans to
restore common sense and tackle misuse of rights contained in the convention. Severer still is their
intention to limit use of the Act to only the most serious cases involving security, life and liberty.
These changes could have real consequences for the ability of the public to challenge breaches
of rights by public bodies. What future for young people like Zeema, who successfully appealed under
article 3 (right to be free from cruel and inhuman treatment) that her local authority had knowingly
failed to protect her from horrific child abuse and neglect (Z v UK, 2001)?
Human rights are too important, too universal and inalienable to be subject to short term
post-Brexit political expediency. A British bill of rights could be a radical change to individual rights and
the avenues available to seek redress of grievances.

A wake-up call to our political elite by Lucy Thompson


Theresa Mays inaugural Prime Ministerial speech echoing the rhetoric of the left by complain-
ing of the burning injustice facing minorities and the working class highlights how the post-Brexit
political landscape has been redrawn. Unfortunately, this powerful defence of working class people and
focus on social mobility is yet to manifest in a party that has cut government spending and is set to
scrap maintenance grants for students. The rhetoric seems empty, but does suggest that Brexit (ac-
cording to pollster Populus, predominantly backed by working class voters) has been a harsh wake-up
call to the Conservatives.
Whether the anger of working class people towards the EU is misplaced or not, it has undoubt-
edly empowered parts of the electorate that have been neglected. The Vote Leave campaign listened
to peoples genuine worries about immigration, wages, and national identity. They framed Brexit as the
ultimate solution to these complex problems, engaging with long-held anger and desire for change.
The fact that Brexit was such a shock to the political elite displays how MPs have become disconnected.
Owen Smiths recent call for a second referendum exposes Labours fundamental ignorance of the 52%
who voted leave, discounting them as misled and uneducated rather than facing the difficult reality
of what the electorate want. Its like retaking an exam without understanding why you failed the first
time. The idea of taking back control that many Brexiters vocalized, has to be unpacked rather than
disregarded.
Brexit has exposed how far removed both Labour and the Conservative party have become from
their own members and voters. Witness Labour MPs coup attempt against Jeremy Corbyn. Corbyn
achieved an overwhelming 59.5% (251,417) in the first leadership election, and according to YouGov
is now leading his rival Owen Smith by 62% to 38. Equally, 58% of people who voted Conservative in
2015 voted Brexit, while the majority of Tory MPs and ministers supported Remain.
How relevant can the political establishment be, if it cant even represent its own people?

29
Poets Corner
Poems by Eileen Gbagbo

I wish I could start at the beginning and we were burning,


when we sheltered from the wind set alight to bear the submission of
and rain our ideals
from the shame of our perfection and the rain did not cease to beat us
cleansed of the blood of ancestors mocking our childish belief in the
reign shelter of the natural
when it was me and you in the lands where synthetics domi-
when it was we who listened to the nated the fabrics of our society
sea woven together by pseudo threads,
on a Friday morning strengthened by the lies they told us
when it was we who picked up ivory we were wilting,
glass wilting under the precipitation of the
in the midwinters summer kiss of Judas
because at the beginning - because we were optimistic oppor-
we were purple hibiscuses tunists
a combination of red and blue pollenating palms rooted in shackles
in an ideal world where diversity was but the rust was red
red and blue and the rust was powerful
we were purple hibiscuses and the rust was the dust from the
sheltered only by the wind and rain remnants of us
but even the rain was corrupt who believed the sins of the polar-
corroding our beauty with industrial ized
scale acid because it was the end of the begin-
infusing our oxygenated minds with ning
black poison when we evolved to betray the nat-
they fed our souls through the osmo- ural
sis of their liquid doctrine and called it survival.

30
Why do I constantly wage war against myself?
Against my skin that bears the stains of my ancestors
And I dont know how I feel
When in ten years of education
I am taught
That we have always been slaves
Slaves to capitalism, slaves to tribalism, slaves to white su-
premacy
And I still dont know how I feel
When we talk about the evils of fascism
The universal genocide of Jews but we fail to recognise
The massacre of young ingenuity
Because in this world of social Darwinism
Adapted to the pseudo ideals of society
Young girls have more red lines on the pale of their palms
They have more bags under their eyes
That holds knowledge of the uncertain
Than any textbook ever will
But we do not realise that our accent is laced with the history
of empires
Our eyes only reflect the sun that never sets
And our minds only pour gold that once crowned us.

31
PHOTOSHOOT
Photos by Maria Kalinowska
Young Indonesian girls preparing to
take part in a traditional Balinese dance
competition in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.
Balinese dance is an ancient tradition and
the dancers express the stories of dance-
drama through the bodily gestures including
gestures of fingers, hands, head and eyes.
They train and perform in the traditional
make up and clothes from a very young age.

32
33
COMMUNITY
Welcomed at 13
Refused at 20 by Luke
Rix-Standing

Mohammed Safi arrived in Britain from


Afghanistan barely a teenager. Now a young
adult, hes being told to go back
Setting up an interview with Mohammed when he received
Safi hasnt been easy, and when he finally arrives a letter, telling him
he seems nervous and reticent, visibly unsettled in that he had to go
the open-plan office where we meet. It is only when back to Afghan-
we move to a more private setting that he starts to istan. Hes been
speak, and I begin to understand his discomfort. De- fighting it ever
spite having grown up in Britain since 2008, when since.
he arrived alone aged only 13, Mohammed has now He now lives
been told he cannot stay and is in imminent danger his life in limbo,
of deportation. completely in the
Mohammed arrived in Britain in what he calls dark as to what his
the normal way. Entrusted to people smugglers by future holds. Since
his mother in a Taliban-heavy region of Afghanistan, I turned 18 he
he eventually reached London in the back of a lorry. tells me, I dont
He was picked up by police, granted asylum and in- know where life
stalled with a Pakistani foster family. I was 13 years is taking me
old, I didnt even know where I was going he re- pressure now comes
members, I just came to be protected. And he was from everywhere.
protected. Until, that is, he legally became an adult Hes been moved 4
times in 5 years and
could theoretically
be put on a plane at
any time. Attending
college has been diffi-
cult due to the stress: Its bad for
my he pauses to remember the
word, mental health. Theyre killing
me. Hes done courses in construction,
business and IT but is legally banned
from working, subsisting instead on
a government allowance of 45 a
week. All he can do is wait and worry.
As he talks about his situation,
pained confusion is etched across his face.
Why spend money on me, teach me Eng-
Lunar House, the headquarters of lish, teach me to work and look after
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) myself, and now push me out? After all
34
these years of feeling safe? Just as he is ready
to contribute to society, he points out, the
government is trying to remove him. I
could have a job, pay taxes. I could have
a future here. He recognises the diffi-
culties of rising immigration I under-
stand, everyone wants to come but
emphasises the difference between
being an immigrant and an asylum
seeker. Why have an asylum system
he asks, if you dont believe in it? Why
accept me in the first place?
At Kingsdale Foundation
School in Dulwich, he remembers, I cant
even say how happy I wasI made
friends who are English, African, Kingsdale Foundation School, where
Asian, black and white. I love the Mohammed sat his GCSEs
people here. In near-perfect
English, he tells how he sat ly where Mohammed goes from here. He only has
his GCSEs and was an avid one more chance to appeal, but hes determined to
cricketer an all-rounder take it to the wire. There must be way he says bull-
who opened the bowling ishly, theyve wasted my ten years, but Ill fight and
for the school team. never give up. I cautiously ask what his plans are if
Several of his friends his application is refused. Mohammed shrugs: I dont
were also refugees know. Where will I go? Where will I stay? Hes been
and most of them told that hell be sent back to Kabul a city hes
have received the never lived in and knows little of.
coveted indefinite Hes received vague assurances of help to get
leave to remain. set up, but Mohammed snorts: why would I believe
Mohammed has be- that, when they wont help me here? Wheres the
gun to feel victim- guarantee? It is the sense of betrayal that rankles
ised: They see me most this country saved my lifebut now theyve
as an easy target be- been so, so mean to me. As he says this he seems
cause Im young and desperately vulnerable, like a child at the mercy of a
I dont have a family to playground bully.
fight for me. Mohammed is sure that if he could get a face-
The left-wing press to-face meeting, things would be different. Some of
talk about govern- my friends have got one, but me, Im just a case file.
ment policy hit- Its all done through letters and solicitors. If so then
ting the most in this brief interview, I, a 22-year-old student have
vulnerable in had more direct communication with Mohammed
our society, a than the British immigration authorities have in three
statement often and a half years of deciding his fate.
backed up la- Finally I ask him what he would now say to
zily if at all. someone in his position, fleeing war and hardship
and deciding where to go. Would he advise them to
come to the UK? Despite five happy years of child-
hood here, Mohammed is unflinching. No he says
flatly, I would say go somewhere else.
In her opening speech as Prime Minister, a
But in fresh-from-the-Home-Office Theresa May pledged
Moham- to spend her premiership fighting for those socie-
med Safi ty had forgotten. We will do everything we can
we have a liv- to help anybody, whatever your background, go
ing, breathing and as far as your talents will take you.
remarkably eloquent Mohammed is unimpressed. He looks drained,
example. harassed, and angry. You call this Great Britain?
Its tough to see exact- Hes certainly made me wonder.
35
Young Voter Disillusionment:
what would change it?
Jack Bellamy took to the streets to discover what would
compel Southwarks finest to take to the polling booth

Conducting a survey is harder than I ever im- vote? OR Why not? What do you think it would take
agined. Its completely unnatural to approach total for you to vote?
strangers outside a shopping centre and ask them to 3) Do you feel any differently about voting when it
answer a few questions on voter disillusionment. If comes to local elections?
the clipboard wasnt enough to make people cross to 4) What could be done to improve the link between
the other side of the road the mention of that subject young people and local governance (if a link ex-
certainly was. I now have a new found respect for the ists in the first place)?
charity pushers who approach you on high streets up Despite the majority of people I approached
and down the country. It is hard. being apprehensive at first I was really taken aback
Nonetheless I set out to try and get some in- by the detail of many of the answers I received.
sight into why young people (approximately aged 18- Turns out the generation many like to brand as apa-
25) are disillusioned with our system and why they thetic and disillusioned are more than likely unfairly
may be perceived as highly unlikely to vote. To get a branded.
well-rounded picture the questions were widened to Of the respondents, with an average age of
ask about General Elections, Local Elections and the 24, only 37% had not voted in the last major elec-
recent EU referendum which had arguably engaged tions, while of the 63% who had voted, many did
young people more than ever before. The aim here so in both the General Election and EU Referendum.
was to get a picture of the national problem but also The responses given by people who had voted re-
to try and provide some points from which Southwark cently varied greatly. Some cited the fact that it was
Council and other local authorities may be able to their right and duty to vote. One respondent even
work from in order to connect on a local level. suggested he voted because his mum told him to. In-
The questions were as follows: terestingly many respondents were purely issue driv-
1) Did you vote in the last major elections (Referen- en, whether it was a dislike of David Cameron, the
dum or General)? environment, recently becoming taxpayers, or the EU
2) Was it your first time voting? What made you membership issue.
36
As a new modern political generation young The overwhelming sentiment when talking
people may not feel any strong affiliation to tradition- about local elections was that more information was
al political parties and ideology. Instead it is feasible needed. This information could come about at an
to believe that we are better educated, more aware educational level (Bert, 23), through interaction
and ready to take elections based on the issues at universities with MPs & parties (Cas, 23), round-
alone. As one respondent (Rachel, 26) asserted: table discussions (Krissy, 23) or even an app for
It is enough to tell us the facts and treat us whats going on in your local community giving facts
like adults young people are intelligent. and a newsfeed for local issues (Harry, 22). All of
When explaining what it would take to mobilise the these seem logical and easy to implement. More in-
non-voters many people said the system needed to formation on what services councils actually provide,
be overhauled, parties revitalised, more information, especially for youth, combined with younger repre-
and less scaremongering. This suggests the respond- sentatives could certainly help to get young people
ents were not interested in the politics of elections more engaged with local government. The lack of
and could be convinced to vote by better issue-based information from local councils was clear amongst re-
campaigns. Syed (21) did not completely dismiss spondents. Of everyone surveyed, whether they lived
parties however, saying that: in Southwark or not, not one person could name a
There is good in each party we could have a shake- local council youth project or scheme. Could it be
up of groups less racism, more environmental [is- that councils are missing a trick by not engaging with
sues]. voting age young people?
In a later response to the final question of The issue of voter disillusionment amongst
how the link could best be improved between young young people is not clear cut enough to write off
people and local governance, Jake (24), suggested: young people as disengaged completely. The snap-
More school level education even as simple as left shot given by a few days of surveys around Canada
v. right. Is there a real difference? How necessary is Water Station/Library and Surrey Quays Shopping
being positioned on the spectrum? Centre is certainly not enough to draw watertight
A shake up of the party system to make it conclusions about all of the electorate aged 18-25.
less adversarial and more firmly issue-based could The answers given were however an indication that
make young people less disillusioned. The referen- young people are willing to engage with UK elections
dum was clearly a motivating factor for those who at all levels given the right conditions. Given the right
did vote in recent major elections. For Phil (22), who issues, the right quality of electoral competition and
had never voted, the issue really mattered. Despite hassle-free voting methods it may not take that
the negative aspects of the campaigns on both sides much to convince young non-voters to turnout at na-
we should hope that the EU Referendum has longer- tional and local elections.
term mobilising after-effects.
On a much more local scale, it was really the
latter half of the survey which got people talking.
Whether people felt favourably about local elections
or not, the vast majority of those questioned had
constructive suggestions as to how the links with
local government could be created/improved. The
responses to the question Do you feel any differ-
ently about voting when it comes to local elections?
were fairly evenly split. Some saw local elections
as unimportant or felt little connection to their local
community, while the remaining respondents felt the
local connection was important and more personal
than in national elections. For those who felt local
elections did not matter as much a simple solution
could be introduced in the form of online voting. 26%
of all respondents said hassle or being away at the
time of an election was enough to put them off vot-
ing. This is easily solved and would put local elec-
tions on a more equal footing versus national elec-
tions. Such a measure would also clearly benefit the
younger and more plugged-in generation of voters
as well as paving the way for modern and effective
elections in years to come.

37
from following in his footsteps.
Over the table of a London caf, Paul tells

The Ex-Offenders me a little about the path that led him to prison.
Growing up on a deprived South Kilburn estate with
his single-parent mother, he remembers, I started

changing hearts rebelling against authority because my father wasnt


around. There were a couple of older people who
were stealing cars and drinking alcohol, but a lot of

and minds it was led by me. He was just 14 when he got his
first taste of custody six weeks in a youth detention
centre and by his twenties he was deep into drugs
Directions Project UK uses the and seduced by the champagne lifestyle of the local
gang leaders. One night he was arrested transporting
experiences of ex-offenders to a mac-10 machine gun across London.
Paul served half a 4-year sentence inside
deter young people from getting before he was back on the street. He couldnt find
involved in crime work and was soon ensnared in the drugs trade once
more. An armed police raid brought that to an end
by Luke Rix-Standing storming into the flat where Paul and his lawyer
partner were packaging up cocaine. The headlines
were blunt: Arms Dealer and Barrister Run Cocaine
The 4 IRA members who blew up the BBC Factory. It was a low ebb.
in Shepherds Bush, they were in the next celland Pauls time in prison still resonates strongly.
Abu Qatada was two doors away from me. I used to Its about survival, he recalls, youve got nothing,
play table tennis with himYou always remember the youre wearing prison clothes, you have to put in an
faces...I see some of them walking round Westfield application to visit the library, youre strip-searched
[shopping centre]. But Paul Murdoch has moved on. at will. Paul is in no doubt that nobody should want
Not geographically, but in every other way his life has to go to jail, ever, for anything. Which is how he came
changed completely since he left custody in 2011. He up with the idea of using his own experience and
then founded his own organisation, Directions Pro- that of other ex-offenders to try to deter young
ject, working with young people to try to stop them people from getting involved in crime.
38
Emerging from prison in 2011, deserted by his mit that she was feeling really low. Id love to work
girlfriend and estranged from his daughter, he threw more with these kids he says, with a shake of the
himself into starting Directions Project: the vision head.
had been put together in prison and it was a matter That Directions Project is staffed by ex-of-
of throwing a brochure together of my aims and how fenders is central to its achievements lending their
I could help young people, and then marketing it at words and experiences a power that parents and
schools. He remembers feeling overwhelmed when teachers will never possess. Martin, Pauls friend
Dormers Wells school in Ealing invited him to come since childhood, and the only member of the team
and talk. never to have been a criminal, was the first to come
With its central thesis prevention is better on board when the project began. No matter what
than cure, Paul aims to communicate with young advice you give to parents and teachers, kids often
people from a position of knowledge, about the wont listen he remarks, because they wont respect
choices they make and the risks they take. The ses- them the same way they respect Paul. 99% of the
sions he runs range from intimate groups to echoing time when someone is addicted to drugs or drink,
presentations in packed school assemblies, in which theyre more likely to listen to someone whos actual-
Paul breaks down the harsh realities of a life of crime. ly had a drugs or drink problem.
If youre joining a gang you better make sure you tell Directions Project is now expanding and di-
your mum and dad theyre joining too he tells them, versifying. Paul has recently done talks in Pentonville
if you dont want to stand up and be counted theyll Prison, PRUs (Pupil Referral Units for those exclud-
go after your families. ed from school) and has had interest from care facil-
A key aim is to smash through the glamour ities. Recently they began recruiting members from
of the criminal lifestyle: no-one is reppin their Ns the Open Estate a prison for well-behaved convicts
[neighbourhood] when theyre 40. These kids are who are within six months of release to work with
fighting over a postcode. What kind of life is it when them. Its a milestone for me beams Paul, with evi-
you cant go for a Nandos in a different area? Paul dent pride, someone who just a few years
pulls no punches: there are three places gang mem- ago was in prison themselves, is now
bers end up, he says the cemetery, the hospital, trusted to take people out of it.
and jail. Paul is particularly enthusias-
Just five years on, Directions Project is tic about starting to work in prima-
well established. Last year it conducted 115 ry schools. We need to go back to
appointments at 40 different schools. 80% grass rootsgetting hold of 10 and
resulted in a request to return. Its in the 11-years-olds, putting some sort
nature of the job that success is not of prevention stuff in
always quantifiable we dont have
a magic wand. For every 30 kids we
speak to we hope to get through to
one or twoand were not with
that kid two or three years down
the line but what feedback
there is has been overwhelm-
ingly positive. From parental
e-mails to post-talk confes-
sions, they receive all manner
of striking responses. Some
offer thanks; others say they
are being bullied and seek
advice; one admitted that his
parents were at home smoking
drugs right now.
Paul says it has a lot to do
with vulnerability: we all like to be
macho-looking people who wear
masks in life, and for me to stand
there and be brutally honest
people come up afterwards and
shake my hand. He recounts a
story of one girl who approached
him after a class to simply ad-
39
the school curriculum. Get them early agrees Mar- found frustration to Paul. The same [negative] cul-
tin, most of the trouble seems to be in year 9so ture is present in prison he laments, just without
you need years 6, 7 and 8 and then to keep coming the money and the guns. Theres still a reputation
back. to keep up and I dont know where the remorseful
Schools have statutory duties to tackle rad- side is supposed to come into it. Prison removes the
icalisation and British values, but do little on peer offender from a negative community, immerses them
pressure and crime. As a result, around two thirds of in one thats quite possibly worse, before releasing
every classroom has never even heard of joint enter- them straight back out where they came from. They
prise. Kids are getting into trouble earlier even than may even have added kudos amongst their peers,
when they were young, Paul and Martin say, and its and certainly have added stigma in the non-criminal
more dangerous now too. In our day there wasnt world that makes it even harder to get an honest job.
such a proliferation of guns and weapons, Martin Paul, however, has a plan: you need a pro-
points out, How many people were stabbing people gramme where courts can order for people to be tak-
when we were young? How many people were rap- en out of their community and be reprogrammed
pin about stabbing people? Paul responds, young by positive people who have been down these roads
people do what they see in front of themand kids before what do you think would happen. asks Paul,
are being exposed to all sorts of things. If you spend if you took 10 kids at risk of exclusion to a house
long enough in a hairdresser, youre gonna get a hair- in the countryside that taught education, the pitfalls
cut. of crime, respect and values and then brought them
Understanding this culture and getting young back into society? You are the company you keep
people away from it, is central to Direction Projects its a no-brainer. Martin concurs: why are we spend-
ambitions. At the moment the role model on a local ing 40,000 of taxpayers money [the annual cost
estate is someone who has a convertible car, never per prisoner] when spending 5,000 in a different
works and has a lot of money, says Paul, You know way could prevent someone from going to prison? It
theyre selling drugsWe need to saturate communi- makes you wonder.
ties with positive role models Unfortunately, this rural retreat seems a way
Directions Project is now sending mentors off, but in the meantime Directions Project is trying
into schools on a weekly basis. The impact of a one- to change the trajectory of Londons youth one class,
off talk is likely to fade after a few months, Paul ex- one student, and one prison cell at a time. Before
plains, mentoring has longer-lasting impact. This is leaving I ask Paul, if there was a kid standing in front
particularly topical with youth clubs in the vanguard of you right now and you had 20 seconds, what would
of government cuts. Theres a lot of anger in young you say? He pauses. What is your purpose in life?
people, theyre not heard enough, says Paul, we What legacy are you gonna leave behind? Would you
should be throwing money at our youth; theyre our want your younger brother involved in what youre
future. doing?
The prison system too, is a source of pro- Perhaps theres a lesson in there for us all.

40
99% Campaign Team

Luke Jack
Rix-Standing Bellamy
Writer, 22
Editor, 22

Lucy Eileen
Thompson Gbagbo
Writer, 20 Writer/Poet, 17

Frank Katie
Kibble Wetherall
Writer, 23 Writer, 21

Adele Brendan
Fraser Welch
Writer, 21 Writer, 27

Imogen Olivia
Malpas Williams
Writer, 20 Writer, 20

41
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YOUTH PROFESSIONALS
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42
About the 99% Campaign
www.99percentcampaign.org
The 99% Campaign is a youth-led initiative and participation programme that aims to dispel negative
stereotypes of young people, and promote their involvement in decision-making processes and civic life.

The 99% Campaign aims to:


Challenge disadvantage thinking about young people and promote positive stories.
Ensure that discrimination, negative perceptions and stereotypes about young people are
tackled within society, political institutions and service providers.
Create youth opportunities and ensure that existing opportunities are highlighted and enhanced.
99% Campaigners receive high quality volunteering and internship opportunities, and through training,
mentoring, accreditation and support they become role models and leaders within their communities.
To join the 99% Campaign contact 99percentcampaign@iars.org.uk
To support the 99% Campaign as a sponsor contact contact@iars.org.uk or please consider donating via BIG GIVE -
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Follow us on Twitter: @wethe99percent

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The Campaign is hosted by the IARS International Institute (IARS).

About The IARS International Institute


www.iars.org.uk
The IARS International Institute is user-led and user-focused charity with a mission to give everyone
a chance to forge a safer, fairer and more inclusive society. Since its inception, the Institute has
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43
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