Over 215 million youth worldwide are involved in dangerous income-generating activities like prostitution and street violence that cause long-term physical and mental harm.
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But a group of researchers at Dalhousie鈥檚 Resilience Research Centre are trying to change that statistic by providing an alternative direction for youth to take through singing, dancing, and designing.
Linda Liebenberg and Michael Ungar, co-directors of the centre, have recently applied for the Grand Challenges Canada - Canadian Rising Stars in Global Health Award, and are hoping to re-create a program called 鈥淐ambodian Living Arts,鈥� a project started out of Cambodia that gives communities the opportunity to divert vulnerable youth away from dangerous activities. Their and written application describe how the youth at risk are putting themselves in danger just to earn a living and how introducing them to the arts can help redirect their paths.
鈥淲e鈥檝e seen the success of Cambodia Living Arts (CLA) and we want other areas of the world to be able to re-create it through a virtual tool kit,鈥� explains Dr. Liebenberg, who鈥檚 also an adjunct professor in the School of Social Work. 鈥淲e want to create this virtual tool kit that models the approach of CLA so communities around the world can facilitate the same type of activities and programs that keep youth engaged through the arts.鈥�
Supporting communities
After three years of researching vulnerable youth in Cape Town, Dr. Liebenberg emigrated from South Africa to Halifax and joined Michael Ungar at the Resilience Research Centre, where they have researched youth resilience together for the past eight years. The grant, worth $100,000 over 18 months with a possibility of renewal, would go toward development of the tool kit website using graphic design work of youth in Cambodia and piloting the program in four international sites.
鈥淚nstead of trying to reinvent the wheel, communities will be able to use the tool kit to establish their own 鈥榊outh Living Arts,鈥欌�� explains Dr. Liebenberg. 鈥淚n Cambodia, youth are taught traditional music and dance, but art forms would vary for each community. We鈥檒l encourage communities to explore their local traditions and incorporate that into their own program.鈥�
Dr. Liebenberg encourages the Dal community to and vote as the number of votes plays a role in the application process.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like the old saying goes, 鈥楪ive a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.鈥� By creating these virtual tool kits, we鈥檙e empowering youth and their communities.鈥�