May 15, 2005

ARTICLES: "Namibia Urged to 'Listen Up' to IT"

Namibia Urged to 'Listen Up' to IT

> ITWeb (Johannesburg)
> http://www.itweb.co.za/
> May 9, 2005
> Posted to the web May 9, 2005
>
> Warwick Ashford
> Johannesburg
>
> SchoolNet Namibia, a non-profit provider of Internet service, hardware and
> training to schools in Namibia, has launched a comic strip to demystify
> computers and attract teachers and students to the digital world.
>
> It has teamed up with Strika Entertainment, The Namibian Newspaper and
> Johannesburg-based Direq International to produce and distribute the "Hai Ti!"
> comic strip, which is aimed at bringing teachers into the computer lab.
>
>
> "Hai Ti!", which means "listen up!" in the Oshiwambo language group, is being
> distributed through inclusion in the Namibian Youth Paper, but is also
> available online.
>
> "'Hai Ti!' is a character-based drama around the SchoolNet team and teachers at
> a remote rural school in Namibia," says Joris Komen, SchoolNet Namibia
> executive director.
>
> "It's aimed particularly at teachers and principles educators, who in the main,
> are still resistant to information and communications technologies," he
> explains.
>
> Komen says one of the aims of "Hai Ti!" is to address misunderstanding and allay
> fears among educators about the compatibility of open source software such as
> Open Office with similar proprietary systems commonly used in the private
> sector.
>
> "In an educational context, the skills acquired by teachers and learners to cut,
> copy and paste, and use office administration tools such as word processors,
> spreadsheets and multimedia applications, as well as the Internet, must be
> completely platform-neutral, without affecting their existing or future
> careers," says Komen.
>
> "This medium has the inherent advantages of being entertaining and easy to
> understand," says Denis Brandjes, MD of Direq International, which provides
> SchoolNet with OpenLab, the open source operating system that runs in school
> labs and home computers throughout Africa, particularly in Namibia, Nigeria,
> Zimbabwe and SA.
>
> "Strika Communications was chosen for the project because of their success in
> using comics as a communication medium. Their flagship product, Supa Strikas,
> is one of Africa's biggest publications with over a million copies distributed
> each month in seven countries," adds Brandjes.
>
> The first edition of "Hai Ti!" interweaves the stories of a learner who uses the
> Internet to prepare for a debate; of a football fan who learns the Internet can
> be a better source for sports news than the local shebeen; and of a young
> teacher who comes to grips with computer basics with the help of SchoolNet
> trainers.
>
> Komen says it is hoped the new approach will assist SchoolNet to guide educators
> and the community through the stages of computer ownership, ICT adoption and
> ICT integration with the national curriculum.
>
> "We want to encourage educators, learners and communities to embrace these
> technologies in their lives. We need to encourage personal control, comfort in
> the use of technology and build respect for the intelligence and ability of
> educators to use them," says Komen.
>

SOURCE: http://allafrica.com/stories/200505091322.html

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

The opinions and views expressed in this message and/or articles & websites linked to from this message do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies.
_________________________________________

May 13, 2005

ARTICLES / EVENTS: County students to premiere videos on substance abuse (Oregon, USA)

<DIV><SPAN class=name><SPAN class=headingstory><A href="http://www.newsreview.info/article/20050503/NEWS/105030071">County students to premiere videos on substance abuse</A></SPAN></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=name><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=name>DANIELLE GILLESPIE - </SPAN><SPAN class=date>May 3, 2005</SPAN><BR><IMG height=10 src="http://www.newsreview.info/graphics/spacer.gif" width=1 border=0><BR><IMG height=10 src="http://www.newsreview.info/graphics/spacer.gif" width=1 border=0><BR><SPAN class=body2>They'll be treated like movie stars.<BR><BR>On Thursday, 100 Douglas County students will ride around in limousines, walk down a red carpet, mingle and munch on hors d'oeuvres. <BR><BR>It's for the local equivalent of Hollywood's Academy Awards -- students from 10 Douglas County high schools have spent months filming and editing 30 public service announcements for the second annual Truth, Lies and Videotapes youth media project. <BR><BR>Now it's their turn to celebrate. <BR><BR>The 30- to 60-second videos are about the consequences of alcohol, tobacco and drug abuse. The students will premiere their videos to the public at 7 p.m. Thursday in Jacoby Auditorium at Umpqua Community College.<BR><BR>"This is a night to honor the efforts of our young people," said Marlene Petersen, prevention coordinator with Roseburg School District.<BR><BR>The event will begin at 6 p.m. with hors d'oeuvres. Admission is free.<BR><BR>Eric Titus, a Roseburg High School senior, and Dick Baltus, Roseburg Area Chamber of Commerce president, will act as hosts for the evening's festivities.<BR><BR>The students will be honored with "Oscars" and a certificate for their hard work. Their videos will later be aired on KPIC-TV.<BR><BR>Truth, Lies and Videotapes is put on by Oregon Partnership and Douglas County Communities Aligned to Prevent Substance Abuse, the Ford Family Foundation and Oregon Community Foundation.<BR><BR>The intent of the program is to increase awareness among teens. When students produce their own anti-drug message, they are more likely to take a stronger stance against drugs, alcohol and tobacco, Petersen said.<BR><BR>"Who better to know what kids need to know other than the students themselves?" Petersen said.<BR><BR>* You can reach reporter Danielle Gillespie at 957-4202 or by e-mail at <A href="mailto:dgillespie@newsreview.info">dgillespie@newsreview.info</A>.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=body2></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=body2><FONT face=Arial size=2>SOURCE: <A href="http://www.newsreview.info/article/20050503/NEWS/105030071">http://www.newsreview.info/article/20050503/NEWS/105030071</A></FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>_________________________________________</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Chris Schuepp<BR>Young People's Media Network - Coordinator<BR>c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)<BR>Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor<BR>D-45770 Marl - Germany</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Tel.: +49 2365 502480<BR>Mobile: +49 176 23107083<BR>Fax: +49 12126 23107083<BR>Email: <A href="mailto:cschuepp@unicef.org">cschuepp@unicef.org</A><BR>URL: <A href="http://www.unicef.org/magic">www.unicef.org/magic</A><BR>Mailing list: <A href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The opinions and views expressed in this message and/or articles & websites linked to from this message do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies.<BR>_________________________________________</FONT></DIV>

May 12, 2005

PROJECTS / ARTICLES: All for Peace: A Palestinian-Israeli Radio Station (MIDDLE EAST)

All for Peace: A Palestinian-Israeli Radio Station

Sima Borkovski
Jerusalem, Israel
May 11, 2005

It started with music. In January 2004, a radio station based in East Jerusalem made its debut on the Internet [www.allforpeace.org], broadcasting a playlist of global tunes that featured Arab and Israeli melodies. By April, the station was hosting talking radio programs in the mornings ? one hour in Hebrew and one hour in Arabic. ?We deal with education, culture and sport, but politics is out,? explains Maisa Seniora, the station?s Palestinian co-director. ?You are bound to hurt someone when you deal with politics.? The station offers a range of programs for adults as well as for young listeners.

?The equator? is a one-hour talk show broadcast in Hebrew that examines the different social and cultural aspects of life in Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The show lets Hebrew speaking listeners get to know Palestinian society. Its counterpart is ?Muhawalat,? another daily program. Broadcast in Arabic, it deals with different aspects of Israeli society and gives Palestinian listeners a perspective on Israeli life.

?Crossing Borders? is a youth program hosted by two young girls, Neta Muray and Shireen Yassin. The show deals with the fears, dreams and hopes of both Israeli and Palestinian youth covering issues that affect their lives such as education, music, violence, drugs and more.

The station broadcasts 24 hours a day and plans to continue doing so once they officially go on air. Run by 12 Israelis and Palestinians ? technicians, producers and reporters ? All for Peace Radio is determined to instill fresh hope in two populations that have sunk into apathy and despair. The dual heritage of their small staff in itself serves as an emblem of cooperation and peace.

Two organizations ? the Palestinian group Biladi (?my homeland? in Arabic) and an Israeli group called The Jewish-Arab Centre for Peace at Givat Haviva ? are partners in the project. When representatives from the groups collaborated to found All for Peace, the European Union believed in their dream enough to fund 80 percent of the project.

The station?s yearly budget stands at $350,000. The Japanese embassy in Tel-Aviv and several private organizations also support the station.

In a relatively short time, this small radio station has built a reputation as a credible source of information. ?While covering recent elections in the Palestinian Authority, we interviewed both Abu Mazen and his political rival Dr. Mustafa Barghouti,? Shimon Malka, the station?s Israeli c0-director, says with pride. ?We were also approached by Israeli media for updates through our sources.?

One of the most fascinating stories covered by the station concerns a Palestinian terrorist who was on his way to launch an attack on Israeli civilians. A sudden moment of reflection led him to the conclusion that nothing useful would come from killing more people. He turned back to his village and eventually started a children?s theater group. All For Peace broadcast this story around the world, inviting the ex-terrorist in for an interview.

?We get about 10,000 daily visitors to the [Web] site,? says Malka. ?I hope the numbers will keep on growing as more and more people hear about us.?

The station?s optimistic vision is all the more impressive considering the hurdles it has faced from Israeli and Palestinian officials. The station originally intended to broadcast via traditional radio waves, but the transmitter it ordered from Italy has been stuck in Israeli customs since November 2003. What seems to be a technical problem is actually a political one ? the Palestinian Communication Office and its Israeli counterpart refuse to communicate since, officially, there is no dialogue between political leaders on both sides.

?This is a very frustrating situation,? says Seniora. ?Since these people are incapable of speaking to one another, the station is stuck as well.?

The Israeli Ministry of Communication responded to questions about the station with a calendar of committee meetings and a saga of missing permits. An ultimatum given by the station?s management to Israeli officials has been ignored. Malka says that at present the station is engaged in trying to purchase an alternative transmitter, a smaller one, but one that will at least allow them to finally go on air. European Union officials have also begun exerting their influence to pressure Israel to allow the station to start broadcasting.

Even though these are not the best of times, Seniora and her colleagues remain determined. ?If there was peace, we would have no work to do. I want to reach the people on the street who are tired of this war. The bottom line is that we are all people who want to live and work and raise our children in peace.?

Sima Borkovski is a freelance journalist based in Jerusalem. Her articles have been published by various Jewish publications in Europe and the United States. She also writes for NANA [www.nana.co.il], a news Web site in Israel.

SOURCE: http://www.worldpress.org/Mideast/2079.cfm

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

WEBSITES / PROJECTS: Habbohotel 'UNICEF Bus' - UNICEF-Comité Español

<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>SOURCE: UNICEF Spain</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0> <TBODY> <TR vAlign=top> <TD width="100%"><B><FONT face=Verdana color=#0080ff>Habbohotel 'UNICEF Bus' - UNICEF-Comité Español</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR vAlign=top> <TD width="100%"><FONT face=Verdana size=1><BR></FONT><B><FONT face=Verdana color=#800000 size=1></FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR vAlign=top> <TD width="100%"><I><FONT face=Verdana size=2>MADRID, 9-5-2005 (UNICEF-COMITÉ ESPAÑOL)</FONT></I></TD></TR> <TR vAlign=top> <TD width="100%"><FONT face=Verdana size=1><BR></FONT><B><FONT face=Verdana color=#800000 size=1></FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR vAlign=top> <TD width="100%"><FONT face=Verdana size=2>The Habbohotel ?UNICEF Bus? completed its first year last Friday, April 29th. In order to celebrate this first anniversary, UNICEF created a series of activities and chats concerning ?Sports for Development?, accompanied by a forum on the website </FONT><U><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff size=2>www.enredate.org</FONT></U><FONT face=Verdana size=2> (Website of the program of Education for Development for UNICEF-Spanish Committee). The theme also coincides with 2005 being the International Year for Physical Education and Sport. <BR></FONT><BR><FONT face=Verdana size=2>UNICEF and Habbohotel created an alliance in order to carry out chats with young people about important themes such as education or development. Now, thousands of children visit the site to participate in this virtual community, supervised 24 hours a day by a volunteer staff from both Habbohotel and UNICEF, creating a safe environment. Children can get on the ?Bus? for 15 minute chats about given themes. </FONT><BR><BR><FONT face=Verdana size=2>The special program ?Sports for Development? began April 27 and will extend until May 27. It seeks to create a setting where children can debate themes such as the importance of sports in the psychological recovery of the thousands of children affected by wars and natural disasters, the benefits of sports for your health, values that will help you be better people, or themes discussing discrimination because of gender, handicap, or race. Activities taking place include the chats, games, quizzes, and news related to sports and UNICEF strategies to promote development and peace through sports. </FONT><BR><BR><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Each week, there will be a famous athlete in the ?Bus? to chat with the children, telling their experiences in sport. Recently, Andrés Guerrero joined as the first celebrity to participate in the initiative. He is responsible for education for development for UNICEF in New York and is currently the Programs Official for UNICEF?s regional office in Geneva. Past participants include actor Imanol Arias, singer Seydu, and the Executive Director of the UNICEF-Spanish National Committee, Jaime Gómez-Pineda. </FONT><BR><BR><FONT face=Verdana size=2>In addition to Guerrero, the Bus has invited Martín Vázquez, an ex-football player and member of the Special Olympics; the Atlético de Madrid football player Fernando Torres, and two UNICEF Spain Ambassadors: the ex football player Eusebio Sacristán, and the basketball player Pau Gasol.</FONT><BR><BR><FONT face=Verdana size=2>In its first year, the ?UNICEF Bus? has hosted discussions with more than 4,200 children and adolescents in a series of 458 educational chats. </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>_________________________________________</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Chris Schuepp<BR>Young People's Media Network - Coordinator<BR>c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)<BR>Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor<BR>D-45770 Marl - Germany</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Tel.: +49 2365 502480<BR>Mobile: +49 176 23107083<BR>Fax: +49 12126 23107083<BR>Email: <A href="mailto:cschuepp@unicef.org">cschuepp@unicef.org</A><BR>URL: <A href="http://www.unicef.org/magic">www.unicef.org/magic</A><BR>Mailing list: <A href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The opinions and views expressed in this message and/or articles & websites linked to from this message do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies.<BR>_________________________________________</FONT></DIV>

May 11, 2005

AWARDS: prizes at the Kristiansand International Children's Film F

FROM KRISTIANSAND TO THE REST OF NORWAY

Two Dutch films - Willem van de Sande's Lepel and Joram Lürsen's In oranje (In Orange) - won prizes at the Kristiansand International Children's Film Festival, which secures them Norwegian distribution

The 8th Kristiansand International Children's Film Festival, which ended Sunday, 1 May - having sold 14,500 tickets for a six-day programme of 75 features, documentaries, novella and short films from 19 countries - will channel two Dutch films into Norwegian distribution.

The festival opener, Dutch director Willem van de Sande's Lepel, was awarded as Best Feature in the main programme by Norwegian cinema association, Film & Kino, receiving app ?9,250 earmarked for the Norwegian distributor who acquires the film. Dutch director Joram Lürsen's In oranje (In Orange) won the Audience Award, including the Norwegian Film Institute's Toya Prize of app ?9,250 for Norwegian distribution, and the Ludi Prize, a statuette of the festival mascot. The CIFEJ Award, from the international centre of films for children and young audiences, went to Danish director Peter Flinth's Fakiren fra Bilbao (The Fakir).

SOURCE: http://www.nordicfilmnews.net/Newsletter/NL-050504.html#Anchor-FROM-23240

ICDB - International Children's Day of Broadcasting

International Children's Day of Broadcasting (ICDB)

Sport for Development and Peace

Let's Play!

11 December 2005

UNICEF and the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences are asking broadcasters around the world to highlight sport as they celebrate this year's International Children's Day of Broadcasting (ICDB) on 11 December 2005.

The power of sport as a tool for development and peace is the theme of this year's ICDB, the day when broadcasters throw open their studio doors and the airwaves to young producers and presenters.

And, for the first time this year, the International Academy and UNICEF will offer eight regional awards to the broadcasters which best promote the principles, purpose and main themes of ICDB.

Each regional winner will be invited to the International Emmy Awards Gala in New York on 21 November 2005 and one will receive the prestigious International Academy/UNICEF Award.

With more than 2,000 broadcasters scheduled to take part, the event will focus on how sport and games provide children and young people with opportunities to express themselves and to become agents for change in their own communities.

"After 13 successful years, we continue to view ICDB as an innovative way to increase children's participation in the broadcasting industry" said Dr. Sharad Sapra, UNICEF's Director of Communication. "We hope regional judging will strengthen the competition and lead to greater commitment from broadcasters towards children on the day itself and during the rest of the year."

Television and radio broadcasters continue to mark the International Children's Day of Broadcasting with distinctive and dynamic programming produced in their own countries.

SOURCE: www.unicef.org/icdb

EVENTS: Platforma Video Zero Five (GREECE)

<DIV><STRONG>PLATFORMA VIDEO ZERO FIVE</STRONG> <BR>The independent initiative for the promotion of the digital cinema in video will take place in Athens from October 7-10, 2005, in the venue "417" located in the area of Metaxourgio. <BR>We invite film creators to participate with video films produced from 2002 onwards. <BR>There are no thematic or restrictions relating to the duration of the films, in order to participate at PLATFORMA VIDEO ZERO FIVE, while the only prerequisite is that films should not have been transferred into celluloid. <BR><BR>Please fill in the electronic application form at http://www.platforma.gr until August 31, 2005. <BR>For further information please contact us at info@platforma.gr or at +30 6946811911. <BR><BR>PLATFORMA Urban Culture Co. <BR>Kaisareias 6 <BR>11527 Athens - Greece <BR>tel. +30 6946811911 <BR>fax +30 2107487890 <BR><A href="http://www.platforma.gr">www.platforma.gr</A> <BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>_________________________________________</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Chris Schuepp<BR>Young People's Media Network - Coordinator<BR>c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)<BR>Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor<BR>D-45770 Marl - Germany</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Tel.: +49 2365 502480<BR>Mobile: +49 176 23107083<BR>Fax: +49 12126 23107083<BR>Email: <A href="mailto:cschuepp@unicef.org">cschuepp@unicef.org</A><BR>URL: <A href="http://www.unicef.org/magic">www.unicef.org/magic</A><BR>Mailing list: <A href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The opinions and views expressed in this message and/or articles & websites linked to from this message do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies.<BR>_________________________________________</FONT></DIV>

2005 Reebok Human Rights Award [call for nominations]

SOURCE: CRINMAIL 676

YOUNG PEOPLE: 2005 Reebok Human Rights Award [call for nominations]

Members of the international community of human rights and non-governmental organisations are urged to nominate young men and women to honour for their courage and contributions to further human rights.

The Reebok Human Rights Award was established in 1988, and has since then, provided 76 young activists from 35 countries support and encouragement at a critical time in their advocacy work. The award, which seeks to shine a positive, international light on the awardees and to support their work in human rights, provides recipients with a $50,000 grant from the Reebok Human Rights Foundation for the human rights organisation of their choice.

Human rights and NGOs are urged to nominate young men and women to receive the award. Candidates must be 30 years of age or younger. They cannot advocate violence or belong to an organisation that advocates violence, and they must be working on an issue that directly relates to the United Nations' "Universal Declaration of Human Rights." Women and men of all races, ethnic groups, nationalities, and religious backgrounds are eligible.

Past Reebok award recipients have been recognised for their work on such issues as: fighting for Native American land rights; protesting human rights abuses in Tibet; battling racial bias in the death penalty in the United States; protecting children in Zambia from physical and sexual abuse; monitoring human rights abuses in Nigeria; and combating sex trafficking in South Asia.

Nomination deadline: 31 May 2005

For more information, contact:
Email: rhraward@reebok.com
Website: http://www.reebok.com/humanrights

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

WEBSITES / PROJECTS: Catch the real vibes at jamsquad.com (JAMAICA)

Catch the real vibes at jamsquad.com

Laura Jenoure, Observer TeenAge writer - Tuesday, May 10, 2005

The pace at which technology is moving these days is absolutely mind-boggling. The Internet is one of the main beneficiaries of this growth as evidenced by the use of broadband technology and the various linkages of the Internet with other media.

It was natural for the Internet and entertainment to merge today to provide societies with greater entertainment options.

David Mullings along with his younger brother Richard are the masterminds behind Random Media which is a multimedia company geared to provide options for especially young people to access information on entertainment and other leisure activities. The concept arose during their first semester in their MBA programme at the University of Miami where they started the realvibes.net website, a site where you can download music from the various genres but which was more geared towards the international market. Random Media were successful with their first project which now averages over 500,000 hits per month.

Back in Jamaica now, the brothers decided that it was time to develop a website geared towards Jamaicans especially the young people of the country.

So with success in their first venture, the Mullings brothers have now officially launched jamsquad.com aimed at exposing Jamaican teens to acceptable role models and achievers.

"This is a special site for us at Random Media. This is the site that connects Jamaican teens to enable them to have further expression and to try and find an area of activity which they can relate to be it cars, fashion, movies, music or just reading about others who have been successful in their particular sphere of life," David Mullings said.

But Random Media isn't all about fun and games.
"We have developed a Real Vibes Foundation through which we give back to the community. We support children's homes and we are in the process of making at least five scholarships available to needy students," David Mullings said.

Random Media has already secured some strong associations with other entities at home and abroad. At present these include La Pluma Negra, RE TV, Hype TV, Telemundo, VP Records, Atlantic Records, Zip 103 FM, and Clear Channel.

"In addition to our website we will also be launching a magazine which will coming out in the summer in order to fully sensitise Jamaicans about the work young people are doing and what are the options available to them," said David Mullings who is also managing director of Random Media.

SOURCE: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/TeenAge/html/20050509T210000-0500_80176_OBS_CATCH_THE_REAL_VIBES_AT_JAMSQUAD_COM_.asp

WEBSITE: www.jamsquad.com

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

ARTICLES: Kids Slowly Addicted To Violence, No Thanks To The Media (ASIA)

Kids Slowly Addicted To Violence, No Thanks To The Media

KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 (Bernama) -- Children are slowly addicted to violence and this is "no thanks" to the media, Pakistan Television programmes director/executive producer Moneeza Hashmi said Tuesday.

She said the media particularly broadcasters were continuously injecting poison into the minds of innocent children, turning them into violent addicts.

Despite being in the broadcasting industry, Moneeza said she was appalled at the television programmes currently being shown.

Instead of pleasure, she said television had become a nuisance to "responsible" parents who were constantly on the edge, wondering what kind of programmes including cartoons that their children were watching.

The presence of cable television also made it difficult for parents as their children were being flooded with imported programmes or cartoons which promoted violence, she said at the second day of the Asia Media Summit.

"(During my days) I had cartoons too but they were not violent, sometimes they may look stupid but they were fun," she said at today's summit which discussed on `Children: Today's Learners, Tomorrow Leaders - Asia Emerging Networks to improve Children's TV'.

Of the television programmes being shown throughout the world today, she said only 30 to 40 percent of them were suitable for children and in some countries, it might be less.

This, she noted, could be worrying since studies carried out in Europe and the United States showed that children between the ages of six and 10 spend an average of two to five hours a day watching television.

To a question, she said the main reason that television had become more violent was because broadcasters and producers - who are adults - were of the opinion that violence sells.

And, this is important because television is a big and costly business and broadcasters have profit margins to worry about, she said.

Moneeza said the media, when confronted on violence in television, would say that this was what the public wanted and they were just serving the needs of their audiences.

"I doubt when you ask any child they will say yes, I am violent, I like and condone violence...give me a break.

"If you keep injecting something like that, ironically, it's like sex, it's like glamour, it's like vulgarity. If you keep injecting it, the boy will say it makes sense and it becomes an addiction," she said.

To overcome this, Moneeza pointed out that there was a need to find new sources of money to fund television programmes that were healthy to children but might not be profitable.

In addition, she said there was now awareness among the public and governments on the need to curb violence in the media, but the reform process would take time.

"It is not easy to change the behaviour and the minds of people. It is happening but it will take a few generations to achieve that," she said.

Meanwhile, Arab States Broadcasting Union Director General Abdelhafidh Harguem said the media could become instrumental in training the citizens of tomorrow.

He said the media had turned into unavoidable "parallel schools" which were at the core of interaction between young people and their family and educational milieus.

This, he said, was because children attending school were soaked with media culture, which moulded their view of the world.

"For all these reasons, the introduction in school curricula of education to the media proves to be a pressing need. Countries like Canada, have integrated it as a full-fledged school discipline," he said.

SOURCE: http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=133723

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

May 10, 2005

NEWS: Voices of Youth members plan newsletter

<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> <H3><A href="http://www.unicef.org/people/people_26561.html">Voices of Youth members plan newsletter</A></H3> <P><STRONG>By Blue Chevigny</STRONG></P> <P>2 May 2005 - Voices of Youth members from around the globe get together to create newsletter about the issues they care about most.</P> <P><SPAN class=leadquote>Voices of Youth Digital Diaries are all about young people who want to know more?do more?and say more about the world. These reports are first-person/eyewitness accounts by young people from around the world.</SPAN></P> <P>NEW YORK, 2 May 2005 ? Luciana, Jennifer, Laura, Camille, Fatima and Zuhur are hard at work inventing their own means of expression: a newsletter that will be published online through Voices of Youth.</P> <P>These young people and others who are regular participants in Voices of Youth?s online chats and discussions, got together over the last few months to discuss what they could do to affect change in their communities. They ?got together? online, from places as far apart as Somaliland, Romania, France, Nigeria, Morocco, and Argentina. The group has never met in person.</P> <P>Frustrated that they have not been able to affect more change and to make their voices heard, they decided to publish a newsletter. To cut down on production costs and to make it more easily accessible to an unlimited audience, the newsletter will be published online.</P> <P>They divided up into departments: editorial, a distribution and promotion, and online administration. They also decided that each issue will have a theme, like violence or HIV and AIDS, and each member of the organizing team will get to write an article for each issue.  Some will be first-person narratives, some will be interviews, and some will be research-driven articles.</P> <P>They are already feeling better about their own abilities to affect change in their world. Newsletter organiser Fatima, 16 years old and in Morocco, says, ?The desire to act is strong, and it?s a positive way of expressing your personality. Its very important psychologically.?</P> <P>Most of all they want to inspire their readers, most likely other young people, to take action as well. ?We want to make everyone awake,? says Zuhur, 19 and from Somaliland, one of the organisers of the effort. ?The biggest thing that frightens me is people who do nothing.?</P> <P>And Jennifer says, ?Our dream is to reach every nook and cranny of the world.? </P> <P>These six young people, and the many other participants in their project, are making their dreams come true by acting together. They hope to publish their first issue in the next month. Stay tuned to Voices of Youth and UNICEF Radio for more!</P> <P>Learn more about what young people are saying: Visit <A href="http://www.unicef.org/voy/discussions/">Voices of Youth?s online community</A>. Or find out about UNICEF?s work to <A href="http://www.unicef.org/adolescence/index.html">promote and protect the rights of adolescents</A>.</P> <SCRIPT language=JavaScript>  </SCRIPT> </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>SOURCE: <A href="http://www.unicef.org/people/people_26561.html">http://www.unicef.org/people/people_26561.html</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>_________________________________________</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Chris Schuepp<BR>Young People's Media Network - Coordinator<BR>c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)<BR>Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor<BR>D-45770 Marl - Germany</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Tel.: +49 2365 502480<BR>Mobile: +49 176 23107083<BR>Fax: +49 12126 23107083<BR>Email: <A href="mailto:cschuepp@unicef.org">cschuepp@unicef.org</A><BR>URL: <A href="http://www.unicef.org/magic">www.unicef.org/magic</A><BR>Mailing list: <A href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The opinions and views expressed in this message and/or articles & websites linked to from this message do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies.<BR>_________________________________________</FONT></DIV>

May 4, 2005

ADVERTISING: Cradle rock - the record industry is on your case... UK)

Cradle rock

Just turned five? The record industry is on your case, says Caroline Sullivan

Wednesday May 4, 2005
The Guardian

This won't be news to anyone with offspring, but now it's official: the music business is coming for your children. That's the five-to-11-year-olds, who, it seems, comprise one of the hottest new consumer groups in pop. Yes, Little Miss over there, squealing along to Jamelia, and that mini-rapper practising his Usher dance moves - they're not just children, they're a new pop demographic. And the recording industry wants them.

The industry has woken up to the fact that most pre-teens are so pop-conscious that they can discuss the relative merits of Sugababes and Girls Aloud. They have an appetite for music that encompasses CDs, ringtones, downloads and all the associated merchandise, such as Peter Andre's (sadly discontinued) Mysterious Girl eau de toilette.

Moreover, as experts in the art of "pester power", they can afford what they want. And what they apparently want - once they've outgrown the Tweenies - is music of their own.

"We're targeting sophisticated, pop-hungry pop people," says Eddie Ruffett of Universal Music, who has produced compilation CDs called Pop Party and Pop Party II - the first compilations marketed directly at five-to-11s. This age group isn't interested in entire albums by individual acts; they just want hit singles, and the Pop Party series provides that. Containing only the most "essential" smashes by their favourite artists (eg McFly's Five Colours in Her Hair, Britney's ... Baby One More Time) plus bonus karaoke discs that allow kids to pretend to be Britney and McFly, the two volumes had a £1-million promotional budget.

TV advertising and tie-ins with Tammy clothes shops and McDonald's let children know that here was an album just for them, with no rubbishy filler and, as Ruffett puts it, "no teenage-boy groups like Limp Bizkit". The CDs sold almost 1m copies each - a vast number in a market where a successful compilation is lucky to shift 300,000.

Ruffett and colleague Karen Meekings have won an industry award for the campaign and rival labels are now hastily releasing their own compilations, with titles such as Ultimate Sleepover and Party Party Party, all stuffed with McFly, et al. Unexpectedly, almost as many boys (45%) as girls (55%) buy them, despite their looking, as one mum puts it, "all girlie and Barbie-pinky".

Uncovering a new demographic is exciting for an industry that has been hit by declining singles sales and illegal internet downloads. "This is an investment into the future," says Paul Williams of Music Week magazine. "The Pop Party audience will be the serious fans in a decade's time." In other words, once children start buying music, it becomes a lifelong habit, so get 'em young.

Steve Gallant of music retailers HMV says that, where record-buying once began at around age 13, "they start to consume at seven or eight now, because there are 30-odd satellite music channels, and they're aware at a much younger age. Previous kids' albums were either hits from Disney movies or stuff like Bob, but this is proper pop music, aimed at kids."

This isn't a completely new concept. In the 1970s, the cheesy Top of the Pops compilation series - a spin-off from the TV show - offered all the latest chart hits. Buyers were dismayed to find that those Abba and Brotherhood-of-Man songs werecover versions by anonymous musicians - but, with no alternatives, the series survived till the late 70s. The new compilations are in another league. Even the artwork is sparky rather than idiotic.

It sounds ridiculously obvious, which is probably why nobody had done it before. The trend was pioneered in Denmark five years ago, with an eight-volume series called Hits for Kids. At that time in Britain, the compilation market was dominated by the long-running Now That's What I Call Music! albums, pitched at teenagers. Hence, if a 10-year-old wanted a compilation to play at a birthday party, there was little choice. Despite the existence of a large prepubescent audience, who had discovered music via the Spice Girls a year or two earlier, it took UK record labels years to catch up.

Now it's clear that mini-CD buyers welcome the trend. Parents, though, are divided: some worry that their children are being prevented from developing their own taste. Others point out that, if they're reading the booklet and singing along, it's good practice for reading and poetry structure. And as music publicist Linda Rowe, mother of a nine- and four-year- old daughter, says, even if they're listening to rubbish, at least they're not eating and drinking it!

SOURCE: http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1475748,00.html (FREE REGISTRATION REQUIRED)

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

May 3, 2005

Vote! - Vote ! - ¡Vota!

(English - Francais - Espanol)

Vote now for your favorite video!

The "Make a difference" one-minute video contest on Voices of Youth is
coming to a close. We received 75 wonderful entries from young people around
the world, and the adult and youth judges have chosen 10 finalists. Now is
your chance to vote for the winner!

Visit http://www.unicef.org/voy/takeaction/takeaction_2088.html to watch
the 10 videos chosen as finalists, then cast your vote and help choose the
video that best shows how young people are taking action to make the world -
and their own communities - a better place. Don't forget that you need to
register as a member of Voices of Youth to vote.

The winning video will be the official Voices of Youth public service
announcement, will receive prizes, and will be made available for broadcast
around the world on The International Children's Day of Broadcasting.

You have leass than 2 weeks to cast your vote, so do it now!
_______________________

Vote maintenant pour ta vidéo préférée!!

Le concours vidéo-minute "Faites bouger les choses!", présenté sur La Voix
des jeunes, touche à sa fin. Nous avons reçu 75 vidéos du monde entier et
les juges, jeunes et adultes, ont choisi les 10 finalistes. A ton tour
maintenant de voter pour la vidéo qui va l'emporter!

Clique sur http://www.unicef.org/voy/takeaction/takeaction_2088.html pour
visionner les 10 vidéos finalistes, puis vote et contribue ainsi à choisir
la vidéo qui montre le mieux comment les jeunes se mobilisent pour faire de
notre planète - et de leurs communautés - un meilleur endroit. N'oublie pas
que tu dois devenir membre de La Voix des jeunes pour pouvoir voter.

La vidéo gagnante deviendra le message officiel de La Voix des jeunes et
son auteur se verra récompensé. La vidéo sera proposée aux chaînes de
télévision du monde entier qui pourront la diffuser lors de la Journée
internationale de la radio et de la télévision en faveur des enfants.

Il ne te reste que moins que 2 semaines pour voter, alors vote tout de
suite!

_____________________

¡Vota por tu vídeo favorito!

El concurso de vídeos de un minuto "Marcar la diferencia", que se presenta
en La Juventud Opina, está llegando a su fin. Hemos recibido 75 vídeos
extraordinarios de jóvenes participantes de todo el mundo, y los jueces
jóvenes y adultos han escogido 10 finalistas. ¡Ahora tienes la posibilidad
de escoger tú al ganador!

Visita http://www.unicef.org/voy/takeaction/takeaction_2088.html para ver
los 10 vídeos finalistas, emite luego tu voto y contribuye a elegir el vídeo
que mejor muestre a tu entender las medidas que toman los jóvenes para
conseguir que el mundo y sus propias comunidades sean mejores. No te olvides
de inscribirte como miembro de La Juventud Opian para votar.

El vídeo ganador se convertirá en el anuncio de servicio público oficial de
La Juventud Opina, recibirá premios y será emitido en todo el mundo durante
el Día Internacional de Radio y Televisión en favor de la Infancia.

¡Solamente tienes menos que 2 semanas para emitir tu voto! ¡Vota ya mismo!

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

The opinions and views expressed in this message and/or articles & websites
linked to from this message do not necessarily reflect the views of the
United Nations or its agencies.
_________________________________________

NEWS: MDG campaign receives huge youth response in Viet Nam

MDG campaign receives huge youth response in Viet Nam

Ha Noi, 02 May 2005--Young people in Viet Nam have enthusiastically responsed to the Millennium Development Goals campaign launched by the United Nations Viet Nam Country Team. The initiative has drawn not only attention but also support of thousands of Viet Nam?s youth in helping to achieve the Goals. TakingITGlobal, an online community of young people, shares the highlights of the campaign.

During the last two years of 2003 and 2004, young people in Vietnam were stirred up by a Millennium Development Goal youth campaign launched by the United Nations Vietnam Country Team. Since its first launch in 2003, the campaign has involved more and more young Vietnamese people in many innovative programmes.

Thanks to the campaign?s series of initiatives, to the receptive interest, and the opening support from the youth union, government agencies and bilateral donors, youth in Vietnam are now more aware of the MDGs and the country?s current development challenges. Many youth, thus, have been ready to contribute to the achievement of the MDGs.

Among the campaign?s most influential mobilizations, the Young Initiative to Promote Volunteerism for the MDGs competition was very successful. The competition itself was already a good initiative, more interestingly, it specifically encouraged the youth to propose an initiative or a creative plan to stimulate volunteerism for the MDGs among young people in Vietnam.

The two winners of the competition in 2003 and 2004 have done this and more. Nguyen Van Dung, ?Mister Youth Volunteer? of 2003, spent a month bicycling on a 2,100-km journey along the S-shaped country to bring the MDG message to young people. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai, ?Miss Youth Volunteer? of 2004 went backpacking through 23 provinces (13 of which are among the poorest). She experienced 80 days living with the poor, encountering different MDG issues in reality and sharing the MDG story with people, particularly the young. However long those amazing journeys were, Dung and Mai, both have given a great impetus to the growth of youth volunteerism for the MDGs in Vietnam. After going back, they still keep going on their MDG journeys but in some different ways and their stories continue to enthuse more and more people.

?Thang?s Journey? was another booming point of the MDG youth campaign in Vietnam. Thang, which means ?victory,? is actually a character of an MDG booklet first published in 2003. On Thang?s travel from the North to the South of the country, he comes across MDG concerns such as extreme poverty in rural areas, student dropouts, and a person living with HIV. Designed in the popular Japanese manga-style comic strip, ?Thang?s journey? not only conveys the MDGs well to Vietnamese youth but also provides the readers with key national data on each MDG, and gives them some suggestions to take action on the MDGs.

Actually, besides a lot of new friends made along the journey, Dung and Mai always had Thang by their side. They introduced Thang to everyone they met and gave out the booklets. ??Thang?s journey? has so far been a success and used in an increasing number of UN projects for training and information purposes,? writes Catherine Callens in the Vietnam MDG Youth Strategy. Callens, the UN Communications Officer in Vietnam, says that although the booklet has gone through a third printing in 2004, ?it will be printed more if there are more demands from youth.?

Personally, I am sure that with some over 20 million of Vietnamese people probably categorized as youth, the publication was very limited. It is recommended that those who have read the ?Thang?s journey? can spread the word about the book among their friends. Anticipation is high for a brochure of Mai?s journey which will be issued soon.

It is also impossible not to mention the ?Towards a Better World? music quiz programme. In collaboration with the Vietnam Students? Newspaper, this interesting competition, asking contestants to demonstrate their knowledge of the MDGs by linking them to songs, was launched in April 2004. After five months, it received over 5,000 entries from all over the country. Although it was rather hard for the judges to choose the best one, the first prize went to Le Thi Phuong Thao and Dinh Thi Bich Ngoc from the Foreign Trade University of Hanoi.

Apparently, that music competition was no less successful than the other programmes in the MDG youth campaign. Although it might sound superficial to say music and media when combined is the best effective way to approach young people, an idea to send the MDG messages through music and media is highly appreciated. The following two big events in the Vietnam MDG youth campaign?s calendar 2003 and 2004 could possibly prove that. A free and grand MDG youth concert which involved some very famous Vietnamese pop bands and singers was held in the West Lake Water Park in 2003. The concert attracted a live audience of around 12,000 youth and proved to be a very effective way to communicate the MDGs.

In 2004, there was a complementary music programme on TV called ?Towards a Better World.? This time, some of the country?s top musicians performed several songs selected by the contestants of the music competition. The show, which was aired nationwide, also featured discussions among the artists, UN Heads of Agencies and some young people on the MDGs.

Last but not least, on the UN Day (October 24) in 2003, several high schools and universities of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, had an opportunity to talk to staff from different UN agencies. It was actually an MDG student outreach initiative, part of the MDG Youth Campaign, which involved the UN staff giving presentations on the MDGs and distributing the ?Thang?s journey? booklet to students. Certainly, those lucky students could never forget the day because there had never been any similar exchange between the UN staff and the Vietnamese students before and this was the first time the MDGs came that close to them.

It has been only one year and a half since the official launch of the MDG youth campaign in Vietnam. Many young Vietnamese people have enthusiastically been engaged in various programmes of the campaign. Naturally, their awareness of the MDG development issues in Vietnam is also growing. Still, as ?actions speak louder than words,? it is then their turn to make contributions to the country?s MDG achievement by 2015 and further to a future of sustainable development for Vietnam.

SOURCE: http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/dynamic/cfapps/news/news2.cfm?ArticlesID=979

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

May 2, 2005

ARTICLES: Teach-yourself computing for kids (INDIA)

Teach-yourself computing for kids

By Mark Rickards
BBC News, Rajasthan

Today is an important day for one Indian boy, nine-year-old Narput Singh.

Something new is arriving in his remote village of Varna in the dusty, dry state of Rajasthan.

Something he has never had a chance to see before - it is a computer.

The digital divide seems at its greatest in India. On one side you have some of the most advanced work in IT taking place in cities like Bangalore or Delhi.

On the other you have children who have little or no access to new technology and live in conditions where clean water and electricity are still luxuries.

It is this divide that one man, Sugata Mitra, intends to bridge.

He was first struck by it looking out of his office window.

Breaking barriers

Inside his IT compound he could see the young techno-savvy professionals, belts hung with electronic gadgets.

Beyond the perimeter fence, he could see the dispossessed children sleeping rough in a shanty town.

He decided it was time to break a hole in the wall and give the children outside a chance to see what a computer was.

He cut a hole and hooked one up. What happened next amazed him. They taught themselves how to use it.

Sugata took his experiment further and set up computers amongst the underprivileged communities of Delhi.

He built special kiosks where only children could reach the keyboard, and left them connected to the internet. In each case the results were the same.

Without adult intervention, the children got to grips with the technology, even with their limited understanding of English.

Sugata was able to make some important but controversial observations.

"Groups of children given adequate digital resources can meet the objectives of primary education on their own - most of the objectives."

Teaching themselves

In the thousands of small villages across the length and breadth of India, this clearly has enormous implications.

If the schools cannot provide access to both computers and trained teachers, then perhaps Sugata's approach could work.

And for the children of Varna, the day has come.

The internet is the future ....and our children have dreams
Village elder

The Hole in the Wall project is to leave a computer in their village, and it will be up to Narput Singh and his friends to work out how to use it.

The moment the box is open, the children swarm around it.

They've never even seen the packaging before and some of them are rubbing bits of polystyrene on their arms, even trying a bite of it.

Sugata gives a short talk before letting them loose.

"Who can ride a bicycle?" he asks. Forty hands shoot up.

"And who taught you?" There is some confusion and shaking of heads.

"No-one taught you," he says. "It's a skill you can learn on your own."

He turns to the computer behind him. "And the computer is like a bicycle."

Fun and games

With the computer switched on, the children press all the keys and every mouse button.

But Sugata has noticed a pattern emerging after the first initial chaos.

"You find that the noise level begins to come down, and from somewhere a leader appears.

"Often his face is not visible in the crowd, but he is controlling the mouse because suddenly you see the mouse begin to move in an orderly fashion.

"And then suddenly a lot of children's voices will say 'Oh, that pointer can be moved!' And then you see the first click, which - believe it or not - happens within the first three minutes."

Narput Singh has the mouse and takes control. And within three minutes he has clicked and, to his surprise and pleasure, inadvertently opened a game.

He doesn't distinguish between educational games and those that are just for fun, and he is soon learning English words through a painting game with colours to fill in.

Whilst he is picking up the use of the computer directly, others around him are absorbing what he does.

Scarce resources

For Sugata, it is this group learning which is significant.

"We know that in nine months the entire group of children in a village would have reached approximately the level of an office secretary, which means they know dragging and dropping files, they know downloading, they can play video and audio and they can surf the internet".

Not everyone is enthralled with Sugata's results.

Tom Standage, technology editor of the Economist, is sceptical of such projects.

He points out that Bill Gates chose not to drop computers across the developing world as part of aid packages, preferring to concentrate on medicines and other more practical help for poor communities.

"Do you really want to have the maintenance of PCs in villages? Couldn't you have spent the money on a water pump? I'm not saying there's no benefit to it, but it may have been that the resources could have been used elsewhere in a way which helped more people."

It costs Sugata about $1,900 for every computer put into a village, and he believes it is worth it.

Most of the cost goes in maintenance as the technology has to withstand a tremendous pounding from the elements and the users.

But, as the sun sets and the desert cools, Narput Singh is still engrossed, and will be for some hours to come.

The adults of the village also welcome the new developments, believing it will offer their offspring much better chances than they have had themselves.

"The internet is the future," says one elder, "and our children have dreams."

Time will show whether the dreams are turned to dust in the desert, or whether the computer can make a lasting difference to these children's lives.

Mark Rickards is a senior producer with BBC Radio Four.

A Hole in the Wall, presented by BBC South Asia Correspondent Navdip Dhariwal, will be broadcast on 3rd May at 1000 -1030 GMT on BBC Radio Four.

SOURCE:

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

NEWS: The untold stories of Darfur (SUDAN) - in English and French

The Untold Stories of Darfur
25-04-2005 (UNESCO)

A UNESCO-supported production team traveled recently to Darfur to start shooting ?The Children of Darfur?, a 24? youth documentary about the daily stories of children living in Darfur?s refugee camps.

UNESCCO's support comes as part of the project ?ICT-enhanced Public Service Broadcasting" that aims at contributing to the development of human rights, peace, tolerance and the fight against discrimination(ICT@PSB).

TV director Camilla Nielsson (Denmark) reports: ?It is the hardest political environment I have ever shot in, and tensions in the camp and with the military affects our shooting every day. The sandstorms and the 45 degrees are not helping either; however we have had 3.5 days in the camp with cameras now. I'm filming in Kalma, the biggest camp in Darfur, with 150.000 people. We have found a great character, 15 year old Somaya, who fled her village 11 months ago, when her school was attacked and 17 students, including her cousin were killed. We are telling her story - as well as we can with the time and security constraints?.

This project aims to develop a set of audiovisual best practices of public service programming on major societal development issues, such as human rights, peace, tolerance and the fight against discrimination. National broadcasters in developing countries and new democracies are often confronted with daily survival routines that prevent them from fulfilling their public service mandates.

The project intends to offer an opportunity to broadcasters and independent filmmakers, particularly from developing countries, to produce and disseminate innovative content on crucial development issues, targeted to all publics, but particularly attractive for young adults aged 20-35.

Seven production teams are currently working in different regions of the world to develop content on human rights, peace, tolerance, fight against discrimination, the UN Millennium Development Goals (particularly poverty-alleviation, gender equality and women empowerment), freedom of expression and intercultural communication.

______________________________________________________

Histoires secrètes du Darfour (Soudan)
25-04-2005 (UNESCO)

Une équipe de production soutenue par l?UNESCO a voyagé récemment au Darfour pour démarrer le tournage d?un documentaire de vingt-quatre minutes intitulé « Les Enfants du Darfour ». Ce documentaire révèle la vie quotidienne des enfants vivant dans les camps de réfugiés au Darfour.

Le soutien de l?UNESCO fait partie intégrante du projet « Les TIC améliorent la radiotélévision publique : contribuer au développement des droits de l?homme, de la paix, de la tolérance et de la lutte contre la discrimination » (ICT@PSB).

Camilla Nielsson, directrice de télévision au Danemark raconte : « C?est l?environnement politique le plus dur que j?aie jamais filmé, et les tensions dans le camp et les militaires ont affecté notre tournage tous les jours. Les tempêtes de sable et les 45 °C n?ont pas facilité les choses; mais nous sommes tout de même restés trois jours et demi dans le camp avec des caméras. J?ai filmé à Kalma, le plus grand camp du Darfour, avec 150 000 personnes. Nous avons trouvé un grand personnage, Somaya âgé de 15 ans, qui a fui son village onze mois auparavant lorsque son école a été attaquée et 17 étudiants, dont son cousin, ont été tués. Nous racontons son histoire aussi bien que possible étant donné les contraintes de temps et de sécurité dont nous disposons. »

Ce projet a pour but de développer un ensemble des meilleures pratiques audiovisuelles de la programmation du service public sur les principales questions de développement sociétal, telles que les droits humains, la paix, la tolérance et la lutte contre la discrimination. Les radiodiffuseurs et télédiffuseurs nationaux des pays en développement et les nouvelles démocraties sont souvent confrontés aux habitudes de survie quotidiennes qui les empêchent de s?acquitter de leurs mandats de service public.

Le projet est destiné à offrir une opportunité aux radiodiffuseurs et télédiffuseurs et aux réalisateurs de films indépendants - en particulier ceux des pays en développement - de produire et de diffuser un contenu novateur sur les questions essentielles de développement, ciblant tout public, mais qui soit surtout intéressant pour les jeunes de 20 à 35 ans.

Sept équipes de production travaillent actuellement dans différentes régions du monde pour développer du contenu sur les droits humains, la paix, la tolérance, la lutte contre la discrimination, les objectifs de développement du Millénium des Nations Unies (en particulier la lutte contre la pauvreté, la promotion de la parité hommes/femmes), la liberté d?expression et les échanges interculturels.

SOURCE: http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=18750&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html (ENGLISH)

SOURCE: http://portal.unesco.org/ci/fr/ev.php-URL_ID=18750&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html (FRENCH)

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

PROJECTS: Child-speak on video (INDIA)

Child-speak on video

Children make films to express their views on issues that impact their lives. NITIN JUGRAN BAHUGUNA

KOPPAL and Raichur districts, Karnataka, have one thing in common with all other districts in India ? a population that is not respected and often looked down upon as a liability by society, a population that is forced to live a life of tears.

These, in effect, are the opening words of a 10-minute documentary on disability. It examines the stigma and indifference with which families and communities regard disabled children.

Although the theme is not new, it is handled with a distinct clarity and sensitivity. That children have made the film and narrated it underlines the seriousness with which today's 12-18 age group looks at issues such as disability, illiteracy, child labour, sexual exploitation and child marriage that impact their lives.

"A Life of Tears" tells the story of young Nagamma. The mentally challenged girl is left at home for long hours every day while her parents and siblings leave for work and school. Her parents leave food for her with the neighbours, but they often forget to feed her. Now the whole village is her playground. But when she attains adolescence, her parents will lock her up at home like Radhama's mother.

Earlier, Radhama roamed about the village and followed anyone who offered her food. Once a man lured her to his house on the pretext of giving her something to eat and raped her. Radhama became pregnant and subsequently delivered a stillborn baby. The incident shook her mother and now she won't let her daughter out of sight.

The documentary moves on to the touching and inspiring story of Yellappa. An adolescent boy who, despite wearing a brace on his left leg, regularly attends school. He ignores the constant jeering and discrimination of teachers and peers alike in the hope of getting an education and building a future for himself. If the bus does not come, Yellappa trudges eight km to school. When he gets there, the other children won't let him play with them. "They don't call us by our names, but by our disability. When we fall down, they laugh at us. I feel very humiliated," he says. Incidents such as these as well as the absence of ramps and toilets dissuade many disabled children from attending school, he adds.

Yellappa's parents feel it is useless to spend money for his education because he is handicapped, but the boy works on weekends and summer holidays so that he can stay on in school. The short documentary does not attempt to analyse or give sermons. It simply presents the story of these children and concludes with the simple message that discrimination begins at home and that this is the place where perceptions must change.

Another interesting experiment in film ? using animation ? made by children of a south Delhi resettlement colony investigates children's need to have accurate information on safe sex so that HIV/AIDS can be prevented. An 11-minute film, "A Misguided Life" begins with children watching a TV advertisement for birth control pills. When they ask their mother what the pills are for, she declines to answer. When their older brother Sumit, the main protagonist, returns from work, he also refuses to tell them until he remembers what happened when he was younger.

Sumit was also not informed about the changes his body was going through during adolescence. First his father refused to explain and then his teacher skipped the relevant chapter in the textbook. Uncomfortable with the natural sexual desires he felt, Sumit sought to satisfy them first with younger boys and then with sex workers. Subsequently, he was diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease (STD). The doctor told him he was lucky not to have been infected with HIV, and counselled him on safe sex practices. Sumit then decides to inform his siblings about sexual desires and safe sex so that they don't repeat his mistakes.

About 20 children from Badarpur and Sangam Vihar in south Delhi were involved in the making of "A Misguided Life", says Umesh, programme officer with Community Aids Sponsorship Programme (CASP), a local NGO which promotes awareness on children's issues and has coordinated the production of the documentary. The objective is to give children a platform to raise and discuss issues that concern them.

For Nirmala and Meenakshi, for instance, "A Misguided Life" raises relevant adolescent concerns about sex and sexuality. Meenkashi, 17, has been associated with CASP for three years and is a member of its Bal Panchayat (children's council), which discusses children's issues. Nirmala, 18, recalls her initial hesitation as people in her locality made fun of her when she went around with a camera. "But now both parents and children are concerned with the adverse effects of the media and are more open to discussing sensitive issues," she remarks.

Since its inception in 1999 by Plan India, a Delhi-based NGO, the project "Children Have Something to Say", (funded by Plan, Netherlands), has given children an opportunity to deliberate on various issues. These include education, dowry, female foeticide, traditional practices, substance abuse, trafficking, HIV/AIDS, domestic violence and sexual exploitation.

The two films were among several made by children, which were screened in Delhi recently. The project, involving over 300 children between 12 and 18 years from 13 organisations across seven states, has yielded 40 documentaries so far, says Nidhi Pundhir, project coordinator of Plan India. More importantly, the children learn that they too have a voice that should be heard and respected.

Courtesy: Women's Feature Service

SOURCE: http://www.hindu.com/mag/2005/05/01/stories/2005050100010400.htm

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

April 29, 2005

TRAINING: Education Makes News in Arab World

Education Makes News in Arab World
28-04-2005 (UNESCO)

Twenty journalists and media professionals from thirteen Arab countries representing Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen gathered in Doha, Qatar from 17 to 21 April to participate in the UNESCO-Aljazeera workshop on ?Writing & Reporting on the Goals of Education for All (EFA)".

The five-day workshop was hosted by UNESCO and organized at Al Jazeera Training Development Centre focused among all on developing better understanding of journalists on EFA, improving reporting and writing skills to highlight EFA goals by analyzing education budgets, policies, trends and systems and investigating the issues of EFA in the overall context of the Millennium Developmental Goals( MDGs). It also provided some insights to the undeniable link between education and development issues including gender and child rights the context of Arab countries.

?The workshop provided me all the necessary information to bring educational news on the top of our news agenda,? said Joëlle Riachi, a senior educational reporter from Lebanon?s Nahar-An Newspaper. ?We all know very well that education is paramount in our lives. But we need to present some human interest stories to get the attention of our viewers? said Amal Alkawari from Islam online.

The workshop was conducted in English and Arabic and led by a group of media trainers ( Hara Padhy and Bassam Mansour) and EFA experts (Nour Dajani). The workshop ended with a nine-point plan of action for better media coverage of EFA issues in the Arab countries.

SOURCE: http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=18792&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

NEWS: Media coverage under spotlight at UU conference

Media coverage under spotlight at UU conference

Media coverage of conflict and its impact on children came under the spotlight at a special University of Ulster conference on Monday.
?Media, Children and the Experience of Divided Communities: Ireland, Israel and Palestine?, which was organised jointly by the Centre for Media Research and School of Psychology, gave media analysts and psychologists a chance to share and discuss their research.
Organiser Professor Máire Messenger Davies of the University of Ulster's Centre for Media Research said: ?There has been a great deal of research among Media Studies scholars on the impact of the media on young minds, particularly the effects of fictional violence. Psychologists on the other hand have carried out a great deal of research into the impact of conflict and division on children and young people.
?This event gave leading authorities on several key areas a better understanding of the role of the media in shaping young minds.?
Contributors to this yesterday?s event included internationally renowned academics such as Dr Jean Whyte, Senior Research Fellow, The Children's Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin and Professor Sami Adwan, Faculty of Education at the University of Bethlehem, Palestine and Co-Director of the Peace Research Institute in the Middle East.
(MB/SP)

SOURCE: http://www.4ni.co.uk/industrynews.asp?id=39894

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

NEWS: Chipawo Introduces New Concept (ZIMBABWE)

Chipawo Introduces New Concept

The Herald (Harare)
NEWS
April 26, 2005
Posted to the web April 26, 2005
Harare

CHILDREN'S Performing Arts Workshop (Chipawo) Media Centre has introduced the "Kwikstart" media learning programme so that children can learn and experiment with cameras, make short video programmes and edit their own work.

The Herald visited the Media Centre in Mount Pleasant during a media tour where it caught up with some of the children shooting a documentary called "Handspeak" that was co-ordinated by deaf children.

The fully-equipped centre has digital and linear video, sound and studio facilities.

It offers video and sound services as well as training on how to use cameras.

"Because of its expansion, Chipawo can no longer be called a children's performing arts workshop, instead 'Arts Education for Development and Employment' best describes what the organisation is doing in promoting children through arts.

"Training the children how to use the camera, image editing, video and sound recording is a way of preparing a new generation of young, creative and imaginative filmmakers, camera persons and editors for the future development of Zimbabwean film and television," said Robert McLaren, executive director of Chipawo.

He further added that the programme was a very effective way of empowering the girl-child because men dominate television although there are few women directors.

"A number of girls are selected to go to the media centre for training and set up their own video projects usually focusing on issues and topics that concern them," he said. Also provided by the media centre are vocational skills training in media for young school leavers from 20 rural communities where Chipawo has assisted the community open arts education for development and employment. The media also visited the Zimbabwe Academy of Arts Education for Development, a division responsible for all of Chipawo's training programmes.

The academy in conjunction with the Midlands State University provides a diploma in media arts and performing arts, as well as a certificate in music, dance, drama and theatre arts.

The tour took journalists to Chipawo's main offices in Marlborough where most of the business is done in terms of the manufacturing of musical instruments, costume designing and bookings.

According to MacLaren, a new centre dubbed "Umtwana-Children's Development and Entertainment" centre is on the cards.

Chipawo, founded in 1989, has made great achievements in empowering children and the society through arts education.

SOURCE: http://allafrica.com/stories/200504260509.html

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

TECHNOLOGY: Mobile phones join the fight against youth depression

Mobile phones join the fight against youth depression

Medical Study News

Published: Thursday, 28-Apr-2005

Mobile phones are to be used in a 400 person study to determine how youth depression starts and develops. The researchers hope to use the results to create a mobile phone program to act as an early warning system for at-risk young people.

Capitalising on teenagers' favourite accessory, Dr Sophie Reid from the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute has worked with Harvard Medical School to design software that will monitor a young person's mood and assess how they respond to stress. Initially, the program will be used in research to understand the development of youth depression; then, as a clinical tool to assist individual patients.

"Mobile phones will allow us to take brief, repeated assessments of how adolescents experience stress, and what they do when they're feeling down. It will give us a unique insight into the beginnings of depression," says Dr Reid. "A phone survey is much more attractive to young people than questionnaires or daily diaries.

"Depression affects 30 per cent of young people and can lead to suicide. There is a pressing need to understand the origins of adolescent depression, and to ensure that we have effective forms of prevention and treatment.

"Because young people don't go to psychologists or GPs when they're feeling down, we had to find a youth-friendly, non-intrusive method to study how they feel," says Dr Reid. "And 85 per cent of young people own a mobile phone," she says.

Interactive software is loaded onto a young person's mobile, to collect information as they experience and respond to depression and stress. The program is being trialled at present with 40 young people. Then 400 teenagers will participate in a one-year study that the research team hopes will reveal the early warning signs of youth depression.

"Our long-term vision is to use the phone to help young people identify when they're really low, and what is making things better or worse. The phone will also provide a menu of assistance and treatment options," Dr Reid says.

In future, the program may be introduced to young people through their peers, teachers or GPs, as well as through internet sites such as ReachOut.

"Adolescent depression is a precursor of youth suicide and a major concern for society. We need new tools to help us identify and act on the early signs of depression," says Professor Ian Hickie, Clinical Advisor to Beyond Blue, Australia's national depression initiative.

The research is a joint initiative of the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, The University of Melbourne, and industry partners, Object Consulting, and Harvard Medical School. The initial phase of this research is supported by Beyond Blue and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute.

Sophie's innovation has won her a place at Fresh Innovators?a national initiative to bring the work of 16 early-career inventers to public attention. After training in Sydney, the Innovators are talking to the media, schools and business about their ideas. One of the 16 will win a study tour to the UK courtesy of the British Council Australia.

http://www.freshinnovators.org/

SOURCE: http://www.news-medical.net/?id=9626

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

ONLINE VOTE: "Make a difference" One minute video contest!

"Make a difference" One minute video contest! -
http://www.unicef.org/voy/takeaction/takeaction_2088.html

Vote!
Watch the videos of the 10 semi-finalists from the global Make a difference!
video contest. After you have watched all 10, cast your vote for the 3
finalists! Who is going to be the winner?

You must be a registered member of Voices of Youth to vote. If you are not a
member, register now.

---------------------------------------

Project Think Different
Producer: Garreth J. Middlebrook
Country: United States of America

Make a Difference
Producer: Ndizeye Janvier
Country: Burundi

We, Young People
Producer: Matus Krajnak, Gabriela Marcinkova
Country: Slovakia

No Matter Who
Producer: Olga Chimirciuc
Country: Moldova

Youth of the World, Youth for the World
Producers: Eleonora Veninova & Ivana Bidikova
Country: Macedonia

Juventudes MIRA
Producer: Movimiento MIRA
Country: Colombia

Sam and John
Producer: 4 kids from Australia
Country: Australia

One for all
Producer: Bro'siz
Country: Kenya

Vanaja's Story
Producer: The Concerned for Working Children (CWC)
Country: India

Operation Traffic Light
Producer: Olivia Cha
Country: United States of America

------------------------------------

These are the judges who helped us with the selection of the Top 10 videos
that are now open for the global online vote:

Youth judges: Shayan Khiro & Juhanah Pimping
Youth judges: Tsz Wong & Marisha Naz
Youth judges: Limpo Chinika & Natália Saliés
Youth judges: Denis Stepura & Zuhur Yassin
Adult judges: Jim Chabin & Stephen Cassidy
Adult judges: Ursula von Zallinger & Essie Chambers
Adult judges: Frode Hoejer Pedersen & Bernardita Prado

More info when you click their names at
http://www.unicef.org/voy/takeaction/takeaction_2088.html

Questions & comments are welcome any time!

April 26, 2005

ARTICLES: Big help from ST's new little paper (SINGAPORE)

SINGAPORE: Big help from ST's new little paper

The Straits Times launches their new primary school magazine, Little Red Dot, with full explanations of how it can be used in the classroom

The Straits Times
Monday, April 18, 2005

The Straits Times' newest - and youngest - addition is a weekly supplement designed to help tweenies use the daily broadsheet in the classroom.

Little Red Dot, a 16-page publication, is slated to launch in July, and aims chiefly to develop news interest and understanding among upper-primary readers.

All primary school teachers and educators are invited to attend its soft launch this Saturday, from 10am to 11.30am, at the auditorium of the Singapore Press Holdings operating centre in Genting Lane.

The launch programme includes a showcase of how The Straits Times can be used as a teaching tool in the classroom and, of course, a glimpse at the new publication.

Greenridge Primary School will be making a presentation on how the school uses ST for its classes, and teachers will get to meet the creators of Little Red Dot, such as its supervising editor, Ms Bertha Henson.

Little Red Dot pages come with valued-added lesson plans that use news reports and analyses from the ST to teach a range of topics - from the English language to National Education - in classrooms.

Stories in its pages are based on existing formats used within its broadsheet parent. These include a big weekly feature on students' interests and concerns, quizzes, lifestyle trends, local and world news, history, as well as items on science and nature.

What's unique in Little Red Dot is a 'Class Action' box, which appears on each page to help primary school teachers enrich their lessons using the ST.

These include suggested interactive games, projects and group activities, to bring home the relevance of news to its young audience.

Already, educators and heads of department have reserved places to the launch at 82, Genting Lane.

To sign up, call Patrick Ang at 6319-1284 or 9847-1225, or Shahrena Hassan from The Straits Times Editorial Promotions and Branding Unit at 6319-5097.

Date Posted: 4/18/2005

SOURCE: http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=23193

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

April 21, 2005

NEWS: 'Junk' food ad ban to hit £190m spend on primetime TV (UK)

'Junk' food ad ban to hit £190m spend on primetime TV

Mark Sweney, Marketing 16 Nov 2004

LONDON - The government's plan to restrict TV advertising of 'junk' foods to children would wipe out £190m of expenditure by major brands trying to target adults during primetime.

The White Paper on public health, published today proposes an outright ban before the 9pm watershed as an ultimatum to force food and drink companies to implement voluntary restrictions.

Moves by brands such as McDonald's, Kraft and PepsiCo to reduce levels of fat, salt and sugar in products or offer healthier menu options have failed to appease critics in the government.

Advertisers have been told that any action to curb "junk" food ads must match the reality of children's viewing habits and extend beyond weekday afternoons and Saturday mornings to the period between 6pm and 9pm.

According to an Ofcom report released in June, 71% of children's viewing takes places outside the time allotted to kids' shows.

Food and drink firms' primetime adspend reached £190m in the 12 months to October 31, according to Nielsen Media Research.

The Advertising Association said the ban would be "a short-term, populist and disproportionate response".

SOURCE: http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/br/article/228084/junk-food-ad-ban-hit-190m-spend-primetime-tv/

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

NEWS: Youth Voice to Be Respected (ZAMBIA)

Youth Voice to Be Respected - State

The Times of Zambia (Ndola)
NEWS
April 20, 2005
Posted to the web April 20, 2005

GOVERNMENT is making every effort to address the views of young people, Youth, Sport and Child Development acting Minister Judith Kapijimpanga has said.

She said Government was committed to ensuring that the views of young people on national issues were respected and heard all the time to make them partners in development.

The minister said this at the official opening of the Children's Press Bureau (CPB) journalism training programme at the Commonwealth Youth Programme Centre.

She said in Lusaka yesterday that to achieve the aspirations of young persons, Government had re-introduced the youth parliament association for them to air their views.

Mrs Kapijimpanga said the International Labour Organisation (ILO) had given Government directives on how young people could engage into public employment.

"This Government should be applauded because we are making gigantic steps in addressing issues of youths.

This ministry is revising the Penal Code and Child Policy so that they can give stiffer punishment to child abusers," she said.

Mrs Kapijimpanga, who is Lands Minister, urged the young people to make submissions to the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) on how they wanted the Constitution to suit them.

On the Press bureau, Mrs Kapijimpanga said young people had not found it easy to access the national media to air their views but was hopeful that the CPB would change the situation.

The CPB is a national news agency delivering young people's views to the national media organisations on various issues directing affecting them.

"The CPB will give young people the means to express themselves through the media and in the process reach the whole country," she said.

The minister said in an effort to manage the implementation of youth welfare and development, her ministry was ready to partner with organisations to reach out to more young people and address their concerns.

CPB executive director Mary Tembo said the paper would enable the young to participate in both national and regional issues.

She said due to lack of a platform for the young people to air their views, they were exposed to a lot abuse, injustice and crime.

Mrs Tembo said apart from training 25 youths as reporters and editors in Lusaka, her organisation would also train more in Mazabuka in Southern Province.

Speaking on behalf of other CPB members, Chikumbutso Phiri said through CPB he was hopeful that his colleagues would be able to air their views freely and influence national issues and decisions.

SOURCE: http://allafrica.com/stories/200504200128.html

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

BOOKS / PRESS RELEASE: Wishes and Worries: A storybook to help children understand a parent's problem with alcohol (CANADA)

Wishes and Worries: A Story to Help Children Understand a Parent Who Drinks Too Much Alcohol

Released April 20, 2005

For Immediate Release: April 20, 2005 - Toronto - Children have lots of questions when someone in their family drinks too much alcohol. Sometimes they just don't have the answers and alcohol problems often become the family secret that nobody talks about. To help children understand their parents' problems with alcohol, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, (CAMH), has recently published the first storybook of its kind developed in Canada, called Wishes and Worries.

"Children tend to have worries and fears when someone in their family drinks too much alcohol. When children don't get accurate information, they often come up with their own wrong and sometimes frightening conclusions," says Dr. Bruce Ballon, a psychiatrist in CAMH's Youth and Addiction program. "Encouraging children to communicate will help them feel less confused and alone. This book can be used as a tool to start that conversation."

Research conducted by CAMH has shown that children have many questions about their parents' substance use or mental health concerns, but there was a lack of resources to help explain these problems to children. To help solve this problem, CAMH began a series of children's storybooks in 2002 starting with Can I Catch it Like a Cold, a storybook to help explain a parent's depression. Wishes and Worries is the second book in this series.

Wishes and Worries is written for children aged 5 to 10 years old, for use by parents, extended family, teachers and professionals who want to address the impact of a parent's problem with alcohol in children's lives. The book answers children's questions such as: "Does dad drink so much because of me?," "Is dad's drinking problem going to get worse?," and " Is my family different?"

Wonderfully illustrated by Ben Hodson, this new storybook explores alcohol problems through the story of Maggie, an 8-year-old girl who wishes and worries that her father doesn't ruin her ninth birthday party the same way he ruined her last birthday. Maggie discovers that her father drinks too much alcohol, and through the help of family, friends, and professionals, Maggie gains a better understanding of her father's problem.

Copies of Wishes and Worries are now available from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health for $9.95 at 1-800-661-1111 (or 416-595-6059 in Toronto). An accompanying information brochure for adults is also available. The storybook will soon be available at selected bookstores. Information on addiction and mental health issues can be obtained by calling CAMH's 24-hour Information Line at 1-800-463-6273 or in Toronto at (416) 595-6111.

CAMH is a Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization Collaborating Centre and a teaching hospital fully affiliated with the University of Toronto.

Media contact: Sylvia Hagopian, CAMH Media Relations Co-ordinator, (416) 595-6015

Wishes and Worries the storybook for children is available in English. The accompanying information brochure for adults is available in both English and French.

SOURCE: http://www.camh.net/news_events/wishes_worries_pr0405.html

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

URGENT: Extended deadline for submission of nominations - UN Study on Violence against Children

See message below...

Again, if you need the full documents/application forms in English and/or Russian, please let me know - cschuepp@unicef.org.

Chris

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

Subject: URGENT: Extended deadline for submission of nominations - UN Study on Violence against Children

Dear All,

I would like to inform you that we are now extending deadline for submissions of nominations of children and young people to participate in the Europe and Central Asia Regional Consultation on the UN Study on Violence against Children for one more week, i.e. until 27 April 2005. We particularly welcome and encourage nominations from West and North Europe, as the response from these countries so far hasn't been particularly intensive whereas we have received a number of nominations from Central Asia and South-East Europe.

Apart from Diane Widdus (dwiddus@unicef.org) and myself (r.sekulovic@scfukbgd.org.yu), these nominations should also be copied to Antje Rothemund of the European Youth Centre Budapest at Antje.ROTHEMUND@coe.int , as the final selection process will take place there on the 27th April.

I would appreciate your immediate action on this, so that we can ensure a balanced representation and participation of children and young people from different parts of Europe and Central Asia.

Thank you for your kind efforts and support,

with best wishes to all,

Rasa

Rasa Sekulovic
Child Rights, Protection and Participation
Programme Manager

Save the Children UK - Serbia Programme
Ljutice Bogdana 20
11000 Belgrade - Serbia and Montenegro
Office phones: (+381 11) 3671476, 3671477, 3672701
Mobile: (+381) 63 377016

PROJECTS: Bei uns, bei euch - Inter-cultural film project for young people (JAPAN & GERMANY)

SOURCE: http://www.beiuns-beieuch.de/english.php

The Project

"NRW / Japan ? My view... Your view?" is a multicultural media project for kids and teenagers which ? along with other activities from the German Land North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) ? takes place on the occasion of the Year of Germany in Japan 2005/2006 (dinjpn.nrw.co.jp). In NRW the Project will be run by the ecmc European Centre for Media Competence GmbH (www.ecmc.de) on behalf of the State Chancellery NRW (www.nrw.de). On the Japanese side, the Nippon Carl Duisberg Association (www.ncdg.jp) will be in charge of this competition.

The Concept

How do you spend your Saturday evenings? What do you have for breakfast? How is your way to school like? What kinds of music do you like?

In the frame of the media project questions like these could be asked by children and teenagers in form of 1-minute film contributions. Participants from North Rhine-Westphalia and Japan report about everyday situations and traditions from their home country and call on kids and teenagers from the respectively other country to describe ? again in form of a 1-minute film ? the presented situation from their own perspective.

On the website www.beiuns-beieuch.de all contributions will be presented and visitors will be invited to view, participate and exchange. The best films will be awarded on the final event of the competition in December 2005.

How does a film contribution look like?

Content and Design of all film contributions should...

pick up an optional theme from the everyday life of kids and teenagers in NRW or Japan,
have a maximum duration of 1 minute,
have a certain structure: They start with an introduction ("Who made the film?"), show what it is all about ("My view....) and ask a specific question ("Your view?"). (If the film contribution is an answer to a previous question, no further question will be posed.)
be comprehensible for Germans without any knowledge of Japanese and for Japanese without any knowledge of German.

Who can participate?

(a) Creative media groups, committed individuals or classes from secondary schools in NRW and Japan who are interested in posing an interesting question or submitting a good answer in form of a 1-minute film contribution.

(b) Furthermore cultural and educational establishments, companies as well as institutions are cordially invited to support the whole project and the media work of the participating groups.

How is the time schedule?

Kids and Teenagers who would like to participate register at www.beiuns-beieuch.de. All submitted film contributions will be evaluated by a Japanese-German Jury. The best films will be awarded on the competition platform NRW: NEUES LERNEN (www.nrw-neueslernen.de) in December 2005. In Japan, the Nippon Carl Duisberg Association (www.ncdg.jp) will decorate outstanding contributions to the competition.

More information is available at the project offices in NRW and Japan.

IN GERMAN: http://www.beiuns-beieuch.de/

IN JAPANESE: http://www.japan-nrw.jp/

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

April 19, 2005

NEWS / RESEARCH: Children's Humour under the Microscope

Children's Humour under the Microscope

By Ian Graham, PA

Academics across the globe have been given funding to try to find out what makes children laugh, it was revealed today.

A professor from the University of Ulster is teaming up with counterparts in the US, Germany, Israel and South Africa to see what tickles children?s funny bones.

One of the tests involved will examine whether the Simpsons make kids in all five countries chuckle.

Professor Maire Messenger-Davies, based at the University of Ulster?s Coleraine campus, said: ?The purpose is to determine what children laugh at and whether there are national or cultural differences that influence their sense of humour.?

The year-long research project is being funded by IZI ? the serious sounding International Institute for the Study of Youth and Media, based in Munich.

Initially the researchers are compiling samples of humorous material ? mainly television programmes, both live and animated ? from each of the countries under the microscope.

These will be shown to audiences of eight to 12-year-olds in selected schools in each country and specialists from IZI will measure the responses using a ?Fun-o-Meter? ? a device to gauge the giggle quotient.

Afterwards the children will be invited to discuss their reactions to what they have viewed and the results will be analysed.

Professor Messenger-Davies said: ?English language programmes are widely seen around the world, but children in the UK, Ireland and the US are seldom exposed to programmes from countries like Germany, Israel or South Africa.?

She said they knew children liked verbal humour, silly puns and also got a laugh from action material such as people falling over.

?We want to see what humour crosses national boundaries and what is specific to certain countries or cultures.

?We will also be exploring if there is a difference in the humour appreciated by boys and girls,? she added.

Programmes like the Simpsons were shown throughout the world, but the study would determine whether its particular brand of humour was universally appreciated, said the professor.

SOURCE: http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4417114

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

NEWS: ITV may use new digital slot for children (UK)

ITV may use new digital slot for children

Jane Martinson
Tuesday April 19, 2005
The Guardian

ITV is considering plans to use its new digital television slot to launch a children's television channel to rival CBeebies, the BBC's popular pre-school channel.

A dedicated channel would mark a strategic change for ITV, which has repeatedly said it had no plans to launch a channel in the highly competitive children's arena.

The plans are at a preliminary stage, but centre on the use of the Freeview slot bought from Crown Castle last month. Most analysts expect ITV to launch a channel for male viewers, who are underserved by its current programming.

However, channel bosses have commissioned research into using the earlier part of the slot - from 7am to 7pm - for children's programmes. In doing so, they are following the example set by the BBC, which shows CBeebies and BBC3 on the same slot but at different times of day.

Any new ITV channel is expected to target the pre-schoolers watching CBeebies and slightly older children watching CBBC.

ITV expects its existing programming, such as Engie Benjy, My Parents are Aliens and The Worst Witch, to fill most of the new channel's 12 hours a day of broadcasting. The broadcaster is also soon to launch Pokoyo for pre-schoolers.

Nigel Pickard, who became ITV's network director in 2002 after launching the BBC's children's channels, is understood to have started re-evaluating the decision not to launch a rival to the BBC because of the success of ITV2 and 3. ITV3, one of the most immediately successful channels in British television history, essentially repackages ITV's output for a specific audience - in this case the over-35s.

ITV bosses believe they can repackage the children's programmes shown for one and a half hours on ITV1 on a dedicated channel. Such plans would lower the cost of the broadcaster's public-service requirement to make children's television programmes.

Although competitive, children's television is highly lucrative because of its potential to bring in merchandising and licensing revenues. Research into a new channel is not expected to stop ITV holding talks with the US company Nickelodeon about a possible tie-up. The two entered exclusive negotiations last autumn but have yet to agree a deal.

The new ITV channel, which could be launched this year, is unlikely to be given the go-ahead if there is a deal agreed with Nickelodeon.

ITV is said to be "some way off" choosing a name for its new children's channel, although cITV is one possibility. One employee said KITV was considered several years ago but rejected as it "sounded too much like a lubricant". Although ITV took over the Freeview slot on April 1, channel bosses are in no hurry to launch the channel. One said: "We'd rather do it later and get it right."

A new children's channel is likely to come as a welcome surprise to city analysts.

Paul Reynolds, analyst at Deutsche Bank, said such a channel could be "win-win" for ITV as it would repackage programming and potentially earn licensing and merchandising fees. "Having a whole generation of people with no knowledge of ITV until they get to the age of 18 is not strategically very clever."

The broadcaster is the second biggest producer of children's television in Britain, spending £35m a year. ITV executives have repeatedly said that since the company was formed 14 months ago that they would not launch a dedicated channel in such a competitive market. Some now believe a new channel would be able to compete against Disney and Nickelodeon because of its local nature. "The key thing will be the British material," said one, who declined to be named.

This year, the regulator Ofcom gave the channel permission to cut 15 minutes from its weekday children's coverage after the broadcaster's advertising revenue fell during teatime programming.

SOURCE: http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,7493,1463110,00.html (free subscription necessary)

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

NEWS / AWARDS: Seven young film makers receive media awards - Apr 18, 2005 (BANGLADESH)

Seven young film makers receive media awards - Apr 18, 2005

Seven young filmmakers of Bangladesh received the international Meena Children's Media Award-2005 for their outstanding creativity works on media productions about children and their rights, yesterday.

The United Nation Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Asian Media Information and Centre (AMIC) introduced the Meena Children's Media Award in a bid to develop skills in production for electronic media on children issues.

The Meena Children's Media Award is worth Tk 50,000 along with trophy and certificate.

Recipients of the Award are-Md Anwar Hossain for a documentary Sabujer Deshe, Ms Sheema Shetu for "Eight Year Girl by Out of Focus", Ms Hazera Khanam for "My Travel to Europe", Shahiduzzaman Badal for "Paper Picker", Shardar Zainul Abedin for "Agey Shikhi Bangla Barnamala", Ms Rawshan Ara Rukhsana Sarker for "Amrao Pari" and Arjo Shrestha for the "Lost Love Story".

UNICEF Country Representative Mortin Giersing distributed the Award among the recipients at a ceremony held at the Bengal Foundation Gallery in the city.

The recipients were selected after screening a total of 170 submissions produced in different categories. Of them, seven categories of media works on electronic, print and folk media in separate age groups received the Award. The six of the seven productions are documentary films while the rest is a travel story.

Members of the Jury Board that finalised the nominations of the awrdees after examining the productions, Aminur Rahman, Communications Chief of UNICEF Chirsty Mclvor and Communications Officer Shamsuddin Ahmed also spoke on the occasion.

The award recipients expressed their delight at the feat and said these sorts of awards definitely helped the children in grooming their creativity as well as to explore themselves in the media sector.

The organisers said that the award would be given in nine categories in March next year. The dead line for entry is December 31 this year.

SOURCE: http://nation.ittefaq.com/artman/publish/article_17787.shtml

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

April 18, 2005

NEWS: Tackling child pornography on mobiles

Tackling child pornography on mobiles

14 April 2005

Increased use of 3G mobile phones and access to the web brings risks.
There are concerns about who can view certain types of content. How is this controlled and how can the abuse of mobile systems for the dissemination of criminal Internet content be tackled?

Since 2003, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has built up an excellent working partnership with all the UK Mobile Network Operators. This concerns safety and responsibility issues over the future development of 3rd generation mobile services. All of the operators are members of the IWF, as are mobile manufacturers Samsung and Nokia.

The Mobile Data Association predicts that by the end of 2005, 75% of all UK handsets in use will be able to access the Internet. WAP page impressions are expected to reach a total of 15 billion in the UK market.

Whilst developing appropriate measures to deal with potentially illegal mobile content, the IWF contributed to the mobile operators Code of Practice in 2004. The code reviewed safety & responsibility issues and safeguards designed to protect members of the public using a mobile phone to access the Web. It particularly considered those who are vulnerable, such as children.

Additionally, there is now an Independent Mobile Classification Body (IMCB), which has been set up to assess content and to effectively rate it. This is to determine what type of material should require the viewer to be over 18 years of age.

Through its fixed and WAP sites, the IWF advocates the same reporting and take down procedures for illegal content on mobiles as it does for PCs.

If and when illegal content appears on the services Mobile Operators make available, then the IWF will work in partnership with them, to have illegal content removed and to assist the police wherever possible to trace the offender.

Peer-to-peer exchange of indecent photos sent between individual mobiles remains the remit of the police.

SOURCE: http://www.saferinternet.org/ww/en/pub/insafe/news/articles/0405/uk_tackling.htm

IWF WEBSITE: http://iwf.org.uk

________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

WEBSITES: Netty's World launch

Netty?s World launch

13 April 2005

Netty?s World, NetAlert?s Internet safety website for children aged two to seven, has recently been relaunched. New features have been included in the site to make it more enjoyable and educational for young children.

Netty is still the star of the site, but the web site is now more relevant and easier to use by young children. Improvements include an easier navigation system, larger and clearer text, audio support and more interactivity and animations.

Children can now travel with Netty through five adventures, learning about Internet safety as they go. After an adventure is over, children have the opportunity to select which of the five forget-me-nots (be nice, get help, think again, stay safe and secure and protect what?s private) relate to the adventure. After the selection is made, children are given instant feedback on why each forget-me-not is relevant.

There is also ?Netty?s All Star Quiz? to complete for those children who have mastered the concepts in the adventures. The quiz challenges children to think in more detail about specific issues.

The website aims to help children stay safe by teaching them the fundamentals of Internet safety.

SOURCE: http://www.saferinternet.org/ww/en/pub/insafe/news/articles/0405/au_netty2.htm

NETTY'S WORLD: http://www.nettysworld.com.au/

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

AWARDS: OUR WORLD - CHILDREN'S MEDIA AWARD (IRELAND)

OUR WORLD - CHILDREN'S MEDIA AWARD

Learn about how we can make the world a better place!

Make your own newsletter, radio interview, painting,
or other media product!

Win great prizes!

	The Development Cooperation Ireland 'Our World' Children's Media Awards is an exciting new competition for primary pupils on the eight Millennium Development Goals, which were agreed in September 2000 by Ireland and 188 other nations. The Millennium Development Goals By 2015, to:

Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Achieve universal primary education
Promote gender equality and empower women
Reduce child mortality
Improve maternal health
Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Ensure environmental sustainability
Develop a global partnership for development.

For more information contact:
DCI 'Our World' Children's Media Awards, Real Event Solutions, 54 Ballyhooly Road, St Luke's Cross, Cork.
Tel: 00 353 21 4550434 Fax: 00 353 21 4554386 Email: info@dciourworldawards.com

SOURCE: http://www.dciourworldawards.com/

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

NEWS / EVENTS: Speaking up on issues that matter to youth (EAST ASIA & PACIFIC)

Speaking up on issues that matter to youth

Youth voices matter most at the Children and Young People?s Forum held in conjunction with the 7th East Asia and Pacific Ministerial Consultation on Children (Mincon) organised by United Nations Children?s Fund in Siem Reap, Cambodia, recently. BRAT CHAN KIT SZE who was there as a youth reporter writes about her experience.

BROUGHT up with the idea of ?adults command, children listen?, I was beyond excited to be at a place where young people?s views would be heard and taken seriously.

It was our chance to demonstrate to government officials attending the Mincon how young people can contribute towards building a harmonious society. We also had the opportunity to review and comment on the Siem Reap Declaration for the Mincon.

?Our mission here is like a journey to the Angkor Wat,? said Lakan Perlyn Bunyi, a facilitator of the forum.

We were asked to raise relevant issues that directly affected us and identify concrete, do-able solutions for a dialogue with government officials at the end of the forum.

Hence our work during the forum was the journey, and Angkor Wat was represented by our presentation to the government officials.

The five main topics that were discussed throughout the three-day forum were education, HIV/AIDS, child participation, cultural changes and employment of young people.

Discussing the topics and reaching a consensus was not an easy task as every country had so many issues to raise. It was also time-consuming as language was a problem. Not everyone could speak English. So, we had to speak slowly and allocate time for translation.

Being a Malaysian, I had the upper hand. I could understand the delegates from Indonesia, China and Timor Leste, and also served as their translator at times.

We were divided into groups according to our preferred topics. I was particularly interested in HIV/AIDS, as adolescents and young people are the group most at risk of being infected. The statistics are shocking, with an estimated 11.8 million young people living with HIV today. Each day, nearly 6,000 more people are infected.

Through the discussions, we agreed that everyone must have accurate information about how the virus is spread and how they can protect themselves.

I started to wonder how many of my peers back home actually receive proper and effective sex education. Not many, I concluded finally.

?You can?t stop people from having sex. But you can help save their lives if you give them the right education. Peer education is one good way. It?s about positive peer pressure to do the right thing,? said Tanes Rianglaem, 18, from Thailand.

Tipsuda Chadee, 15, from Thailand, stressed on the need to use the media to champion children?s issues.

?The media has the power. As a child, I want that power so I can change bad things for my peers.

?I joined a children?s media club called ?Thai Youth News Centre? in my school two years ago when I was 13 years old. I am now the chairperson of my club and help to produce and host a weekly news programme revolving around topics relevant to young people, like sex education, quality schooling, etc.?

In between all the serious discussions, we managed to squeeze in fun energisers. Every country had a chance to share and appreciate other cultures as traditional games, songs and dances were introduced. During Malaysia?s slot, we played the game of Helang dan Ibu Ayam.

During the forum, we also had the privilege of meeting and speaking to our Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

?Malaysia is progressing relatively well in our policies but we need to keep up with times to suit the needs and demands of children these days,? she said.

Shahrizat added that she was interested in organising a similar forum in Malaysia for young people back home as a platform for them to be more active in promoting children?s rights and to voice their views.

At the end of the forum, we performed a short sketch which expressed our views to the government officials.

?I hope that all the ideas we get from this forum will not just remain on paper. I hope that all of us will develop our ideas into concrete action so that we can make life better for all children in this region,? said Tipsuda.

One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to Angkor Wat, a huge temple built by Suryavarman II. I was overwhelmed as I set foot on the supreme masterpiece of Khmer architecture. It was a wonder how well it was built without modern technology hundreds of years ago.

?I hope the Malaysian delegates? participation is a testament to our country?s contribution in the struggle for active child participation. As young people, we cannot wait for adults to decide what is in our best interest. More than ever before, with the active collaboration of government and non-government organisations and young people recognised as individuals with rights, we have to express our thoughts,? said Jayaram Gopinath Nagaraj, 20, from Malaysia.

After my six-day ?journey to Angkor Wat?, I came back armed with newly acquired knowledge from my peers around the region. I had gained greater understanding of issues affecting young people.

Forty youths from 20 countries in East Asia and the Pacific attended the three-day Children and Young People?s Forum on the concerns and capabilities of adolescents in the region.

Five topics identified for discussions were education, HIV/AIDS, child participation, cultural change and media, and employment opportunities for young people.

Education: Common issues include the high cost of education, lack of facilities and infrastructure, and violence in school. The youth delegates urged governments to allocate enough funds to ensure that every child ? including girls, the disabled and children in difficulties ? have access to education.

HIV/AIDS: Provide sex education for youths so that they can learn about safe sex and how to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS. Peer education programmes could be more effective. There is also a need for more counselling and support services for young people who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

CHILD PARTICIPATION: There is a need to improve communication between parents and schools. Children?s views should be represented in different sectors and units of governments.

CULTURAL CHANGE AND MEDIA: Media is a big influence on youths. Allow greater participation by youths in media content, and censorship policies.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES: Youths are unemployed due to lack of opportunities for employment. Governments can help by analysing the current employment market and implementing policies to create employment opportunities for people.

SOURCE: http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2005/4/17/features/10668864&sec=features

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

OPPORTUNITIES / CONTESTS: Pillars of a bridge - Visual and literary contest (NOVI SAD, SERBIA)

Very interesting project!!!

All info also available in German, Russian, Serbian, Italian & French on the project website: http://www.pillarsnovisad.org/

Contest description and guidelines

The contest is public.
It is open to all who are interested.

The organizer has provided a certain number of photos of the pillars of the bridge in Novi Sad to serve as inspiration for your work.

Their alteration and modification, adding textual messages, creating animations, i.e. all that your creativity allows you to do, will be your contribution to the contest.

Your work can be:

Visual
Literary
Combined

After designing and carrying out your ideas, you should send us the results of your work through mail or the Internet no later than May 30 th 2005.

The contributions sent after this date will not be considered.

The contest is open from March 1 st to May 30 th 2005.

The selection of the most successful ones will be carried out by June 1 st 2005.

We will inform the participants of the results of the contest and distribute the prizes from June 1 st to July 1 st 2005.

Along with each contribution it is necessary to send a filled out application form with the necessary data. The data sent to us in the application form will be used solely for the purposes of the contest and will not be publicly displayed or forwarded.

E-mail your contributions to:
contest@pillarsnovisad.org

or send them by mail to:
for the contest "PILLARS OF THE BRIDGE"
NGO "World and Danube "
Kraljevića Marka 57
21000 Novi Sad
Serbia and Montenegro

All the participants of the contest will be given a CD about Novi Sad and a Certificate of gratitude for the participation in the contest. The most successful works will be presented to the public by means of:

The media
A catalogue
Exhibitions
The Internet

The organizers reserve the right to print and publish the most successful works without compensation to the author, with clearly stating the full name of the author, the technique used, and the country of origin.

Evaluation of the contributions:
The contributions will be graded on a scale of 10 to 1000 points. The minimum required for a public display of the work is 650 points.

The evaluation will be carried out by the following jury:
Savet za Kultur

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

May 15, 2005

May 13, 2005

May 12, 2005

May 11, 2005

May 10, 2005

May 4, 2005

May 3, 2005

May 2, 2005

April 29, 2005

Mobile phones are to be used in a 400 person study to determine how youth depression starts and develops. The researchers hope to use the results to create a mobile phone program to act as an early warning system for at-risk young people.

April 26, 2005

April 21, 2005

Mark Sweney, Marketing 16 Nov 2004

SOURCE: http://www.beiuns-beieuch.de/english.php

The Project

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April 19, 2005

April 18, 2005

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