Ephebiphobia - the "inaccurate, exaggerated and sensational characterization of young people"

Do you think our young people deserve more? Do you think as a society we are fair to them? Do you think that it is right we judge every young person by the stereotypes of troublesome, out-of-control and difficult?

Well I do, and I know I am not alone. The stereotypes of young people and the irrational fear we have of them have no place in modern society.

Pliny the Elder was on to something when he said, "What we do to our children, they will do to society." If his words are to ring true, then we are in for a whole lot of trouble.

If we don't counter this trend, our young people will increasingly lack the emotional resilience and social competence that is needed to make society a safe, fair and happy place.

What we need is a model for empathetic behaviour when it comes to dealing with young people. A model that every adult can apply in every situation be they a parent, an employer, a schoolteacher or a concerned citizen.

Isn't it about time that, as a society, we stopped crushing the spirits of the next generation and started to understand their situations, feelings and motives and in turn change our own feelings, thoughts and attitude towards young people?

This manifesto aims to bring together thought leaders and change makers in a common purpose to create a model of empathic behaviour that can be used in all our dealings with young people.

This manifesto sets out my initial thoughts and is, in my mind, the beginning of a conversation, not the end.

So join me and start a revolution on how we view, think, respond and act towards young people.


We cannot remedy anything by condemning it!

About sarahnewton: | Sarah Newton has been helping youth for over 15 years of her life. Initially as a police officer in the Met and the last 10 years running her own youth consultancy business. She has worked with and transformed some of the most difficult and empathetic young people and regularly appears in the media, giving her expert opinion. She has been featured on most UK TV channels (with one of her programmes watched by 1 in 4 of the UK population), hosted her own TV series, been involved with campaigns for such companies as MTV and the BBC and has sat on future thought panels for ITV. Sarah’s passion is for empowering the next generation and she regularly writes about youth success, youth empowerment and how to impact the future leaders of tomorrow.

Web site: http://www.sarahnewton.com and www.genyguide.com