Young Hearts kick-starts in Thailand

Khunying Dr. Kasama Worawan na Ayutthaya

Fourty students and 40 teachers gathered in Bangkok for the first-ever workshop for Young Hearts, the regional youth media project organised by Plan, to learn about the programme’s objective, process and content.

In Thailand, Plan is partners with the Ministry of Education and the Thai Youth News Agency in order to support students in 40 schools in 29 provinces to help them express their views on the issue of violence in schools through films.

“Children and youth see the world differently from adults. They don’t have restrictions in their minds like adults do. When they address their own issues, they go directly into their peers’ hearts,” stated Khunying Dr. Kasama Worawan na Ayutthaya, Secretary General, Office of the Basic Education Comission, Ministry of Education at the opening ceremony of the workshop.

The four day workshop provided a platform for the youths and teachers to understand the issue of violence in school issue both separately and in a joint session.  Initial topics have been identified such as corporal punishment, academic pressure and exploitation by teachers and older students.

After the workshop, two school forums were scheduled to take place over the next three months in order to finalise the issues that these youths plan to raise in their film.  The production process will be finished in early 2009.

Children enjoying the workshop

“This is the first time Plan has worked with the Thai Youth News Agency (TYNA).  They have almost ten years of experience in setting up media centres in 32 pilot schools.  I believe the Young Hearts project will provide members of the Thai youth media with an activity to help them develop their thinking skills. It will also give them the chance to work as a team to advocate for the government to integrate youth media into the school curriculum,” said Arunee Achakulwisut, Communications Manager, Plan (Thailand Programme Office).

Out of the 40 films Thai youths will produce, certain outstanding ones will be selected to be presented at the international Young Hearts festival in Thailand, to be held in May 2009.  Films produced by Thai youths will be showcased along with other youth media projects from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam.