More than a year ago, we created a new community-based social marketing project that addresses an important social cause: the well-being of teenagers. The initiative of the PRAIS Foundation team – “We are the young generation!” – started from a UNICEF report from 2013, according to which Romania is the last in Europe in terms of the well-being of young people.
Our objectives in the first edition were to promote talent, creativity, high school studentsț initiatives, valorisation of individual potential, diversity, creation of expressive spaces in high schools, and virtual for each of the participants. Direct interaction with thousands of young people was meant to stimulate their well-being. The integrated social media platform www.tanarageneratie.ro that we created is the place where every day the students were visible and valued.
In the field of visual arts, graphics and objects, the teenagers have impressed us both at the competition organized at the Nicolae Tonitza High School of Fine Arts and in the creative workshops where they have performed works with full of force, modern, courageous and high-intensity paint brushes. The exhibitions and prizes marked their achievements.
Story books, direction, choreography – note 10!
The “Best Flashmob” competition has stimulated their organizational capacity and creativity in making the story, choreography, direction, and filmmaking that have far exceeded our demands. Remarkable is the ability of teenagers to mobilize with talent on topics of interest, to integrate their colleagues without making any difference, inclusion and diversity being celebrated in their films. The fact that they had to promote their own film on the FB homepage of the @tanarageneratie project, showed that they know how to do it naturally without any schools or specializations. Sufficient elements that have convinced us that among us are already the future creative people in advertising, IT, engineering, mathematics and marketing industries. They only need scenes to perform, value yourself!
In the first edition, we have developed the project “We are a young generation!” in 14 cities such as: Bucharest, Timisoara, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi, Brasov, Fagaras, Ploiesti, Roman, through activations, itinaraire debates, contests and dissemination of informational materials. The program has so far brought together over 50,000 high school students and teachers, partners.
We chose to communicate with high school students through artistic personalities, sociologists, psychologists, Olympic champions, managers, teachers. Through storytelling, we’ve managed to break any barriers. Our authentic life stories, dialogue between us – those with the experience of maturing through success and failure, have transformed the conferences into ample debates and exchanges of inspirational ideas.
What are the ingredients of the well-being of teenagers?
A range of socio-emotional skills such as empathy, awareness and effective management of your own emotions, relashionship and communication skills, proactive and civic attitudes, confidence in your own abilities, problem solving ability – help young people to adapt to the world they live in and become a resource of progress. Developing these abilities, equipping them with the ability to respond effectively to important life events being a priority for family, school, society.
An adolescent aware of his or her emotions, behaviors and resources, who has self-respect and for others, who understands moral values and aligns them, will have better outcomes in school and his future career, will be creative and will develops harmonious relationships with others.
The survey we made in high schools in Bucharest and Iasi highlighted the importance that high-school students give to good relationships, teamwork, friends, music and excursions for their well-being. At the same time, from the discussions with them, we noticed the desire to be listened, understood, valued, respected and treated as adults