booksI don’t know about you, but whenever I see a youngster doing well it makes me go a bit emotional. Even when young kids end up getting into the final of reality shows, it makes me well up. I put this reaction down to the fact that I did not feel supported by my teachers when I was at school. My creativity was rarely praised and though I dreamed of being an actress and a singer, I never got the smallest part in a school play (my last speaking part was as a ‘Bong Tree’ in Dr Dolittle aged 10) and was last to be picked for the choir. That and being told by my careers advisor that ‘writing was not a real career’, made me lose such faith in teachers that once I achieved success as a published writer I would ensure other youngsters never met the same fate.
So, when I was asked to be a judge for the Dutch News, Xpat Media and International Herald Tribune’s Young Writers’ Competition earlier this year, I jumped at the chance. Little did I know that Robin Pascoe and I would have over 600 entries from 6-18 year-olds to read between us. But oh, the joy of discovering such innocent talent! It was a privilege to be part of what became a book on Friendship, now available from Holland Books.
At the prize giving ceremony, many parents came up to me and said how pleased they were that their child had won something when normally they were overlooked at school. That, I tell you, gave me the greatest buzz of all.
Right now I am in the throes of judging the finalists for Clements International‘s 2010 Expat Youth Scholarship Life in a Flying House writing competition. This time I only have to pick the winners from a shortlist, but again I am blown away by the imagination and creativity of the 12-18 year-olds who entered.
But to me, judging competitions is not enough to help nurture young talent. Every year I go to talk to sixth formers at the British School here about what having a career as a writer really means. At the end of the talk I invite any who are serious to talk to me later so I can help them to get published. I know too well how vital having a portfolio of published work is to anyone trying to get a place at university to study journalism and if I can help, I will. Right now I am helping three 17 year-olds to do just that. You can read one of Sian’s pieces here on my Student Success page.
If you, like me, have ever had to struggle to get recognised, perhaps you too could do something to nurture young talent and be sure this doesn’t happen to you too? I can tell you, the biggest buzz of all comes from creating opportunities for others. If I can help another person to develop the confidence and self-belief that will help them to dare to chase their dreams, then I will.
What could you do, or do you do to help youngsters?
