YOUTH INTERVIEW PAPER 1
YouthInterview Paper
The followinginterview is between me as the interviewer and Ryan, a 16-year-oldteen. He is a student at the Raeburn School. The purpose of thisinterview is to talk about another peer who is at risk. The interviewis set up outside the school compound and will focus on beliefs theinterviewee has about his fellow peer.
Interviewer(Me): Hello Ryan! Welcome to the interview.
Interviewee(Ryan): Hello, thank you for having me.
Me: Myfirst question is about one particular person you know. What are someof the issues you believe your friend or acquaintance is at risk offacing?
Ryan: Well, I think one major problem my friend, who is a year older thanme is facing is the issue of substance abuse.
Me:What contributes to this problem?
Ryan:First, my friend comes from a neighborhood where substance abuse isprevalent. Secondly, majority of the youths in the area are exposedto drugs. The society also plays little or no role when it comes tocondemning substance use and abuse.
Again, factorscontributing to the vice include lack of parental supervision, earlybehavioral aggression, and challenges in his academic progress.Others include undiagnosed mental challenges, drug availability, peerrejection, peer substance use, neglect, or abuse as a child.
Me: Mynext question: What cross-cultural and behavioral issues play afactor in your friend`s problem?
Ryan:My friend faces acculturation challenges of having to adopt aparticular kind of social patterns and cultural traits of anothergroup of youths in the neighborhood. Another issue includesdifferences in cross-cultural communication. His problems stem fromnot knowing how to differentiate what is right or wrong based on thepeople he interacts with. Again, his vulnerability demonstrates hislikely involvement with drug abuse.
Me: What are the reactions of his peer, family, and the schoolpersonnel?
Ryan: All these parties are concerned since they are awareof the challenges facing him. And considering my friend is at thepeak of his teen years, his family, for instance, is worried that hisbehavioral issues might carry on to adulthood. Again, the reactionfrom all parties is meant to offer the necessary support. The familyand school personnel have also gone further to engage him in acounseling session.
Me:What hope is there for your friend and what interventions might work?
Ryan:Hope is high since interventions have been carried out early enough.One of the primary responses includes psychological counseling.Others revolve around family.
From theinterview, it is evident that the youth faces a lot of challenges,but one major problem is that of substance abuse, especially at anearly age. This issue is more likely to be as a result of theneighborhood they live, culture, or friends they keep. From theinterview, it is clearly evident that such an issue could becountered if the youth is urged to open up about this problem, engagewith their family, school teachers, and their peers. Again, itappears that psychological counselor can greatly assist them to lookat life from a different perspective. The need for psychologicalcounselor would set the pace for nurturing protective factors beforehe indulges.