Community Forum

If you’ve done anything of note lately – won an award, remodelled your space, contributed to the community, or done anything else newsworthy or unique – then there’s a chance that local media will be interested. Give it a go; the worst they can say is no.

The voices of youth are not only valuable, they are essential for shaping a sustainable and equitable future. The United Nations has recognized this imperative, emphasizing the critical role of young people in driving societal change and innovation. With over 1.2 billion young individuals globally, their collective potential to influence and enact change is immense. However, despite their numbers and capabilities, youth participation in decision-making processes remains limited.

The question then arises: How can we encourage youth engagement and participation in decision-making? The answer lies in creating structured opportunities, fostering inclusive environments, and recognizing the unique perspectives that young people bring to the table.

To begin with, it is crucial to establish formal mechanisms that mandate youth involvement in decision-making processes. This could take the form of youth parliaments, advisory councils, or dedicated seats for young representatives in legislative bodies. Such structures ensure that youth perspectives are not an afterthought but a fundamental component of policy development and governance.

Creating an inclusive environment means going beyond token participation. It involves actively seeking and valuing the diverse opinions of young people. This can be achieved by providing platforms where youth can express their views, such as public forums, online consultations, and participatory budgeting initiatives. It is also important to provide the necessary training and resources to empower young individuals to effectively contribute to these platforms.

Young people often bring fresh, innovative ideas to the table. Their unique perspectives can lead to more creative and effective solutions to contemporary challenges. Recognizing this, decision-makers should invite youth to participate and genuinely consider their input in the final decision-making process.

Education plays a pivotal role in preparing youth for active participation. Educational institutions should incorporate civic education that highlights the importance of engagement and provides the skills needed for effective advocacy and policy influence. Additionally, providing resources such as grants and mentorship programs can support youth-led initiatives and projects.

Encouraging and supporting youth-led initiatives can demonstrate the value of youth participation. When young people see their peers making a difference, it can inspire them to get involved and take action. Highlighting successful youth-led projects and initiatives can also help to dispel the notion that young people are not ready or capable of contributing to significant societal issues.

The path to meaningful youth engagement in decision-making is multifaceted. It requires commitment from all levels of society—from government bodies to educational institutions, from non-profit organizations to the private sector. By creating structured opportunities, fostering inclusive environments, and recognizing the unique contributions of youth, we can unlock the potential of the next generation to lead us toward a more just and sustainable world.

Scrapbooking is a creative and enjoyable way to preserve your memories and tell a story. It's an art form that allows you to curate your life's moments in a tangible way. One of the key aspects of scrapbooking is the selection of photos. While it might be tempting to include every single photo from an event or vacation, this approach can often lead to cluttered and overwhelming pages.

The tip to enhance your scrapbooking experience is to prioritize quality over quantity. By choosing only a few of your favourite photos, you can focus on the best memories that truly represent the essence of the occasion. This selective process not only makes your scrapbook more visually appealing but also more meaningful. Each chosen photo will have its own space to shine, accompanied by decorations and journaling that add context and emotion.

When working with your photos, consider the story you want to tell. Which images capture the emotions, the atmosphere, or the unique moments that you would like to remember? Every so often, a single picture can convey more than a dozen could. Use your scrapbook pages to highlight these special memories, and let them serve as a gateway back to those cherished times.

When you’re composing a photo, it helps to pay careful attention to the edges of the frame. Simply put, the edges have an exaggerated impact on the “feel” of your photo!

For starters, make sure that your subject has enough breathing room so that it’s not bunching up against the edge of a photo. And certainly don’t cut off an important element, like the top of a mountain, unless you have a good reason.

Along the same lines, any distractions in your photo will draw more attention if they’re close to the edge because they’re dragging a viewer’s attention further from the main subject of the photo. If you only think about the main subject and don’t pay attention to the rest of the frame, you might end up with a sloppy composition.

All those models that others are selling have to go somewhere. Just like buying a used car, buying used model trains can save you a lot of money. And just buying a car, you have to do your homework, inspect carefully and be willing to accept that your train may need a little work.

When buying used—especially powered locomotives, transformers and the like—it is best to either buy from a store that has a place you can test the model, or that has an iron-clad return policy. A good return policy is especially important with online retailers. Most sellers are honest, but a thumbnail picture can hide countless flaws!

If you enjoy painting by numbers, you might want some variety. Go and print some images or designs and then colour them. Use acrylic or watercolour paints, depending on the effect you plan to achieve, or for black and white designs you could even use charcoal.

A set of miniatures of your favourite pets, landscapes or mountain cottages, made in charcoal, could be a great project on a budget. You could also transfer your printouts onto a piece of wood and burn it later, but that would become much pricier unless you already have a pyrography set.

When faced with the challenge of painting small items that are difficult to hold on to, a simple yet effective solution can make the task much easier. One clever idea to tackle this issue is to create a makeshift handle using everyday materials.

To start, one can make a loop using a piece of masking or duct tape and attach it to the back of the project to be painted. This loop will serve as a handle that can be easily grasped during the painting process. Next, tape the small item to the eraser end of a pencil. By securing the item to the pencil, it becomes much simpler to manoeuvre and paint without the risk of dropping or smudging it.

Once the item is securely attached to the pencil, one can hold on to the pencil itself while painting. This method provides a stable and controlled grip, allowing for precise and detailed painting even on the smallest of objects.

After painting is complete, drying the item is made effortless by simply placing the pencil in a cup. This makeshift drying rack ensures that the freshly painted item remains undisturbed while drying, preventing any smudges or imperfections.