Young White Ribbon Ambassador leads the way

Young people can be leaders to promote positive change for families says White Ribbon Ambassador Johny O’Donnell during Youth Week (22 to 30 May).

Connecting young people and their whānau and families is the theme for Youth Week this year, which aims to create a society that values young people and affirms their diversity.

O’Donnell is a co-founder of SAVE in Nelson (Students Against Violence Everywhere), a youth action group formed to end violence in our communities. SAVE is supporting Youth Week.

“Family is such an important part of our lives but it is an environment that can be both nurturing and damaging for youth,” he says. “Having positive relationships with our parents is rewarding in so many ways, and yet too many teenagers experience just how destructive violence can be to family relationships.”

Research sourced by the Families Commission shows that when youth experience family violence within the home, not only are family relationships jeopardised, so is the possibility that the child will grow to have a healthy non-violent relationship with their own children.

Johny explains: “When I was 16 we started SAVE in Nelson when we saw the effects of violence within families in our community. We had friends who were victims so we decided to use our voices to help end violence. The White Ribbon campaign recognised the work we were doing and invited me to become a White Ribbon Ambassador, which was a real honour.

“White Ribbon asks men to be leaders and make change possible. That’s a sentiment I totally applaud. If we want our world to be a better place, we as the next generation, need to take responsibility. It’s no good expecting some super hero to save us, that only happens in the movies. If youth want change then we need to show leadership,” says Johny, “Not leave it to others.

“I want a world where there is no violence in the home. Where relationships are built on mutual respect, and where people my age can have great relationships with their parents, not ones built on fear.

“If you want to make a difference this Youth Week to ensure that our young people are connected to their whānau/families, make our homes violence free,” says Johny.

ENDS

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