We’re supporting our community to connect with who and what you need. We’re gonna feature local people needing some know-how to get them to the next level. Let’s look out for each other. Keep dropping in to see who can help you.
We’ll be talking to a new member of the community every week. This week we’re chatting with Aaliyah, an english student based in Sandwell. If you wanna work with Aaliyah, or get involved with a project drop us a DM on @MotiveSandwell and we’ll connect you!
Hey Aaliyah! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m 22 years old, and I’m a student studying English and creative writing. I love creative writing and editing people’s pieces of work.
Right now I edit blog posts for an organisation I works with. The organisation is a youth christian organisation, which helps the youth and helps them find their way with god and their lives.
Aaliyah, 22, is an english student, living in Sandwell.
What’s one of your biggest concerns in Sandwell?
Lack of community centres in, I was having a convo with my friend and we weretalking about a death that happened, a 14 year old boy died on his mum’s doorstep “ street beef “ etc. When we were speaking we spoke about the free time the youth has influenced them to get involved in violence.
Community centres have helped keep me engaged in games and other stuff normal kids do. We should create community centres that allow people to come together to play games. It’s easier if you invest in this generation and create a better way of living for them. Our generation doesn’t have anything to do, there’s a lot of free time on their hands, hence why they got involved in violence and crime.
What impact has education had on you?
I don’t believe I’m the brightest person, so education has been getting to me for a long time. I’m not academic, but I am a creative, I wanna wants to use her mind not memorise books. A lot of intuitive people feel like they’re failures due to this. She believes this links back to the community centre topic, it allows people to find their passion, and have something to enjoy. People within their degrees feel depressed and feel mentally drained, doing things they don’t want to do. No one’s motivated, they don’t desire their degrees etc. They have no teachers or anyone to help them figure out what they want to do, instead they’re pressured into doing certain subjects such as the core ones.
What do you think schools could do more of to help students?
Therapists who actually care in Education – Putting people that actually care in an educational institute for young people, allowing them to actually benefit and ease their stress and anxiety. As a lot of therapists are just in it for the paycheck, and don’t actually listen to the students’ concerns. E.g. When Aaliyah was in college the therapist they gave her would just not listen and write down prescriptions for her. She believes not everyone needs medicinal help, and just a push in the right direction or advice in general. Therapists need to understand the students more etc.
If you’re interested in what Aaliyah has spoken about, drop us a DM on @MotiveSandwell, or contact Lyfeproof UK to connect you.
Interviewer: Faisal
