Young Voices

The Los Placeres Community Radio has been making a space for artistic creativity and expression in communication with young people on the hillsides of Placeres, Esperanza and Barén around Valparaíso, Chile. This project works with the participation of young girls and boys on themes such as Human Rights, Children's rights, respect for diversity and the protection of the environment.

During a series of workshops the project produced radio slots for regular transmissions aimed at building harmonious relationships between the deprived local communities which suffer problems of delinquency and drugs. The project relies on the participation and support of the children, their parents and school staff. Also neighbourhood groups were involved in the development of the workshops and enjoyed the presentations by the children.

Located in a deprived area where recreation facilities are very limited and drug use, delinquency and teenage pregnancy are common amongst young people the workshops dealt not only with fictitious situations but very real local problems. The methodology for the workshops which was used with children in four schools included group dynamics and the making of radiodramas which were presented locally.

The workshops reinforced principles and values of respect, equality, freedom, democracy, participation, responsibility and solidarity. The project has resulted in a number of children being incorporated into Los Placeres radio work as young correspondents. Also musical hip-hop groups have been born from the experience.

The work has been evaluated as a very positive contribution to the communities and a powerful learning experience for the young people involved. The work is planned to continue and some children are being trained as monitors of a forthcoming phase of the project. This project is supported by WACC More information from: http://www.geocities.com/radioplaceres