Youth’s robustness is important

Youth’s dreams

What do many youth dream of today? A safer world. How will this strengthen MOT’s role in the future? We know that those who start wars and execute terror and massacres, once were children and youth. Many of them were not seen and included, and lacked the tools, awareness and courage to make themselves robust. Youth need tools and awareness to become robust, and people around them that have trust and faith in them.

MOT contributes to a safer future

The American professor James Alan Fox has studied on school massacres and found four repeating elements:

• The assassins often felt like a failure.
• They had less support from family and friends than what is common.
• They felt that society never really gave them a chance.
• They got bad grades in school or experienced other severe disappointment.

A German study shows that the relationship to the teachers is a “crucial factor”. More than half of the perpetrators of school massacres experienced social rejection at school. Ragnhild Bjørnebekk, scientist of violence at the Norwegian Police Academy said school culture is conclusive and that one of the common features is that the perpetrator wants to be seen. The 18-year-old who killed 9 people in Munich in July 2016 was bullied for 7 years. The American psychologist calls massacre a “celebration” of violence to get the world’s attention.

When we have cultures were youth gets included and have tools making themselves robust, many massacres, terrorist attacks and wars will be avoided. One of the future’s most important keys to a safer world is: Robust youth, who include all. We need to create a global understanding about this. MOT will be a support for the society that makes more have a sense of belonging at school, in the local community and in “healthy” environments.

MOT’s learning methodology

MOT’s learning methodology consists of thoroughly recruited and trained local key persons. They are role models who meet the target group with nearness and personal presence several times a year in a Youthful, Innovative and Sincere way, strengthening their courage, awareness and inspiration. The key persons are experts at creating experience and reaching in both to the youth’s heart and mind. They make impact filling several roles:

• Facilitator creating arenas for exercises, reflection, learning.
• Expert/lecturer giving examples, appeals, experiences.
• Delegator/coach asking questions and keeping the target group active.
• Role model and “safety icon” that the target group has in their minds in challenging situations in daily life.

The belief in youth as self-builders

The MOT sessions may be regarded a self-building guide, and the effort being made by the youth themselves. Our experience is that youth love being self-builders if they get the opportunity, guidance and tools. We know that youth use MOT in their own way, and experience ownership and joy. The youth shape themselves. Through MOT’s values, logo, programmes and the MOT coaches we create cultures and societies where they build themselves, their environments, society and a safer world.

I wish you a lovely and peaceful December.

All the best,

Atle