Dr Terry Barber to give Keynote Lecture

Terry Barber

Dr Terry Barber is a keynote speaker at the forthcoming conference "Youth in Crisis and Community Interventions: Past, Present and Future Priorities" at the University of the West of Scotland.

This two-day conference seeks to explore the current challenges facing young people across the UK in terms of social disadvantage, urban deprivation, territoriality, violence and the social and political mistrust of youth. It seeks to examine the current conceptions and misconceptions about youth gang culture and their relationship to issues of public disorder and violence, as well as exploring the community intervention strategies that have been put in place in Scotland to enhance young people's commitment to social and educational participation.

Dr Barber's lecture is entitled "Critical engagement...critical youth work...critical impact: developing a community-based response to the needs of young people". The focus of the address will be on developing creative strategies which engage pro-actively with young people and encourages them to participate actively in their community. He believes that the current 'moral panic' surrounding young people needs to be challenged and that a much more supportive stance from adults will achieve positive results for our communities' as well as wider society. His input will present empirical evidence to demonstrate that a focus on solutions, as opposed to condemnation of young people, benefits us all.

The conference will take place on 21-22 February 2012, Ayr Campus, University of the West of Scotland. Further information is available on the conference website at www.uws.ac.uk/youthincrisis.

Posted: 28 November 2011