Re: [Fsuk-manchester] Young people & free software

[MJ Ray]

Tim Dobson <address@hidden> wrote:
> MJ Ray wrote:
> > I believe ageism is wrong in both directions (either 50+ers prejudging
> > teenagers or teenagers prejudging 50+ers) and should not be supported,
>
> I agree totally. But I'm not sure this is all about ageism, simply that 
> people tend to identify more with people of their own age.

How is that not ageism, put like that?  People tend to identify more
with people they see as similar to themselves in some ways, so people
of a similar age will more probably have similar experiences and so
on, but it need not directly be about age.

> Do you think you could use the terms "young people" or "teens" instead 
> of "minors"? I find "minors" a rather sterile term that doesn't really 
> acknowledge they are just as much people as you are - I know this wasn't 
> intended however I hope this would help reduce any inbuilt assumptions 
> about us.

Well, I consider that the differences in law from not having 18 years
here (= majority) is the main problem with involving such people
directly in a mixed group, not their youth or being under 20.  While
there are also differences at 16, 20, 21, 25, 26 and probably other
ages, I feel they're less dramatic for an organisation. So, I think
"minors" is the most accurate term.  It is a bit sterile, but then so
are many IMO-inoffensive labels.

[...]
> I'm not sure what "existing" groups you would suggest working with; 
> presumably youth groups and the scouts/guides etc.

I was thinking youth groups and clubs around education institutions.
Maybe the scouts, guides, woodcraft folk and religious groups with
interests in sharing might be approachable, but I don't remember them
being particularly able to form subgroups.

> Knowing how many people are part of these groups in the relevant age 
> bracket makes me somewhat critical that trying to interest people from 
> nothing (or persuading them that this is more fun than playing football 
> or building campfires) is going to be tough.

I don't know how many people are part of them today.  Can you share
the numbers?

> I'm not sure even that this sort of separation between ages is good 
> either; I'm not suggesting something to replace Manchester Free 
> Software, or LUGs for young people, instead, to merely compliment it.

I'm not sure it's a good thing either, but there are arguable good
reasons for those differences in law.

Hope that explains,
-- 
MJ Ray (slef)
Webmaster for hire, statistician and online shop builder for a small
worker cooperative http://www.ttllp.co.uk/ http://mjr.towers.org.uk/
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