Women's World Cup

If you are lucky enough to be at home during the day with no school or work to go to this month you could be enjoying the Women’s World Cup. Unlike the men’s world cup it isn’t talked about on every TV or Radio Show or written about in every newspaper but this doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve the same attention the men’s version of the competition gets.

The lack of press coverage isn’t helped by the fact that the tournament is being held over in China which means the kick off times are during the day so many people who are at school or work can’t watch it live. So this means if you want to watch it you have to get some kind of recording device in order to follow it’s progress.

If I asked many people to name an England ladies football team player many would probably struggle but if I asked them to name a player for the men’s side they would be able to tell me in a heartbeat even if they had never watched a game. In an era where England is not developing many world class athletes or sportspeople who go on to be the top in their sport our ladies has team one of the best female players in the world by the name of Kelly Smith who opened up her world cup account with two goals in her first game.

It’s not just ladies football but many other sports where our country has world class competitors but because these sports may no be popular they don’t get the recognition they deserve.

In the case of football the game is the same game with the same laws regardless of if you are male or female so they should be treated equally. Yes ok it isn’t going to happen over night but I hope as a country and a world we can get behind women’s football and female sports in general. We need to encourage females to succeed in sport and support them when they do.

For all you girls out there that want to get involved in football I say go for it. I know it is annoying that at the moment many female footballers have to have second jobs to pay the bills but can you really put a price on being able to put on your country’s jersey and play in a world cup? That opportunity in itself is immense and should drive young girls o want to achieve in football.

The only way we are going to get the press and media to increase their coverage of the women’s game is by getting out there and supporting it ourselves and by doing this we are going to create a better future for female sports in the UK.

If you have an opinion on women’s sport, how it is perceived or ideas on how to improve its standing then why not get involved in our topic of the week on the forum:

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=210#210

Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com/

TV Programmes

For many of our readers they will now becoming to the end of the summer holidays which means back to school an all the joys which come with the period just before school starts. Going to get new school uniforms going to get new stationery and all the obligatory things that need to be done before school starts.

This brings the end to the period of watching daytime TV and staying out with your friends until all hours. Now I campaign for young people to make the most of their summer holidays by going out and experiencing new things as well as developing new and existing talents but there are a couple of really good programmes on our TV’s in the UK at the moment. If you are going to watch TV these two programmes are well worth a watch and making a space in your schedule for.

Following on from the launch of our weekly X-Factor blog from our brilliant X-factor Correspondent Katie Greenhill I thought it was time to talk about two other programmes I am liking at the moment.

The first is a series on MTV called MADE. This series has been on TV for some time but if you haven’t seen any of the episodes its well worth a watch. The series in an MTV original series from America. Each programme stars a new young person who has something they want to achieve or something they want to be made in to. Most of these young people are having problems at school or really need help in order to achieve something which can be anything from being a Snowboarder to a Singer.

In each programme the MTV crew are given a month to help get the young person to achieve their dream so they allocate them a coach you has experience in that field and it is then the job of the coach to make sure that the young person is ready to achieve their dream by the end of the month. The show is usually on weekdays at 18.00 on MTV or TMF and is well worth the watch.

The other programme is Cheerleader Nation which is currently being screened on Living2. This series follows a year in the life of the Dunbar Cheerleading squad in Kentucky USA as they compete for their third national title in a row.

Cheerleading is a way of life in America and a huge part of their culture but cheerleading is now growing in popularity in the UK. The programme gives you a new respect for the sport as after watching an episode you will never look at cheerleading in the same light again as the training regime these girls go through is absolutely gruelling. The programme I’m sure will also inspire many young people to take up cheerleading and inspire those already involved in cheerleading to aim even higher.

The series is already 3 – 4 episodes in but you can catch it every Tuesday at 21.00 on Living2.

Look out for some very special exclusive “Cheerleader Nation” content launching soon on the Talented Young People website.

And for this weeks topic of the week on our forums we want to know what you favourite TV programmes are. To cast your opinions go to:

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=190#190

Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com/

Exam Results

Over the next two weeks millions of young people up and down the country will be getting their GCSE and A-Level results. Years of hard work finally come down to the opening of an envelope or a line on a results chart. Months of anxious waiting since they sat in that exam hall are about come to an end but the outcomes will be very different for many people.

The first thing you need is a plan and you need to have it ready before you go to collect your results. You need to know what opportunities are available to you for each possible outcome of results day. No matter how much you worry or stress before you get your results you can’t change the results on the papers. After you hand your exam paper in you can’t change the outcomes and any time spent stressing about them is a waste of time and can have a long-term affect on your health. Stressing about your results can only have a negative affect on how you deal with your results and your future after you get your results.

The thing to remember is whatever grade you get on that piece of paper it doesn’t change you as a person you are still the same person before you get your results and after you get your results, that piece of paper doesn’t define you and it isn’t going to change your life it’s what you do with that piece of paper that will. The only time you lose on exam results day is when you don’t do something positive about your results and with your results.

Exam results are just a stepping-stone on your continuing journey. You don’t study to get results you study and work hard to get where you need to go in life, to get that career to get that University placement. If you can achieve these things then your results don’t matter as it is the outcome we are worried about not the steps on the way.

If you have a successful results day celebrate, be proud of yourself and your achievements but don’t let it go to your head as like I say these results are only as good as what you do with them. Use the power of the achievement to achieve even greater things with your life. If you can harness that energy then you can achieve anything.

So if you are reading this before you collect your results remember to do your research and find out what opportunities are available to you for every outcome so regardless of what is written on that results page you have a plan and can not let a second go to waste. If your exam results aren’t what you needed them to be you need to be quick in trying to get in to colleges and Universities as if your grades aren’t what you needed to be and you leave it a while then your chances of getting in are going to be significantly reduced. Universities, Colleges and employers like people who can face up to their failures and take the bull by the horns.

If you are reading this after you have collected your results then what are you waiting for go and research your next move don’t let a second go to waste. The one thing to remember whatever you grades are there are always opportunities and possibilities open to you in order for you to move your life forward and closer to your dream.

Regardless of your results don’t give up. If you give up after one bad grade you are not going to be able to reach your full potential and achieve great things with your life.

If you want to talk about exam grades, how they are affecting you and what the future is going to hold then get involved in our topic of the week:

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=170#170

Good luck to everyone collecting exam results from everyone here at Talented Young People.

Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com/

The Floods - Facing Adversity

Over the last few months the UK has been hit by some of the worse flooding it has seen in recent years which has been mirrored in many countries across the globe with many people suffering from the extreme weather conditions. I can’t speak for the rest of the world but no one in the UK could have even imagined the devastation which has happened, especially during a time in which we should be enjoying the highest temperatures of the year.

Many of those affected by the floods all had plans and events happening in their lives, which were rudely interrupted by the unexpected devastation. One day they went to work, school or were maybe even sleeping to come home or to wake to their homes surrounded by water. Then there were those who fled for shelter in centres setup around the country to house those escaping the floods who left their properties not knowing what they would be coming back to with only a few frantically collected possessions with them.

Now it’s incidents like this that can sometimes cruelly change the direction and path of many lives as the knock on affects of the damage refuse to go away. Still weeks on and many people can’t return to their homes, can’t get the money out of their insurance companies to make their homes liveable and those who still remain in their properties still don’t know if the water running through the pipes is drinkable or when it will be.

In these towns and cities that were affected there will have been many young and talented people all working hard pursuing their dreams, all with big plans that have now been taken away by the floods. No longer is there main concern pursuing their dream, they are now only concerned with getting their life back to normality which they don’t know how long it will be until this happens.

I have come to say that it is ok to concentrate your efforts on getting your life back on track, there is nothing wrong with it and this is the way it has to and should be. This is going to be one of the biggest tests of your strength that you have ever had but if you can take the strength from this and not forget about your dream then you can achieve anything. You have to remember that things may not be going your way at the moment but it will get better and that life will get back to normal. When life is restored to some sort of normality you can’t waste more of your life thinking about it and worrying about it. I know this is easier said than done but we need to remember what happened, learn from it and use it to help us achieve our dreams. We need to also make the improvements and changes that need to be made in order to safeguard the villages, towns and cities so that young talented people can be free to pursue their dreams without the danger of setbacks. You can’t get back the time, money and possessions that have been lost but you can reclaim or for some people claim your dream for the first time and hold on to it.

Don’t let your talents and skills go to waste just because there has been a setback. Yes I know some setbacks are harder to get over than others and this is a major setback but it just means the harder you fall the stronger you can come back.

We are now in a time where we need more leaders around the globe who are going to help others in their time of need and in their times of triumph. One organisation currently recognising the top leaders in the world are the Global Youth Awards. I have been lucky enough to be nominated for this award because of all the work I do with young people. If you feel that I deserve to win the award you can vote for me by going to:

http://www.globalyouth.net/leadership/adam-sibley.html

I just want to end today by sending out the thoughts and prayers of the Talented Young People organisation to all those affected by these floods, you will always be in our thoughts.

Have you ever had to overcome adversity like those people affected by the floods? How did you do it? How hard was it to overcome? Why no tell us all about it and join in our discussion:

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=144#144

Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com/

New Technology

This week’s blog is dedicated to new technology and how it is helping talented young people around the world achieve their dreams.

Now when I talk about new technology helping young people I bet you expect me to start talking about things like the internet, video cameras, phones, TV, MySpace etc. But the greatest impact I feel is still to come in regards to technology helping young people and that is the design of the $100 Laptop as part of the One Laptop per Child Project.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6679431.stm

This project and laptop could see millions of children from the developing world have access to equipment which the western world takes for granted and help give these children a chance to build a better future for themselves.

Now I am sure many of you this week in the UK have been signing up to Orange Broadband to claim your free laptop but most of you claiming this offer will already have a computer in the house so although the spec may be far superior on it to the $100 laptop it wont have the long lasting effect that the $100 dollar laptop will.

Not only will these laptops provide young people in the developing world with new skills and a better education they will give these young children hope and encourage them to go on and achieve greater things than they ever felt possible. Technology is changing our world every day and with the changes and improvements come more chances for young people to achieve their dreams.

At Talented Young People we are always on the look out for new technologies that we can use to help young people and to help spread the word. Recently as you may have noticed we have started using social bookmarking websites like Contentpop, Blinklist, Digg and del.icio.us to help promote our news feed which seems to be going well, I’m sure social bookmarking websites are going to play a big part in the future of the internet and web promotion. On top of this you will have hopefully noticed that our second podcast is now available to download by going to:

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.com/podcasts

But getting back to the point at hand MySpace may be able to help you get a million people to listen to your song or a video camera may help you put a video on Youtube and have it viewed by a million people but if you can give a child a piece of equipment that helps them find a dream or gives them the opportunity to achieve things they never thought possible then you can truly change the world.

You can talk about new technology and how it affects your life in this week’s forum topic by going to:

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=129#129


Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com/

Volunteering

Today’s youth have the stereotype of being a non caring, self obsessed breed. The truth is that although there may be many who are like this there are a growing number of young people out there who do great things for other people through volunteering. The number of young people giving up their time on a regular basis to volunteer is growing and I for one hope continues to grow in the future.

The amount young people can get out of volunteering is huge. With a world which is focused on academic skills and grades volunteering gives young people the chance to learn vital life lessons and skills which can’t be taught in the classroom. I believe that regardless of what you want to achieve in life you need to spend a period of time as a volunteer as working as a volunteer can show us how fortunate we are and what changes that we can make to individuals, groups and the world.

In the classroom you work in a world of theory but in volunteering you get to be involved in a practical world and see changes that are actually happening because of the work you have done. Now you may be saying the time that you give up to volunteer could be time used to pursue your dream but the amount of energy and experience you can gain through volunteering outweighs the time you no longer have. Being able to give up your time to help others is a great skill to have.

Volunteering can open up a world of possibilities and opportunities which wouldn’t have been open to you if you hadn’t got involved. If you are not old enough to get a paid job or if you don’t have the experience to get the job you want volunteering can gain you the experience which you can use towards your career. In the short term it may seem like you are working for no money but the extra money you can sometimes make by having that experience outweighs it by far.

The face of volunteering has changed, volunteering opportunities use to be very limited but now many organisations are working in the UK to promote volunteering and create a million and one new volunteering opportunities including anything from media to arts to sports. There never has been a better time to get involved in volunteering as there are now great opportunities and great support networks out there to guide you.

One organisation who are really making a difference in the volunteering world are the Youth Action Network. The Youth Action Network is the national organisation with unique experience and expertise in the Youth Action approach to volunteering. Look out for future publications from them which will feature a piece we wrote on volunteering and the arts. For more information on them go to their website:

http://www.youthactionnetwork.org.uk/

Like this blog why not get involved in our topic of the week on the forum:

What volunteer work do you do, are you looking at getting in to volunteering and what do you get out of volunteering?

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=118#118

Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com/

Summer Holidays

Although you wouldn’t believe it with the weather we are currently having in the UK many young people up and down the country are now either on summer holiday or starting to make plans of their upcoming summer holiday. You may still be doing your exams but I know summer holiday is in the back of your mind. For many it will be there last summer holiday they ever have before they leave education and for some they may not have a summer holiday as it’s now time for them to find work.

The summer holiday is the longest period that you are away from the structure of schools and education. For six weeks or more you are left to your own devices and it is up to you to make your own timetable and decide what you want to do and where you want to go. This leaves many young lost and confused as they are use to being told what to do and having there day mapped out for them and because they don’t know how to organise themselves they spend most of the summer holidays on the sofa watching TV. Many young people will only do things if they are told to or they have to like school and the moment they don’t have to do anything they will choose to do nothing.

A great summer comes from great preparation and a want to do something meaningful with your time off. The summer holidays should be a time to recharge your batteries ready for the next year of education and a time to let off steam but don’t be the one that goes back to school or college on the first day back and when asks what they got up to this summer says not much. There are so many opportunities open to you regardless of your situation or what you want to do you just need to find them and devote time to them. The summer holidays is a time where you can learn about what you want to learn about or practice what it is you want to get better at.

Now some of you may be spending the summer stressing about exam results but don’t as stress isn’t going to change the grade you get. Use your summer to learn about yourself, the world and to gain skills. Before the summer holiday starts set yourself some targets that you want to achieve by the end of the summer and make a plan on how you are going to achieve them. Be experimental, try new things, join new clubs, if you’re old enough try a small part time job. Just do something which is going to help you get closer to achieving your dreams. Do everything you can to make this the summer of your life.

Why not get involved in our forums and let the world know what you have planned for your summer by going to:

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=105#105

Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com/

Wimbledon

In the UK we are currently in the middle of Wimbledon fortnight. This is normally a time for us Brits to get our strawberries and cream, cheer on another British tennis player in their attempt to win the big one and going out and playing tennis ourselves at local courts. Well this year all we have left is strawberries and cream as yet again we are left with no British stars left to cheer on and this year we are living through some very unusual weather for this period even by the UK's standard with floods breaking out all over the country so no ones playing on the courts.

The UK have over the years lost their power and dominance in many sports that it once had, many of which originated from the UK. The problem with our national sporting success has been discussed and debated at many levels with many people blaming the lack of sports and PE at school, the amount of green land which is being built on and the national media coverage of the dangers facing young people in this country when going out in public.

Some people say it is the lack of funding that is the reason we are not creating the line of stars we once were but to me it doesn't matter how much money you put in to a sport unless you have young people that want to do it and our skilled at it. In my opinion the problem comes from the British attitude of negativity and pessimism and the attitude of resenting people because they are better than you or at least trying to do their best. If we are going to create new sporting stars we have to encourage them all the way from when they start a sport to the moment they finish playing the sport.

When it comes to tennis specifically we have a big shortage of achieving players. Every year when Wimbledon comes around it encourages many young people around the UK to go and play or learn tennis and during Wimbledon fortnight tennis courts around the country are normally full of people young and old emulating what they have seen on TV. Just this year because of the weather this hasn't been true. The LTA and the tennis organisations are going to have to work harder this year to promote the game.

The other problem this country has is that football is way and above any other sport in the popularity stakes so it is very hard to get young people interested in other sports, in to schools and facilities to play the sport in parks etc. So my answer to this problem is to match funding with encouragement and to actually work with young people and find out ways from them on how to best coach them and nurture them. As with personal investment anything is possible.

If you would like to have your say and voice your opinions on why the UK aren't creating enough top sporting stars. Then you need to go to our forum and view our topic of the week:

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=76

Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com/

The National Association for Gifted Children

It's seems as though the media are only interested in pushing stories which are negative when it comes to young people and the image of young people. It's always the young people who are up to no good or the schools that are failing that grab the headlines. With the amount of negative press young people get on a local and national basis many people now believe that the youth of today are a group of lawless trouble makers who have no interest in doing well at school or having good careers.

The NAGC are a group who are working hard to push, help and encourage young people to achieve more than what others might think they are capable of. Instead of focusing on the negatives they are an organisation who understand that some times the reason why they aren't excelling is the lack of support, encouragement, correct environment and the fact that they aren't being challenged.

The NAGC understand the importance of a support network and that it's not just the child that has to play a part in order for them to achieve. They break situations down and understand the individual roles that the parents and the teachers have to play in the development of young people. The NAGC understand how different situations and environments affect the chances young people have to succeed and most importantly they know that when a child acts out in class it's not always because they are a trouble maker.

We need more organisations like the NAGC working with children within our schools as the children within the schools who are out future and have the power to change the world. It's so easy to deal with the misbehaving kids and forget about those and not give attention to those at the top of the class as just because a child is top of their class it doesn't mean they are reaching their full potential or being challenged it just means that they scored the highest on a couple of tests or assignments.

The Talented Young People organisation is very proud to support the NAGC and will do all we can to help them and promote them as we believe that this is an organisation that has the power to help mould the future of this country and is one that doesn't get enough credit for the work that they do.

If you are in school or a parent of a child in school I definitely recommend that you go to:

http://www.nagcbritain.org.uk

And see if they can help you.

Whilst you're at it why not join in our topic of the week, this week's topic is "What do you think we can do to help young people?"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=65

Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com/

Britain's Got Talent

Were you one of the ten million people who tuned in “Britain's Got Talent” last week? Were you entertained by the variety of talents on display? I know I was. I was jumping up and down in my chair to see new and different talents that haven't been given the chance to be showcased in a prime TV slot in front of millions for over a decade; finally the art of variety is back. Don't get me wrong I am a fan of programmes like "Any Dream Will Do" and "X-Factor" but this programme to me was a breath of fresh air as finally people had a chance to shine that haven't had that chance in any other show.

In recent years on TV we have been obsessed with having talent shows which are all about one style of act whether that be singing or acting and for years we have been obsessed with having to find someone that can go on and make millions of pounds. Finally in this show it wasn't about finding someone who they could make millions off ok the winner got £100,000 it was about finding somebody with a skill that the public enjoyed to watch. Many people have talents and skills that they know they aren't going to make money off of but it doesn't make that talent any less special or that they shouldn't be given the same platform to showcase it.

The programme also showed a true wide range of people unlike some talents shows and for once they were from a real cross section of our communities in the UK who made it on to the final shows. The programme wasn't just about their talent it was about where they came from and how they got their which is just as important as the talent that they showcase. It's their inspiring stories that can make a difference as much as their talents. They found some really extraordinary people and extraordinary stories which I hope encourage other people to fulfill their dreams and to try new things. Hopefully by watching the programme people thought, hang about it's not what about my talent actually it is it's about how good I am at it, how I present it and how much I love doing it. Whether it be tidily-winks or football a talents a talent regardless of what it's in and one talent is no more important or better than another. We need to appreciate everyone for their talents no matter how wild and wacky they are.

The only downside to this programme was that it was only people who had a talent that could be conveyed well on TV that could get on. There are millions of people around the world who have talents and skills but these can't be presented well on TV so they are still flying under the radar. So I think we need to find a way of getting people will skills that can't be conveyed in an entertaining way for TV some exposure.
It's like if you are the UK's top business man, UK's most intelligent,
UK best counsellor and so on. All of these are talents that people have to work hard for and deserve the same amount of respect and appreciation as the skills and talents that were showcased on the
programme.

I can't wait for the next series and I was so proud of the amount of diverse talents the youngsters of today have. I hope everyone that went on to the show has used it as a learning experience and will go on to even bigger and better things. Just want to say a big well done to everyone that entered and if you didn't enter why not enter next time. Work on a talent or find a new talent and fill out the application form. Even if you entered this time round by why not enter the next series now you have a step up on the competition with one series worth of experience under your belt you could be the next “Britain's got Talent” champion and perform in front of the Queen.


Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com/

The Apprentice

Tonight (13/07) sees the finale in the UK of the third series of the popular Apprentice series in which sixteen hopefuls have battled it out in what is called the job interview from hell to gain the six figure contract and the job of being Sir Alan Sugar's apprentice.

We are down to the final two, one being a Cambridge educated Internet entrepreneur Simon Ambrose and the other Pharmaceuticals Sale Manager Kristina Grimes. Both of who have given up their lives and careers in the hope that they would be the last one standing and achieve this life changing opportunity.

The show is designed to bring out the ruthless streak in all the contestants as they are put in to direct conflict with the others in order to save themselves and their own chance of winning in this game of survival. The contestants are picked for the show based on how entertaining they are going to be on TV as at the end of the day this is what it is an entertainment TV programme which needs to bring in ratings. There would be no show and nobody watching if everyone got on happily with each other.

Now say what you will about the show as I know it has its critics who do have very just and correct points about the show but in many ways I am all for it. If to work for Sir Alan Sugar or to work in international business is your dream then going on the show is a very achievable way of making it happen. Many of the contestants have sacrificed high paying jobs and great careers for the opportunity which shows their dedication. It's one thing going on a TV programme if you are in a job you hate or aren't currently in work but to give up something you have been working towards your whole life for this opportunity shows great strength of character to do.

Regardless of who wins or loses most of the candidates will have learnt invaluable skills through the programme and be more equipped to deal with stressful situations, teamwork and being able to go out of their comfort zone. Not many situations in their life will test them to the limits that the Apprentice has and sometimes in order to achieve great things we need to be tested to see how much we want something or how good we really are.

Going on this programme the contestants have sacrificed their own privacy with some candidates now being the subject of attention for many tabloids and magazines but for the contestants to be willing to do this in order to achieve their dreams shows great courage. For all of the contestants that have been eliminated now is the time for the real graft as they use the Apprentice experience and exposure to forge careers for themselves and that's what is so great about a programme like this as it can open up so many opportunities to people that they wouldn't have had if they hadn't gone on the show. Hopefully now the contestants can use the spark of being on the Apprentice and now use that power to go on and achieve even greater things.

To get you in the mood for the Apprentice final we have an interview with Apprentice series 2 star Jo Cameron about her time on the show and what the programme has done for her. So to find out her views and what she has been up to since the programme go to:

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.com/experts/index.php?page=article&id=29

Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com/

Camp America

This month will set a lot of young people from across the globe start of adventures of a life time. After a year of hard graft at college or university many people will now be gearing up for their gap year, for a backpacking trip across Europe or to work abroad in programmes like the Camp America programme which sends young skilled and adventurous people across to America to work at Children’s summer camps.

For many young people this will be a life changing experience as they survive away from their parents’ home or their student digs for the first time. They will get to learn about new cultures, meet new people, see new sights, have new experiences and learn more about themselves than they ever thought possible. They will be getting an education that you can’t learn in a classroom and getting memories that will keep with them for the rest of their life.

I myself went through Camp America and ended up working at a camp called Kenmont Kenwood Camps in Connecticut USA. This was the first time I had ever been away from home or away from my parents for more than a week; it was the first time that I had gone abroad by myself. I was put in a situation which tested my personal skills and encouraged me to learn more. I had to put myself out there and get to know and make friends with people I had never met before. I had to learn how the camp was run and learn how to be the best counsellor I could possibly be.

I was put in a situation of great responsibility and greeted with situations that nothing could prepare me for but at no time in my life have I learnt so much or developed so much in nine weeks. That experience gave me so much confidence and so much energy that I don’t think I could have got anywhere else. I came home a changed a man and a changed man for the better from my experiences and I came back with a book full of friends and contacts from all corners of the globe who I still keep in contact with to this day. No words can describe the magic, the feeling and the experience that is camp.

I am now an interviewer for Camp America and enjoy giving back and helping young people across the country secure the summer of their dreams. I would recommend to anybody that really wants to challenge themselves and to experience all this world has to offer to do a work or study abroad programme. Working at an American Summer Camp can turn the shyest person in to the loudest and most outgoing and can turn the most dependent person in to the most independent person.

If you want to have an experience that will change your life log on to http://www.campamerica.co.uk and find out more about arranging the summer of your life. The application season for this summer has now finished but you can start gearing up for summer 2008.

Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com/

Big Brother

Many people across the UK will be glued to their TV screens tonight (30.05.07) as we see the launch of yet another series of Big Brother. Everyone will be waiting to see if anybody they know has got in to the show as people are plucked from obscurity and thrust in to the limelight to spend time in a house in front of millions of TV viewers.

The argument with reality TV shows like Big Brother that I like to ask is this: Is the show more about the TV company using people to get good viewing ratings or about the contestants using the show to get famous? I think it is a bit of both which is a very dangerous mixture as it means you have people that are willing to do anything to get famous and a show that is willing to exploit that hunger for fame at any opportunity.

I personally commend anybody that goes on that show as you have to be very brave to give up your job, your friends, your family, your privacy and your life for the time that you are in the house. If you are willing to sacrifice all of this for fame then you are a truly motivated person. The problem comes when people think they are strong enough to deal with anything that comes their way as a result of the show get out of the house and back in to reality to find that they can’t cope with it. If you win the show or are able to get enough notoriety to be offered work after the show then you may see it as a sacrifice that was worth making but what happens to the people who don’t. For the ones that don’t it then becomes very hard for them to find work as everyone knows them as so and so off Big Brother and no run of the mill companies will employ them.

I think if you can go in the house and beat the producers at their own game by making a future for yourself out of it without becoming one of the top hated people in the country then you have achieved something great. The only problem is that now with producers trying anything to create controversy no matter what game plan you go in with its going to be very hard to achieve those things and not be a pawn in their game.

The show is really a test of who the strongest people and showing how strong you are. If you can survive being watched twenty four hours a day with people that have been put in the house with you deliberately to clash with you and with situations that have been created to cause controversy, without if affecting the way you behave and the way you act then you have a very strong character.

I think Channel 4 or the production company need to do more for the contestants in the way of support as well as counselling before and after the show as for the time they are on the show they are just used as pawns to create ratings and there is only so long you can do that for or only so hard you can push someone before one day something very terrible is going to happen on reality TV as they continue to play a dangerous game of “top this” with every series trying to do something more controversial than the next. There has to one day come a point where you can’t go any further.

Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com/

Cheating

Right about now up and down the country many school college and university students will be either sweating to get their essays and dissertations in by deadline or they will be sweating on the results of work they have already handed in which could have an impact on their future. The question many people have asked over the years is how many students have actually sweated and worked hard and how many have used unethical means, plagiarism or have brought essays from the Internet.

The Internet has been a great tool for education and the advancement of information. The Internet has impacted the way we learn on all levels from how information is presented and how it can be accessed. Gone are the days when if you were ill you had to have work sent home now you can go online and do your homework and coursework online with the aid of audio, videos and online tests.

On the contrasting side the internet making information more easily available has meant that young people up and down the country with little or no effort have been able to stumble across essays and extracts and have given in to the temptation of copying the information and passing it off as their own so they can go out with their mates or watch TV. With the level of cheating going on the teachers haven’t been able to cope and many students have been getting marks for work which was not theirs.

This week search engine Google have made a stance against this by banning adverts for essay writing services on their search engine which is a huge step in the battle to combat plagiarism and the using of other peoples work on the internet.

Young people may think that if they get away with it then it doesn’t cause a problem but the far reaching and long term effects is where the real danger lies. Unfortunately in life there are no short cuts and when you leave school when times get hard you have to be ready to graft to keep a roof over your head, to pay the bills and in time support a family. By letting young people get away with cheating we are not giving them the right building blocks that they need for their development.

The big problem with cheating is that if you cheat say on your University Dissertation and you then decide to get a job in the field of your study they will expect you to have the knowledge and the skills equivalent to your grade. With graduate jobs companies expect you to have that high level of knowledge and expertise as the job demands it and you will soon be found out if you don’t possess these. A good University grade may help you get a job but if you haven’t done all the work you needed to do to earn that grade you are not going to keep that job for long and a CV which has you moving jobs every month or so does not look good to future employers.

I understand that there is a lot of pressure put on young people today to succeed with this pressure only getting more intense but if you can show the strength to deal with this and not be swayed in to cheating it will set you up for life. If you are struggling ask for help it takes a great inner strength to admit your own failings and you will only feel stronger because of the experience. Just remember that nothing is impossible or to hard to overcome you just have to put yur mind to it and have the dedication to see it through.

Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com/

Eurovision Song Contest

Did you join the ten million people in the UK who watched the yearly phenomenon that is the Eurovision Song contest? Again the competition was filled with unusual costumes, routines and presenting but most importantly an array of talented young people. All of this was of course coupled with a vote which was based more on geography, history and politics than the talent they actually saw on screen.

In a fair and just world it would be the most talented act that would win every time but the voting you see on the programme represents the state of the world, where it's not always the best people that win or get the best rewards. The world would be a great and easy place if it was always the most talented and deserving people that finished first all the time but that doesn't mean that talent and belief can't get you to where you need to be in the world.

No matter how fair or unfair the world is no one will ever know if they are the most talented person in their field or industry. The pop act that are number one in the charts are the act that have sold the most singles or downloads that week. The world’s fastest sprinter is only the world’s fastest sprinter because someone was there with a stop watch and recorded it he didn’t beat everyone in his division in a race. To add to this you have to think about the people who haven't got recording contracts or haven't competed in an athletic event as there are many people with amazing talents who either don't get the breaks at the right time or pursued their talent. Then there are the people who have talents that they don't know about.

After reading that you may be feeling a bit of doom and gloom but to be armed with this information is a positive thing as by knowing these facts you should start pushing harder not just to be better than the people you are in competition with but to have your own personal competition to keep bettering yourself and to not stop. You should always be looking for new challenges and not stay in the box in which you or your industry has been defined.

Going back to the Eurovision there has been a lot of press this week saying that countries should pull out of the competition because it is deemed not winnable. Now yes granted the competition isn't based on talent but it doesn't mean we should pull out of it. I think instead we should enter talented young acts that need experience of working in front of a crowd or being on TV. UK's entry Scooch may have come back home with an appalling point score but they have gained the experience of performing at the competition, been seen by millions around the world, are now featured on a Eurovision CD and DVD and have had major press attention in the UK. Before the Eurovision it may have been Scooch who but they now have a platform to do even greater things from.

Even if you think you have no chance of winning a competition or you think that the competition is not winnable you shouldn't not enter. The entering of the competition and the experience of competing is what we gain from it. A lot of the time we learn more from losing than winning. If you feel like you can't win then start competing with yourself and pushing yourself to give the best performance you can and to learn as much from the experience as possible.

Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com/

Known Talent

Following hot off the heels of the “Unknown Talent” series of blogs this week we have decided to turn our attention to talented young people who are already gaining wide attention for their achievements.

This week one of the top youngsters bagging all the headlines in the UK has to be Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo. Say what you want about some of his actions and behaviour on and off the pitch but last weekend this precocious twenty two year old showed what a talented young person can do if given the chance as he played an important part in their win over Manchester City which proved to be the decisive victory as his side Manchester United clinched the Premier League title.

When talented young people are thrust in to the limelight because of their extraordinary skills they quickly find themselves under a lot of pressure with legions of fans and legions of people that take a dislike to them. On top of this they are immediately cast as role models for the youth of today. Some young people can deal with this and have the maturity and character to handle all the aspects that go along with the life they have been given because of their skills but some young people only have their skills and don’t have the ability to deal with the other aspects.

If the talent or dream you want to pursue is going to see you thrust in to the limelight you have to not only worry about your skills being up to scratch you have to make sure you are ready to deal with life in the limelight. I know the limelight is something which is really hard to prepare for because until you have lived that life you can never fully appreciate what you are getting yourself in for. Their have been many talented people who have had the talent to compete and perform at the highest levels but haven’t had the personal skills to deal with the pressure or the lifestyle so if you have an amazing talent make sure you are ready not to throw it away.

Now going back to the issue of young people being role models. Many young people find it hard to be role models as whilst they are asking to be role models they are still developing and exploring their own character and their lifestyle so I think it is very hard to ask every talented young person to be a positive role model but we as a world need as many as we can get. I’m not saying don’t look up to other talented young people or not to be inspired or to have heroes but remember just because you appreciate the talent they have it doesn’t mean you have to live the lifestyle or act just like them. Use their abilities to inspire you, to learn from and to drive you but remember when you make it, it’s going to be your job to inspire the youth of today and tomorrow.

Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com/

Unknown Talent 2

Now last week in the blog I talked about young talented people who have already achieved great things or have unbelievable talents but haven’t been noticed or got the attention that they deserved. This blog I want to talk about the talents that people have which are unknown to even themselves.

As no one person on this earth has enough time to try everything there is in the world many people live their lives without knowing what hidden talents they possess and I’m not talking about superhuman hidden powers like the X-Men or Spiderman. This is why I really feel strongly about young people challenging themselves and trying their hands at as many different things as possible.

When I was young the school I went to were always arranging trips to go and do things like bowling, ice skating, skiing and a whole manner of things which I wouldn’t have probably done if it hadn’t been for school arranging the trips. When we went on these trips most of the time no one in the group had done the activity before but there was always one that picked it up first or was better than everyone else.

It would then annoy me when the said person who was good didn’t then pursue the activity or try a few more times to see if it was for them. I always remember thinking to myself I wish I could bowl a strike like him or I wish I could skate like her. Some youngsters would love for things like that to come naturally to them but to see people who could actually do it not caring really use to get me wound up.

So my message to everyone reading is try as many things you can and if you find yourself doing well at something to begin with then investigate pursuing it. Even if you are not sure it is always great to have another talent or skill under your hat. If you don’t find something coming naturally but you like the activity don’t panic the people that can pick things up naturally are in the minority and you can be just as good or even better than you peers with a bit of practise and a lot of determination.

Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com/