Youth Month was commemorated with thoughtful reflection at SANCA Wedge Gardens treatment centre, where clients were invited to pause, look back – and look ahead.
Caryn Berman, the centre’s occupational therapist, led the session and noted that only a handful of participants were even born in 1976, the year of the Soweto Uprising that Youth Day honours. “It was interesting to hear why the younger generation thought it important to have a Youth Day,” she said. “But first, a quick history lesson was necessary – very few of the men knew what the day commemorates.”
Once up to speed on the historical context, each participant was asked to write down a message of advice to their younger selves. The responses, now pinned to the centre’s noticeboard in bright colours, paint a picture of regret, growth and hard-won wisdom.
Some of the advice offered was heartfelt and deeply personal:
‘Don’t do drugs!’, ‘Be committed to sport and education’, and ‘Respect yourself’. Others encouraged discipline, open-mindedness and self-love. A few cautioned against bottling up emotions: ‘State out disagreements – don’t keep them in’.
Next came the flip side of the exercise: What can we learn from today’s youth?
Here, the answers were varied and sometimes surprising. Participants admired the younger generation’s confidence, their embrace of technology and their ability to break away from mainstream thinking. Many highlighted their innovative and dynamic qualities, as well as their resilience.
Still, not everyone was convinced that the youth of today have much to teach. One response simply read: ‘Nothing’.
Others were more philosophical, offering a blend of admiration and caution. ‘We must learn respect’, one wrote, echoing a common concern that traditional values are being lost in the digital age.
The activity created a powerful opportunity for self-reflection and generational connection. “The charts now serve as a visual reminder of how important it is to learn from both our past and present,” says Caryn.
