Social media is a weird and wonderful thing. Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and many other sites are great ways for people to stay in contact and make new friends but can also have a darker side.
Cyber bullying, promotion of self harm/eating disorders and violent imagery are all things we have wide access to daily due to the websites and apps we use.
Recently however another issue has cropped up causing unnecessary strain on the young people of today. 2014 has seen the rise of the “Relationship Goals” hashtag and Twitter/Tumblr topics, featuring images mainly of couples performing basic acts of compassion, yet being romanticised. However the hashtag highlights the obsession young people have today with relationships and sex. To be single is somehow portrayed as a negative and teenagers as young as 13, the youngest age for Facebook, are exposed to the idea that if you are single you are somehow of less worth than somebody with a boyfriend or girlfriend. This could have a potentially damaging effect on the self esteem and confidence of young people today, being single should not be portrayed as something unfortunate. Sites such as Tumblr, a photo and reblogging site also seems to be relationship-centric with the majority of blogs featuring imagery of couples lying in bed, holding hands and kissing. Where are the images of the independent successful individuals with “Life and Career Goals” rather than focussing all their attention onto another person? Exposure to this way of thinking at such a young age can cause young people to shift their attention from the things that really matter at this point in their life such as school, family and friends to focussing on the search for a partner, without really being emotionally mature enough to handle the strains a relationship can bring.
Its not just young teenagers however, older teenagers and young people can feel pressured that they aren’t good enough if they are single and this can cause feelings of low self esteem and depression.
“I feel like it’s a status thing, it automatically makes me feel insecure.” a female student at Bournemouth University explains, “Within minutes of meeting them, girls at uni feel the need to tell you they have a boyfriend.”
This isn’t a new thing and young people have always been obsessed with gossiping about boys, girls, relationships and the like. However with more and more advancements in social networking, and more young people online than ever before, the pressure on young people to get into relationships simply to keep up or feel included is worse than ever.
Sometimes those most in need can slip through the cracks of our fast-paced society.
Thankfully, some caring individuals out there are still there to offer a helping hand. One such inspiration is Karrie Marshall, who founded Creativity in Care™ (www.creativityincare.org), a community interest company which uses puppetry and arts to give a voice to those who may not be heard otherwise. Dementia sufferers, people with experiences of mental health and family carers are just some of the people who this wonderful programme can make a real difference to.
Inspired to improve quality of life, inclusion and joy in care, as well as community settings, Karrie hopes the risk of isolation and frustration is reduced through creative expression, with or without spoken word. “My work is about making connections,” explains Karrie. “The diagnosis, disease or disability plays a part in how those connections are made, but care is always about the person, the relationship and the connection.”
Karrie has been working with puppetry in dementia care for ten years and arts in mental health for even longer. She delivers the fantastic workshops alongside Chris King, who with a background in performance and arts in-in-education specialises in puppetry. With support from Scotland Unltd and Firstport grants for social entrepreneurs 'Creativity in Care' was founded in 2012. Through the two day courses and sessions offered the people involved feel more relaxed and connected with each other, rather than feeling the strains of anxiety, depression and isolated feelings. For many the opportunity to express oneself through creativity is a relief due to the constant demands and frustrations that many disabilities and diseases can bring about.
The partakers such as people living with a diagnosis and their carers become co-creators and performers together, and the programme enables all to work towards a shared goal, such as a booklet or performance. The appeal of puppetry is the innocence it inspired in us all as children, and the return of that joyful innocence is sure to be effective in the role of expressive arts and creativity. “Meaningful connection is possible through creativity, even whilst so many people feel dementia is 'the end',” Karrie promises. And what does she feel is behind the success of the project? “Working from the heart - plus perseverance, creative energy and a belief in achieving.”
Their plans for the future are to increase their reach into community and care settings, in ways that empower people to continue the work themselves, through learning programmes, toolkits and service contracts. “Care homes have huge potential to be part of the community and to become homes where people truly find themselves in the best possible way!” says Karrie. With people living longer and dementia steadily on the increase it feels imperative that we take a step back to ensure that the people living in care and living with dementia get the best possible chance at a happy, healthy and good quality of life.
Think London; think transport, think the Tube.
Spidering beneath the bustling city the iconic railway lines can escort you almost anywhere in and around the capital. Relishing its convenience, the Underground has been a big hit within the Big Smoke with tourists and locals alike, since opening its first train doors in 1863. Unbeknownst to many, some routes were built above burial pits stretching back from 1665 when London was ravaged by the tragic outbreak of the Black Death. So this leaves us with one question: are you really alone when you travel on the underground?
Numerous reports of ghostly sightings and 'ghastly goings on' have been documented, some more renowned than others. Several tube stations were used as air-raid shelters during the Second World War and tragically, in early March 1943, 173 people were killed in a crush while scrambling to enter the Bethnal Green shelter. Wailing women and children have since been heard on late at night by the public and station staff... eek!
Passengers travelling north on the Bakerloo Line have also been reporting of a ghostly reflection within the carriage window... despite the apparent lack of any living travel companion. 'White overalls man' is another ghastly ghoul who notoriously haunts the Underground. Spotted on CCTV by Liverpool Street station staff, the spectre was glimpsed late at night waiting for a train, but when investigated by a line worker no-one was to be found... he had mysteriously vanished. Upon returning to his colleague, he was informed the overall-ed man was stood beside him the whole time. Spooky. Covent Garden tube station also boasts a slight chill in the air! Famously the station is home to Adelphi Theatre as well as the ghost of William Terris who was said to have been killed here by a fellow deranged actor Richard Archer Prince.
Ghost spotting isn't limited to the Tube... why not discover what else goes bump in the night? Spooks and scares in London are plentiful; it is said to be the world's most haunted city. Unsurprising really with the Tower of London's history and of course, the London Dungeons which is now a world famous tourist attraction. Tiptoe along the dungeons' dark alleyways to uncover the truth about Jack the Ripper and Sweeny Todd, two culprits of terror from London’s murkier past.
So, wherever your destination, keep an eye out when you next brave the Tube alone. Is that a fellow passenger you’re accompanied by... or something otherworldly?
