Activities:

The optimal use of this programme, and whether viewed in entirety or parts, will depend on the context in individual schools and colleges, work undertaken previously in the area, class size, ability levels and time constraints.

A. View the programme, or part of the programme. Ask students to choose the character who made the greatest impact on them. Put name/s on the board. Take each character in turn. How many chose each one?

a) Does any pattern emerge? Was anyone not mentioned?
b) Why had members of the class made their choices?
c) What did they think about the behaviour and decisions the person made?
d) What did they feel about it?
e) What advice or help would they offer the person?
f) If the people in the programme need specific help, how would they get this?
g) What did they think about the statistics quoted from the survey?

OR

B. Divide the class into small groups. Give each group one of the characters, or a set of characters, to track. Tell them you want them to be able to identify the issues facing the character/s. Ask groups to:

a) summarise what they know about the character/s from the programme
b) identify the pressures they face
c) identify who or what is causing the pressure
d) describe how the individual/s deal with them
e) say what they think about the individual/s, what they do and how they personally feel about this
f) discuss the use of statistics around the story they’ve been tracking

Discuss each group’s reactions with the rest of the class. Note areas of agreement and disagreement. Is it possible to reach some degree of consensus? If not, why? What might be a way ahead?

OR

C. Alcohol, aggression, ambition, asylum seekers, body image, career aspirations, carrying weapons, drugs, education, fame, mental pressures, money, parental problems, race, sexual relationships and orientation, smoking. Identify the issues for the individuals in the programme discussing similarities and differences. Use the questions in A and B above to help. Ask students to reflect on what these issues mean for them personally.