Helping Kids Mature

Kidlink trains kids and youth in the art of growing up, and living,
 - without imposing adult views, religious or political
 points of view on them.

The process starts by letting groups of kids discuss basic
 questions about life. Then, we guide them to knowledge
 about themselves, their place, rights, friends, families,
 and roots.

1. What causes disputes among people? Are misunderstandings more likely to lead to trouble?
2. What if the friends you hang out with want to do something you don't? What do you choose - go with your friends or do "things" your own way?
3. Which side do you choose if there is a conflict between your friends and your family? Why do you choose like this?
4. How do you resolve disputes? Do you try to avoid people you disagree with? Do you find that listening carefully for what the other person really wants and needs can help?

When the group has reached some kind of consensus, they share conclusions and views with peers through the Internet. So that they can receive questions and feedback from peers. Each of these connections is essentially more human than technical, linking kids together more than their machines, and can lead anywhere.

When confronted with an audience of prospective friends in other places, the kids want to write and read. To explain and defend ideas on how to resolve disputes, to present themselves, and more. They demand information and knowledge to realize their personal goals.

Important side-effects

This process creates interesting opportunities for teachers. Who-Am-I? helps them to enhance classroom instruction within their curriculum, it be writing, research, social studies, history, geography, foreign languages, economics, mathematics, science, the arts, current awareness, personal development, Internet networking, or information and communications technology skills. It gives otherwise "boring" classroom tasks meaning for students.

Also, the process  tends to increase cooperation, make classroom relationships more positive (which may lead to decreased violence), and make students more focused.

To a community, Who-Am-I? is a means to increase its children's knowledge and appreciation of the area in which they live, their people, language, culture, values, the way the society works, and history. Also, it is a means to communicate such knowledge to outsiders using local students and individual kids as agents.

Their children will be asked to collect, document, and publish elements of their community's culture and beliefs that may be about to get lost. This includes indigenous knowledge. Future participants in Who-Am-I? will use these publications as learning material. When published in their local language, it helps protect their language from external pressure, often supported by low-cost grassroots efforts.

To parents, grandparents, and families, Who-Am-I? is a means for closer cooperation with their kids on something important to them, and to coach them to important knowledge and experiences in the process. It is also about developing crucial skills, and passing them on.

To educational authorities, it is a means to help teachers enhance their curriculums, promote collaboration and sharing of educational experiences between teachers, and on-the-job training in the use of Internet in classrooms.

There are also interesting opportunities for libraries, museums, hospitals, staff working on preventive mental health, youth clubs, Internet cafés, refugee camps, anti-racism activists, NGOs working with street kids, etc.