Agenda item

5.1

Tashinga Matewe (City Motives UK & Nhaka Yedu) gave a presentation on empowering younger people in the City to the Local Area Committee and members of the public in attendance.

5.2

Tashinga Matewe informed attendees that she was a Youth activist, Youth Mentor, Basketball Coach and Poet.

5.3

Tashinga Matewe read one of her poems. It was as follows: -

Generation Z

Generation you, generation me, generation us generation we are so much more than just a generational label,

We are here to enable those who are unable to be free,

Those who have dreams just like you and me

But are silenced by the loud sirens of society, unrightfully.

And it hard, when they look at us and say that our futures are bleak and scarred because we do not fit into

the mould that they themselves are.

But we’re unique, the true stars,

We are a new start, a new art

We may be 40% of the present but we’re 100% of the future

No, Not just a new generation but a new revolution, the solution of the pollution that has suffocated humanity

A remedy for the harsh degree of misery that has plagued our very own nations

A cure for the infestation of hate, rage and a series of imprecations.

But don’t be mistaken,

We’re more than just “the youths”

We’re more than just the under 25s

The adolescents tryna thrive

Hoping to stay civilised as we navigate our daily lives

Nah

We are the missing element to pave the way to true development

The generation to generate Change

The generation to penetrate minds and

Break ties

With the negativity and inequalities that ends lives

See it’s our fight 

Our journey, our legacy, our pride 

and no we’re not too young to make a change 

Because we’re not too young to feel the pain 

And we’re not too young to be named blame 

Of a broken system with a virus that Riggs the game 

Gender inequalities, racial abuse, hate crime to my LGBTQs plus

All the things that are in the news

Like poverty and climate change

And we’re filled with rage

At the wars that are fought in vain

Our Society is in pain

But that’s not what we stand by, that’s not our behaviour

Because Generation z, we are the saviours

So whatever you’re passionate about I want you to shout about with brave and bold conviction 

Because your voice is powerful and that’s fact not a matter of opinion 

Don’t believe them when they say that you aren’t right 

Just believe me when I look into your eyes 

And I tell you that you’ve got this 

I’ve got this, we’ve this 

We’re gonna save the day and pave the way to the rest of our lives

Rescuing multiple lives and saving the future of humanity

because this is the golden generation

Generation Z

Generation you, generation me, generation us 

generation we will make a change

5.4

Tashinga Matewe explained that she had been involved in youth work for since she was 17 years old, she was now 22 years of age. Since then, she has carried out many roles such as being a youth ambassador for South Yorkshire Police as part of a inspiring youth project. She mentioned that she saw a divide from the youth and people who had resources to help younger people make a change.

5.5

Tashinga Matewe mentioned that she had lost three friends due to knife crime, gun crime and suicide. She felt after these terrible events there was not much support for younger people and those effected. She also stated that more activities and opportunities needed to be provided to younger people in the city to help prevent these events from happening. This was why City Motives and Nhaka Yedu was created.

5.6

Tashinga Matewe described some of the events that City Motives had put on for younger people in the city. She mentioned how these events gave younger people to platform to be creative and place to feel safe.

5.7

It was stated that a key issue that needed to be improved was fixing the dialogue between younger people and the older generation. She also stated that council meetings could be advertised more as she believed that younger people was not engaging as much as they did not know that these meetings took place. She added that people in the city stereotyped younger people and blamed them for issues such as anti-social behaviour and that was unfair and needed to stop.

5.8

Tashinga Matewe shared a slide that showed artists and athletes who were from Sheffield and Zimbabwe.

5.9

Councillor Maleiki Haybe thanked Tashinga for her attendance and representing thousands of people in Sheffield. He asked that when members of the public were in the workshop session, to think of what Tashinga had shared with them and how they can help all the younger people who Tashinga had represented at the meeting.