Don't put a label on us (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Don't put a label on us

Yobs in hoodies terrorising their communities is how many would describe the youths hanging around street corners in Swindon.

But should all children be tarred with the same brush? In the first of a week-long series, Lyndsay Scanlan talks to young people about what it's like being a teenager in the town.

YOBS, thugs, ASBO and hoodies are words many people associate with teenagers today.

But are they really that bad, or is it just easier to assume they are up to no good?

In the last few days police announced a crackdown on gangs of youths congregating in Liden village centre, intimidating passers-by and shoppers.

The Advertiser has been talking to teenagers to find out what it's really like growing up in the town.

And most of the teenagers we spoke to say they are "tired of being put into a box and labelled" by people who have never actually stopped to speak to them.

Lauren Peters, 16, of Peatmoor, is about to start studying A-Levels at New College.

She said: "There isn't anything in Swindon for teenagers to do. I hang around Asda with a big group of friends. There's loads of us and sometimes we go down to the Asda pond and sit around there.

"We don't do anything that is organised by the council. I don't even know what the council organises, if anything.

"I don't think they would know what teenagers want to do so the activities probably wouldn't be great and would be childish.

"I know people feel intimidated when they see all of us hanging around and sometimes some kids do cause trouble but that's because we haven't got anything to do so the boredom leads to messing about, which can lead to people getting into trouble.

"I don't think Swindon is a very good town for people to grow up in. Teenagers get quite a bad deal and everyone basically thinks they want to get into trouble.

"Even if we are just hanging around outside the shopping centre the security guards come out and tell us we have to move.

"It gets really annoying because we're not doing anything wrong and where else do they want us to go.

"When kids start taking drugs, stealing or getting pregnant it's got a lot to do with them not having anything to do or anywhere to go."

Other teens we spoke to were aware that organised activities exist but said they didn't know how to find out about them.

Matt Kelly, 15, of Grange Park, is a pupil at Greendown School.

He said: "There is stuff for teenagers to do but it's knowing about what there is that's the problem.

"The Link Centre is a good place for teenagers because there's quite a lot going on there but everything costs money and we don't have a lot of spare cash."

It is frustrating for many teenagers when the minority who cause trouble give the majority of well-behaved youngsters a bad reputation.

Matt said: "It makes me really, really angry when people assume all teenagers are the same.

"Some do go out looking for trouble and intimidate people on the street but that is no way a fair representation of all the teenagers in Swindon.

"Me and my friends never get into any trouble, we just want to be able to be in Swindon without people casting an opinion on us before they even know us."

Lewis Fagenche, 15, of Grange Park, a pupil at Greendown School, said: "I think people are too quick to label teenagers.

"They put us all into the same box and assume we're looking for trouble.

"That's the minority rather than the majority though and I wish people would look past what teenagers wear or where they are hanging around and understand we are not all out to find trouble."

Others have firsthand experience of people wrongly assuming all teenagers are troublemakers.

Levi Triggs, 15, of Middleleaze, a pupil at Greendown School, said: "It annoys me when people think teenagers are going to do something to them," he said.

"A while ago I was walking down the street, going to play basketball with some friends and this couple crossed the road to walk on the other side just so they didn't have to walk past us.

"I don't know what they thought we were going to do to them.

"People are scared of groups of teenagers but most of them aren't going to do anything bad."

'There's nothing for us to do that doesn't cost'

ACCORDING to Swindon Council teenagers in Swindon are spoiled for choice when it comes to activities.

They can play sport, go ice-skating or even make their own films.

So why have so many teens told the Advertiser that they think Swindon is boring and they have nothing better to do than hang around in groups? Krysia Browne, 15, of Walcot, a pupil at Churchfields School, said: "There isn't anything for us to do, even though the council say there is. All we ever do is just hang around and it's really boring.

"I think Swindon is a boring place for teenagers, there's nothing for us to do.

"A lot of people think teenagers just waste their time doing nothing but we do that because there isn't anything better for us to do.

"For little kids it's okay and if you are old enough to drink then you can go to clubs and pubs but there's nothing for people in the middle."

Sian Thomas, 15, of Toothill, a pupil at Greendown Community School, said: "What is here for teenagers in Swindon that doesn't cost money? Not much is there?

""Most things worth doing cost money, like bowling and the cinema so we can only do those occasionally.

"Most of the time, like in the holidays, we have nothing to do so we hang around the streets. The main thing we do is go round friends' houses or walk around town.

Natasha Porteous, 15, of Toothill, a pupil at Greendown Community School. said: "The most exciting thing we can do in the school holidays is to get a day rider ticket on the bus for £1.60 and see where we end up.

"The other day we ended up at Park North and just wandered round there all day, basically looking for something to do.

"In Swindon most teenagers are really bored and that is why they end up spraying graffiti all over the place and trashing parks."

Aaron Montgomery, 15, of Park South, a pupil at Dorcan Community College, said: "Basically we 'shop doss'. We come down to the shops, kick a ball around and hang around. Some people think that means we are getting into trouble."

Laura Rodden, 16, of Sparcells, will start A-levels at New College next month. She said: "I like hanging around in a big group and just sitting around talking and stuff. The problem in Swindon is that there are two main groups of teenagers the goths and the townies and that causes quite a lot of problems.

"We have to avoid each other and go to different places because in the past it has ended up with the two groups fighting. That's why we try to stay up by Asda and the Link Centre rather than going into town, where we know they'll be."

Neil Robinson, 17, from Gorse Hill, an A-level student at New College, said: "I think there's a lot on offer in Swindon but the problem is it's not very well advertised.

"It seems in Swindon kids have to find out for themselves what is on offer and that means a lot don't bother and are missing out.

"I found out about Cre8 Studios myself and it was excellent. I got the chance to make a film, which you don't usually get to do. I think if more teenagers knew about these sorts of activities then less of them would get into trouble because they wouldn't have any time to waste."

To ban or not to ban hoodies?

EARLIER this year the West Swindon Shopping Centre banned hoodies from entering its doors.

Manager Julian Leggett, said that they make offences such as shoplifting easier for the criminal fraternity and that the ban would stop shoppers feeling intimidated.

But do teenagers really wear them to deliberately look menacing or are they just fashionable?

Jordan Willis, 16, of Middleleaze, cannot understand why hoodies have caused so much controversy.

"Most kids wear hoodies now and if you walk around you will see that," said the apprentice electrician, pictured above. "I don't think teenagers wear them to hide their faces so that they can frighten people. It is just what teenagers wear now and I can't see the harm in that."

A 16-year-old, from Middleleaze, who did not want to be named, was convicted of carrying a dangerous weapon earlier this year.

But he says his conviction had nothing to do with him wearing a hoodie.

"Every one of my tops is a hoodie but I don't wear it because I want to hide my face and scare people.

"I wear them because that's fashion for teenagers."

"People blame hoodies all the time now for what teenagers get up to and it's not right.

"What happened with me would have happened if I was wearing a hoodie on or not."

Lyndsay Scanlan