A COLOURFUL magazine, aimed at giving the young people of Lowestoft a chance to air their views, will be dropping through letterboxes in the area very shortly.

A COLOURFUL magazine, aimed at giving the young people of Lowestoft a chance to air their views, will be dropping through letterboxes in the area very shortly.

Independent youth group Lowestoft Youth Action has printed 5,000 copies of their new magazine, which they hope will provide a voice for the young people of Lowestoft.

The aim of the new free quarterly magazine is to help young people from schools, youth groups and organisations get their voices heard in the community and attempt to tackle the barriers between young and old.

Lowestoft Youth Action, a youth club based at St John's Road, has long been trying to break down the negative stereotypes surrounding young people by showing them in the a positive light. Amongst their numerous approaches to present young people's ideas and opinions have been regular appearances in The Journal.

The first issue of their new magazine is entitled Bullying: Students Vs Teachers. It features a short debate between students and teachers from schools around the local area, to help illustrate the differences in opinions between the two groups.

The following is a short excerpt from the magazine:

Student: Even if we tell you and remain nameless. Sooner or later we will be found out and either bullied for some time or end up seriously hurt. You need to operate a zero tolerance. Once you have the people involved, find out who the victim is and expel the bullies, have a system where if a bully is expelled from one school in the area he is not allowed into any other.

Teacher: On average I have to speak to someone on a daily basis about bullying, it is usually minor incidents although maybe once a term I have to deal with something more serious where a fixed expulsion is given. We have not had to permanently expel anyone for bullying for about three years. But obviously the students do not agree that our anti bulling policy works because although I'm not saying we are tolerant of bullying, you adopt a much more black and white attitude to it and have zero tolerance, you aren't interested that we have gone from three incidents a day to maybe one, as far as you see it, it happens and shouldn't.

Often it will appear like nothing is going on when in fact a lot is, the students and even the parents expect an immediate response that they can't always get, we need to determine who the bully is and who is the victim.

The magazine, which is available in local schools and surgeries while also being posted through some letterboxes, also includes information about the club and a number of other youth groups, including Lowestoft Sea Cadets, The Yard Project and Nuflow.

If you would like a copy of the magazine email lculley@lowestoftyouthaction.co.uk