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Living in Toronto, Canada, it is clear that money has divided our communities. We do not see the well-off mingle with the people who struggle to make a decent living. Some aren't aware of the harsh conditions that people are in at this moment.
In order to create a more prosperous and safe society that everyone will benefit from, teamwork is required to solve the problems of the slum dwelling communities.
Many youth grow up idolizing musicians, athletes and actors, attempting to mimic their lifestyle. They are not able to understand that there is one big difference between the common youth and the people they idolize; money. The stars that play an influential role have a large sum of money available to them allowing them to buy nice cars, big houses, and jewelry and live a glamorous night life. When a young person who is struggling to make enough money has an ambition to become just like the people they see in the media, problems occur. Resorting to violence, drugs and sex work is not just a problem that they face; it may be the only option that is available in the eyes of many youth today.
Violence, drugs and prostitution all serve their own purpose in how teens deal with the problem of living in poor circumstances and not having any opportunities to better their lives. Violence is an outlet for many people to vent the anger that they are feeling. With the tension of not having enough to make a decent living looming, anyone is susceptible to a short fuse.
The growing number of weapons that have entered communities around the world has made violence a way to not only physically hurt someone, but as a tool for intimidation to get what people desire. A gun or a knife has given people the ability to attack, rob or assault others and their property for an easy buck.
Ever since illegal drugs were introduced into the streets, they have been a fast source of income. To those who cannot support themselves with a normal job, drugs, whether it is selling or using, may be the only option to get through another day. Selling and using drugs only worsens the problem of slum dwellers. Drugs are not a solution, but only serve as another setback for communities who are trying to get themselves out of the slum dwelling category.
Prostitution is also a source of income, especially for females. The drug world, which at times is seen as a male dominant operation, is dangerous and can lead to violent situations, prostitution is no different. Selling your body can put anyone into peculiar situations where you may be subjected to diseases and violent situations. Still, many young females choose prostitution because they need the money to survive. Surviving can mean paying rent and putting food on the table, but surviving can also mean buying drugs to feed an addiction.
Violence, drugs and sex work are intertwined and play into each other. All three problems can stand alone but together they are larger and extremely hard to get rid of. These problems are all effects of slum dwelling communities that are continually struggling together to create a better life style.
Making a change is tough and requires a structured plan. Making a change to older people who are struggling is even tougher. In order to make a permanent change, the focus needs to be put on the young kids. Every community has parks and courts but almost every park and court has graffiti and litter. In most cases there is a dominant group that has already established the given area as "their own."
Living in Toronto, Canada also means that parks and courts outside are only accessible during warm temperatures and during the day. That leaves many young kids without a recreational place to spend their time. They are now outside or at home without a structured activity for them to participate in. Include the fact that the area they are living in may not be the safest and well-off, kids may become exposed to someone else’s lifestyle, and then incorporate it to their own. This can lead to the problems that were mentioned above.
Instead of focusing on the problem I feel that we should focus on the solution. What are required are structured recreational centres that focus on creating a positive ambition for young kids to reach. Every kid growing up has a passion to be the next Michael Jordon, Luis Figo, Wayne Gretzky or Roger Clemens. Most kids living in a household where money is scarce are not allowed to pursue these dreams because joining leagues are only available to families with money.
The government and generous donations from companies and people can create a large number of recreation centres all over Canada that can target families who don’t have the luxury of extra money to allow their child to participate in leagues a chance to do just that.
We can remove the kids from the streets and place them into structured activities that create team work and excellent work ethics. Kids will be allowed to play a sport they love, or participate in activities they enjoy, mastering their skills and keeping them away from the violent streets that can easily affect them.
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David Tran
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