Abstract
Whenever this amorphous, difficult, feared, celebrated and fascinating group collectively referred to as "young people" are discussed, as they so often are, who exactly is it that is being spoken of or for? Those who fall between the ages of twelve and twenty? Thirteen to thirty-year-olds? Or do we include those who feel and act young regardless of their chronological age? And when we confer about young people in relation to the future, how do we discuss them and what particular future are we referring to? Individual futures, social futures or global futures? And finally, what is the relationship of those that aren't considered "youthful" or as "young people" to those that are? How do they contribute to a vision of young people and a future - if at all? Is the relationship between young people and older people a comfortable one with open lines of communication and understanding? Is it complex, diverse, tense and demanding? Or is it all these things combined? This paper seeks to probe these questions in light of the conference theme: framing vision, challenging futures, by focussing on young people and the complexities of their relationships to each other, adult culture, including popular culture, the media, educational institutions and religion. This paper does not pretend to answer the problems it either raises or acknowledges - but it will address them and in doing so perhaps challenge current visions of young people and the frames that are structured around them to either protect, limit or inspire. It will also aspire to mapping a future direction for all of us - the various educators that play a role in shaping young people's futures.