Page 10 - Luce 2016

N ews a nd Events

Meeting the
Muppets in year old on the cusp of least until the mid-20s. Neuroscience
New York adolescence traverses their has also influenced our knowledge
adolescence over the next that brain maturation is more than
15 years of the Sustainable simply intellectual growth, but is
Development Goals will be highly influential of people’s thoughts,
the arbiter of their success. emotions and mental well-being. While
Reading for the first time adolescence is a social construct,
the four commentaries it is the biological aspects of brain
that accompanied the development during these years that
Commission was one of signals the orientation of young people
the absolute highlights of away from their family towards the social
the three year journey. environment of peers. ‘Peer ‘pressure’
isn’t primarily about young people being
So, how has The Lancet pressured to behave in a particular way,
Commission been but rather it is about young people’s
received? internally driven need to feel that they
socially fit in. The Lancet described
Remarkably well. We held how it is in this way that social
a series of launch events environments matter for health. Thus,
across a six week period the social environment created within a
from May 2016 that I college makes certain student behaviours
Your Lancet Commission also has a dubbed the ‘world tour’. There was an (eg binge drinking, tobacco and other
glowing introductory commentary academic launch at University College drug use, extreme dieting) more
from none other than Ban Ki-moon, London, events at the ‘Women Deliver’ acceptable or less acceptable – with
the Secretary-General of the United conference, a triennial meeting on global major implications for health. I am
Nations! How did that happen? health in Copenhagen, at the World impressed that the quality of the social
Health Assembly in Geneva, at a World environment that gets re-created each
Lancet Commission reports are usually Bank and USAID sponsored event in year at JCH is one that positively shapes
accompanied by commentaries. We Washington DC, and finally at the Bill & health and wellbeing.
were delighted to have support from Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle.
Melinda Gates who wrote an excellent Notwithstanding the legal benefits
commentary about the importance of At the World Health Assembly, we of turning 18, no single age denotes
multisector investments in support of were particularly thrilled to hear that full adult capabilities. Within the
a comprehensive adolescent health Dr Margaret Chan, Director General of Commission, we described that,
strategy. This recognised that while the World Health Organisation, in her regardless of whether they are 16,
investing in women and girls was briefing to countries, talked at length 18 or 22, young people need to be
important, a strategy that solely focused about the new ‘Global Strategy for both empowered and protected, with
on sexual and reproductive health, and women’s, children’s and adolescents’ the balance varying according to the
on gender equity, was insufficient. health – and drew special attention to the potential dangers that might be faced.
recently published Lancet Commission. At JCH, our students are empowered to
Then, right at the final stages of engage as independent, autonomous
production, we became aware of The Lancet has now committed to a adult learners in a social environment
interest from the UN Secretary-General’s Standing Commission on adolescent that supports their engagement with
office with the possibility that Ban Ki- health for at least the next five years. learning – both within their enrolled
moon might also be prepared to write And yes, we again had to ask Richard courses and of the wider emotional,
a commentary – one of the benefits of Horton, ‘What’s that?’ Still making it social and political life of the College
working with a global PR company! up as we go along, it is clear that the and university. While they are living
It was apparent that George’s letter Standing Commission will continue to with their peers, a protective social and
outlining the alignment of The Lancet provide a platform from which further educational scaffold is provided by the
Commission’s recommendations with momentum can be built around the adults within the College, such as the
a series of UN priorities (the new importance of this life stage. It is apparent tutors, the Principal and other leaders.
Sustainable Development Goals, the new that universities around the world are
Global Strategy for Women’s Children’s increasingly investing in the academic The student club, too, is a really
and Adolescents’ Health, a soon to be basis of adolescent health. In that important aspect of what JCH does well,
released UN Commission on financing regard it is also exciting to appreciate and that is completely consistent with
education and the Secretary-General’s Melbourne’s ongoing commitment to this the Commission discussion about the
personal interest in youth participation) initiative. importance of youth participation and
had done the trick. leadership. The interaction between
How does your vast knowledge of student leaders, the student body and
At the 11th hour, no doubt aided by adolescent health and development the supportive adult leaders is a fabulous
having Commissioners who worked inform your sense of the role that a exemplar of how to create a really
within the key UN agencies, we college community such as Janet Clark engaged community which challenges
received the most astoundingly powerful Hall can play in the lives of its students? young people to be the best that they
commentary. Ban Ki-moon referred to can be – not simply in terms of academic
young people themselves as the SDGs We now have a much deeper success but equally in terms of what it is
(‘the sustainable development understanding that brain development to be fully engaged in the communities
generation’), stating that how well a 10 continues through the teenage years, at in which we live.

10 LUCE Number 15 2016