January 2016 | Issue 34
hs
This mont
winntheor f of you h the mont is....
YOUTH!
Centre
Having a Balanced Approach
Fried Chicken Shut Down! Qualities of a Good Leader!
Beginners Guide to Building Muscle
ÂŁ20Million! Waltham Forest School Plan
Follow us o n
Football session
Free GCSE Maths Tuition
Every Monday
SNAPCH
AT
@acfcent
re
Sign up now!! (Only 10 spaces left)
to Subscribe e our Youtub Channel:
pen:
is o r Gym
Bad
hange Active C Foundation
, ndays o M n o en, on Thursday m r o ys -F days, s e Sunda , n , d s y a We ys rid ons, F , on Tuesda ys o n r e t af en rda Wom ings, Satu r o F orn day m s r u h T
Follow us onTwitter: Active_Change_F
ch at u o t n i t Ge a quiries@
en
rg
ndation.o
ngefou ctivecha
ook getivechan on Faceb Like us .facebook.com/ac ww https://w 1 undation fo
NewGen 2
Youth centre opening times – Mon – Thurs 1pm - 9pm Friday 2:30pm - 9pm
CON T EN T S Food Hacks
4
Muslim Women & Speaking English
6
Validating Terrorist Attacks
7
Balanced Approach
8
Fried Chicken Shut Down!
9
ÂŁ20Mil Waltham Forest School Plan
10
O sister O Brothers
11
Leadership
12
Qualities of a Good Leader
14
Thinnest Tablet on the Market
16
Hadith of the Month
17
Beginners Guide to Building Muscle
18
Youth of the Month
20
Premier League Predictions
22
6 10 18 20 NewGen 3
8
FOOD HACKS THAT MAKE YOUR FOOD HEALTHIER
Drizzle Your Tomatoes With A Little Olive Oil This culinary combo obviously tastes amazing but also gives us great nutritional benefits. Tomatoes are naturally rich in lycopene, which is a carotenoid believed to protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer.Olive oil actually helps us to absorb lycopene, so make like the Mediterraneans do and get pouring!
2
Power Up Your Cruciferous Vegetables Cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts and their close cruciferous cousins have been praised for their ability to prevent a number of cancers. However, did you know that cooked and frozen broccoli can’t actually provide us with sulforaphane (a key anti-cancer compound)? Therefore, simply add a little ground mustard powder after cooking to replace the enzymes needed to power up and release sulforaphane once more!
Turmeric & Black Pepper Are The Bonnie & Clyde Of The Spice Kingdom… Truly a dynamic duo! Turmeric is naturally high in a powerful anti-inflammatory compound called circumin. Black Pepper contains an alkaloid called piperine, which significantly enhances the bioavailability of circumin. So make sure you ‘spice’ up your curries - and your health - with this flavorsome pair.
4 NewGen 4
1 3
Marinade With Lemon Juice Or Vinegar If you choose to eat meat, poultry and fish, common cooking processes increase the production of Advanced Glycosylation End Products (AGEs). AGEs have been associated with a wide range of negative health outcomes such as inflammation, chronic disease and aging. If you choose to eat animal products, simply marinade with lemon or vinegar half an hour before cooking to reduce AGEs. Boiling, steaming and lightly cooking your food will also help!
Add A Lil’ Asafoetida
This wonderful little spice can be a bit tricky to track down but is often found in specialty Asian and health food stores. Don’t be alarmed by the stinky aroma of asafoetida in its raw form; upon cooking, it releases a smooth, garlic-like aroma. This little spice is particularly helpful if you have trouble tolerating legumes. Adding a little asafoetida whilst cooking legumes can help to break down the fermentable sugars which are notoriously difficult for humans to digest.
6
5
Squeeze A Little Lemon Into Your Life! You’ve probably heard already that green tea is brimming with antioxidants to help protect us against cancer and aging. However, adding a little lemon juice into your green tea helps us to absorb the antioxidants (catechins) that green tea offers. Additionally, lemon juice may blunt the action of oxalates - the compounds in green tea that decrease mineral absorption - and is wonderfully refreshing!
Serve Your Salmon With Kale Few things happen in isolation within our body and calcium is no exception. This essential mineral cannot be absorbed and utilised properly without the help of its good friend, Vitamin D! If you choose to eat salmon or oily fish, why not pair it with a delicious side of steamed kale? The vitamin D from your fish will assist with the absorption of calcium from this leafy green.
8
7
Get Your Oaty Antioxidants This Wintry weather is perfect for a warming bowl of Oatmeal Porridge. You can pump up the antioxidant profile in every mouthful by simply adding a pinch of cloves! Also consider adding a small amount of Indian gooseberries (these are sold in a powdered form called ‘amla’) to balance your blood sugar and improve the cholesterol fighting power of this meal.
http://foodmatters.tv
NewGen 5
Muslim women with English language policy David Cameron has been accused of stigmatising Muslim women after he announced plans to help them learn English and warned that migrant spouses who fail language tests may have to leave the UK. Announcing the plans on Monday, the prime minister suggested the language classes for Muslim women could help stop radicalisation. Cameron said a £20m fund would provide classes for all women struggling with English, but he highlighted 38,000 Muslim women who could not speak the language and 190,000 with limited skills in it. “What we want is a strong and unified country with real opportunities for everybody” David Cameron
what your identity is and therefore you could be more susceptible to the extremist message coming from Daesh,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. However, he was quickly criticised for singling out Muslim women as the main group that needed help. Andy Burnham, the shadow home secretary, said Cameron risked “doing more harm than good” in a desire to grab headlines. “His clumsy and simplistic approach to challenging extremism is unfairly stigmatising a whole community. There is a real danger that it could end up driving further radicalisation, rather than tackling it,” he said. Meanwhile, Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader, said the announcement was “dog-whistle politics at its best”. “There are many rights that you have here, but there are also obligations” David Cameron
Separately, there would be a new regime meaning those on a five-year spousal visa would have to pass language tests after two and a half years in the country or face having to leave. “After two and half years they should be improving their English and we will be testing them,” the prime minister said. “We will bring this in in October and it will apply to people who have come in on a spousal visa recently and they will be tested.” Cameron stressed that he was not blaming those who could not speak English because “some of these people have come from quite patriarchal societies and perhaps the menfolk haven’t wanted them to speak English”. He said there was no causal link between radicalisation and language skills but non-English speakers could be “more susceptible” to extremism. “If you’re not able to speak English, not able to integrate, you may find therefore you have challenges understanding
NewGen 6
“Linking women in the Muslim community who struggle with the English language to homegrown extremism only serves to isolate the very people Cameron says he is trying to help,” he said. “Liberal Democrats support English language classes for anyone regardless of race, religion or gender and blocked these plans to cut funding for them in coalition.” Cameron was also criticised by Sayeeda Warsi, the Tory peer and former party co-chairman, who said it was a good policy to encourage language skills to help people get a job, help with homework, manage finances, and get a driving licence, but questioned the link to counter-terrorism. She said “evidence suggests gang culture, Islamophobia, [and] responses to foreign policy are greater drivers of radicalisation” than failure to learn English. This was echoed by Shaista Gohir, chair of the Muslim Women’s Network, who said “it should be directed at all communities, not just Muslims – and it shouldn’t be linked to radicalisation”.
How Do We Deal with Those Who Try to Validate Terrorist Acts? You find among some of the youth people who do not consider what has occurred of bombings and similar actions (to be evil). They approve of, or try to validate some actions of this group.
Unless of course it appears he himself may disrupt peace and safety or attempt to deceive other Muslims; in that case it is an obligation to inform (the authorities) about him.
Such a person is either one of two things:
If there appears anything from him that may infringe upon peace and security or he may deceive more Muslims or if he calls the youth to this (misguidance), he must be turned in and informed of so they stop him.
He is either 1) Ignorant, giving them (the terrorists) the benefit of the doubt. And to him, you clarify their faults to him, and explain them until his misconception about them is gone.
2) Or he is behind them, supporting their ideas. He has the same belief as they do and shares their ideas. To him too, you clarify the truth, so perhaps he may return back. If he does not return back (to truth), then his sin is upon himself.
If you are worried about someone you know or a family member in regard to radicalization The Active Change Foundation (ACF) is a charity which deals with preventing violent extremism and can help you. Call: 020 8279 1258 NewGen 7
THE BALANCED APPROACH When dealing with the people of sin, one must not exceed the limits prescribed by the Sharee’ah (Islamic Laws sent down by God) neither in hating, censuring, preventing, abandoning or chastising them. Rather, the one who does so should be told: Worry about your own self. No harm will come to you from those who are misled, if you are truly guided. Allaah (the Most High) said: “And do not let your hatred of others swerve you away from doing justice. But be just! That is closer to piety.” [Soorah al-Maa’idah 5:8]. And Allaah said: “And fight in the way of Allaah those who fight you, but do not transgress the limits.” [Soorah al-Baqarah 2:190]. Indeed, many of those who command and forbid overstep the limits, either through ignorance or injustice. Thus, this issue (of justice) must be firmly maintained, whether it is in regards to censuring the unbelievers, the hypocrites, the sinners or the disobedient ones. The one commanding the good or forbidding the evil should do so in the way prescribed by the Islamic Religion; with knowledge, gentleness and patience, and with good intentions, and by following a balanced approach. All of this enters into
NewGen 8
Allaah’s saying: “O you who believe! Beware of your own selves. No harm will come to you from those who are misled, if you are truly guided.” [Soorah al-Maa’idah 5:105) There is in this Verse another meaning as well, which is that a person must turn towards that which will be of benefit to him, both in knowledge and action, and he must avoid what does not concern him as the conveyer of Islaam (i.e. the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “From the perfection of a person’s Islaam is to leave alone that which does not concern him.” This especially applies to a person delving into that which does not concern him regarding someone’s religious or worldly affairs. Thus, such a person may speak out of envy or desire for position; or act either with deliberate oppression, or foolish scorn and sarcasm. “How often does Shaytaan make such an act appear to be an art of commanding the good or prohibiting the evil, or striving in the path of Allaah, whereas it is actually an act of injustice and transgression?”
Fried Chicken Shut Down! A chicken shop has been shut for the second time in a year after raw sewage and a mice infestation was found throughout.
Raw chicken juices had run all over the floor of the walk-in fridge and the handles and seal were encrusted with food debris.
A Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Order was given to Tasty Chicken ‘N’ Pizza at Hoe Street, Walthamstow, after an inspection found extremely dirty conditions.
Chopping boards and cleaning cloths were filthy, and the magnetic strip used to store knives had a thick layer of grease.
But in a new inspection on Tuesday (February 9), Waltham Forest council’s environmental health officers said they were “stunned” at what they discovered. The toilet and toilet floor were splattered with faeces and due to the toilet being cracked and leaking, food handlers were trailing raw sewage through the shop on their shoes. Mouse droppings were found on food equipment, behind chest freezers and even on a plastic cover on top of some pizza dough. In the serving area, mice had been nibbling on chips that had been spilt.
The sink trap was leaking and instead of fixing it staff had put a bowl underneath which had accumulated stagnant water. No soap was found to be available anywhere on the premises for washing hands. There was an accumulation of rubbish in the rear yard, with one black plastic bag ripped open by pests and the contents strewn all over the yard. Finally a broom’s bristles were completely clogged with grease and food debris. The matter was put before Stratford Magistrates Court on February 12, where a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Order was granted to the council so that the takeaway can remain closed until it can satisfy the inspector that all the problems have been addressed.
http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/wfnews/14279569.Chicken_shop_shut_AGAIN_by__stunned__inspectors_after_raw_sewage_found_throughout/
NewGen 9
Waltham Forest £20m School
A headteacher has described a new £20m school rebuild as the “first step” towards becoming an ‘outstanding’ school as drawings of plans were released for the first time. Leyton’s George Mitchell secondary and primary schools are set for the multi-million pound makeover after planning permission was agreed earlier this month. Buildings on the existing sites, in Farmer Road and Burchell Road, will be demolished and replaced with brand new facilities. It comes just a week after Ofsted described the school as “rapidly improving” when rating it ‘good’ in an inspection. Headteacher Saeed Hussain said: “Having just been rated ‘good’ by Ofsted, we are now setting our sights on becoming ‘outstanding’. “The new building with its state-of-the-art facilities and brand new classrooms is the first step towards achieving that goal.
Work on the secondary site is due to start next month and is expected to be completed by September 2017. Mr Hussain added: “Pupils joining us next year will arrive to a brand new building. “There will be no disruption to their learning. “They will be going on a journey with us that will see this school become one of the best in the country. “That is our goal and we will not rest until it is achieved.” The primary school, in Burchell Road, will include new classrooms, main hall, nursery, drama and art studios, a library. The new secondary school, in Farmer Road, will boast a four-storey red brick building with facilities such as a sports hall, new classrooms, performing arts studios, science laboratories and offices. The Leyton school is being redeveloped as part of the priority school building programme and work will be funded by the Education Funding Agency.
“We have worked very hard to have the school rebuilt so that we could offer pupils in Waltham Forest facilities to match those anywhere else in the country. “That is what they deserve and that is what we can now offer.” NewGen 10
http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/wfnews/14282457. School_s___20m_rebuild_plans_revealed_for_first_time/
O’ Brothers and Sisters I will never know what it’s like to leave my home, not knowing where my next home is going to be. I will never know how it feels like to be a victim in your own home, not knowing if you’re going to live or not. How it feels to be unsafe and left feeling raged by your own people. I want to sympathise, I want to understand, I want to see and feel what you’re feeling, but I realise I can’t, simply because the only way I can is to leave my home and run away into unknown, that’s what you’re doing right? A civil war that you don’t want no part of, you want yourself and your children to feel safe and at ease, you want them to be growing up amongst the greenery and the nature that God has left us with. Instead, they’re either dead, injured or growing up surrounded by hatred bombs, shattered corpses and so called ‘soldiers’. You feel abandoned, you feel cut out from the rest of the world, you think noone’s there to help you; you’re all alone, only you can help yourself. You remember God, pray to him for peace and for a better life, not for you, but for 3 year old Abdullah, 7 year old Mohammed and 13 years old Anaya.
There is only one option left, run away… run away to the unfamiliar surroundings of Europe. It’s either that or being left abandoned waiting for the next bang. You want your children to be educated, but you know that isn’t an option, you want them to look up to someone, but there is no such someone; it’s you, only you, pressure on you and with you. You have no idea that the people in the western world, in them deprived areas are looking up to you. The idea of being ‘it’ for your children is eating away at your inner-self, not realising you are the only ‘it’ they need.
I pray for my brother’s and my sisters, I pray that they realise there is a sparkle of good in this world, I pray they see something far bigger and better than what they see right now including us. Us, the ones praying, the ones raising money and the ones going out to help them only. God is there. God is your hope. Pray and all will be better. Be the ‘it’ for your children. Erase their worries. Erase your own. You will be free. They will be free. By Srosh Khan
NewGen 11
NewGen 12
NewGen 13
Seven Qualities Found in a Good Leader
2
A good leader has an exemplary character. It is of utmost importance that a leader is trustworthy to lead others. A leader needs to be trusted and be known to live their life with honestly and integrity. A good leader “walks the talk� and in doing so earns the right to have responsibility for others. True authority is born from respect for the good character and trustworthiness of the person who leads.
1
A good leader is enthusiastic about their work or cause and also about their role as leader. People will respond more openly to a person of passion and dedication. Leaders need to be able to be a source of inspiration, and be a motivator towards the required action or cause. Although the responsibilities and roles of a leader may be different, the leader needs to be seen to be part of the team working towards the goal. This kind of leader will not be afraid to roll up their sleeves and get dirty.
4 NewGen 14
3
A good leader is confident. In order to lead and set direction a leader needs to appear confident as a person and in the leadership role. Such a person inspires confidence in others and draws out the trust and best efforts of the team to complete the task well. A leader who conveys confidence towards the proposed objective inspires the best effort from team members. A leader also needs to function in an orderly and purposeful manner in situations of uncertainty. People look to the leader during times of uncertainty and unfamiliarity and find reassurance and security when the leader portrays confidence and a positive demeanour.
Good leaders are tolerant of ambiguity and remain calm, composed and steadfast to the main purpose. Storms, emotions, and crises come and go and a good leader takes these as part of the journey and keeps a cool head.
6
A good leader as well as keeping the main goal in focus is able to think analytically. Not only does a good leader view a situation as a whole, but is able to break it down into sub parts for closer inspection. Not only is the goal in view but a good leader can break it down into manageable steps and make progress towards it.
A good leader is committed to excellence. Second best does not lead to success. The good leader not only maintains high standards, but also is proactive in raising the bar in order to achieve excellence in all areas.
5 7
These seven personal characteristics are foundational to good leadership. Some characteristics may be more naturally present in the personality of a leader. However, each of these characteristics can also be developed and strengthened. A good leader whether they naturally possess these qualities or not, will be diligent to consistently develop and strengthen them in their leadership role.
www.GROCO.com NewGen 15
The Thinnest Tablet of 2016
In A Nutshell
The thinnest tablet under 9″ is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2. It is just .22 inches (5.6mm) thick and weighs .58 pounds. The thinnest 12” tablet running Windows is the Toshiba dynaPad. It is .27 inches thick and weighs only 1.28 pounds. The dynaPad is available for pre-order
The Details
The world’s thinnest tablet in the “mini” category, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, runs Android 5.0 (Lollipop) OS and has a 2048 x 1536 screen resolution. Its Quad 1.9GHz Intel processor and 32 GB Flash Memory makes it a capable machine for browsing the internet and for running apps from the Google Play Store. The AMOLED display delivers the vibrant, lifelike colors with deep contrast and rich display that consumers have come to expect from Samsung’s flagship line of portable electronics. The Galaxy S2’s rear-facing 8-megapixel camera takes reasonably good pictures, although your phone likely has a better camera. Its battery life also leaves something to be desired. The battery lasts six hours on average. The Galaxy’s most attractive feature is, of course, its svelte figure. At .22,” it is even thinner than the iPad Air 2. Other perks such as Samsung’s exclusive Smart Switch software and fingerprint scanning round out the tablet. Samsung also offers a 9.7” edition of the Galaxy Tab S2.
NewGen 16
Hadith of the Month “One who guides to something good has a reward similar to that of it’s doer” (Saheeh Muslim vol.3, no.4665)
NewGen 17
A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO BUILDING MUSCLE NUTRITION When your main goal is to build muscle, it’s important that you’re consuming enough protein in your diet to support the process of muscle growth and recovery. As a general rule of thumb it is recommended to consume about 1.5g – 2g protein per kg of bodyweight for an active individual, but this amount will vary depending on training volume and intensity. Increased training levels will place your body under increased stress. Eating sufficient amounts of carbohydrates will prepare your body for intense bouts of exercise, as well as helping to refuel your body post workout, when glycogen (energy) levels will be at their lowest. A healthy selection of fats, such as omega 3’s, can also reduce the onset of exercise induced inflammation, and assist in the maintenance of a healthy immune system – an area which can often be affected by frequent training. But it’s not just what you’re eating; it’s also how much you’re eating. When attempting to build muscle, creating a calorie surplus (consuming more calories than you expend in a given day) is required in order to support extra training activity and the process of protein synthesis. In summary: • Make sure you’re eating enough protein. •Refuel post workout with a mix of protein and carbs to maximise recovery. • Don’t be afraid of carbohydrates and fats. TRAINING One of the biggest mistakes people make when first setting out on ‘mission muscle’ is to spend too much time on isolation moves (exercises like the bicep curl). Whilst these do have their place in a programme, they are much more effective once basic fitness and physique foundations have been developed, but they shouldn’t form the basis of a muscle building routine – at least not at the beginning. Why not? Simply because isolations aren’t that efficient for all-round muscular development. As the name suggests, they are far too specific to one particular muscle. NewGen NewGen 18
You’ll get much more bang-for-your-buck by turning your attention to big compound moves like the deadlift, bench press, squat and bent over row or military press – these will stimulate the release of growth hormone in the body which in turn aids the muscle building process. Find a routine that works for you. Work within a rep range of 8-15 per set and aim for at least 3 sets per exercise. Always aim for the highest rep output within that range – don’t take the easy option. If time is against you, split your training according: Example training split: Monday = Chest + Biceps Tuesday = Back + Triceps Wednesday = Rest Day Thursday = Legs + Shoulders Friday = Core + Arms Saturday = Rest Day Sunday = Legs + HIIT Compound moves are a great way to increase the volume of muscle fibre recruitment because these lifts call upon multiple joints and muscle groups. This in turn places the body under increased stress, generating a greater stimulus – this stimulus is what promotes muscle growth. Compound lifts are also a fantastic way to strengthen stabilising muscles (and surrounding tendons and ligaments) which assist and protect the main lifting joints and muscles. This stabiliser development goes a long way to preventing injuries, which can have a huge impact on training performance and recovery.
The frequency and volume of your training is also an important consideration. When you first start out, training 3-4 times a week is probably more than enough to stimulate change. Some people struggle to have ‘days off’ or ‘rest days’ (a day where you do little or no training) once they get going, but it’s very important to take some time out to allow your body to recover properly. It is only during a period of rest that your body and muscles will adapt and grow – overtraining, and not giving yourself rest, is one of the major reasons for slow or stagnated progress – also known as ‘hitting a plateau’. Listen to your body and adjust your training accordingly. In summary: • Focus on big compound lifts. • Be progressive – muscles need a stimulus to grow so increase load or intensity over time. • Stick to your training plan – the gains will come. GOOD FATS FOR HEALTH AND IMMUNE SYSTEM SUPPORT. Fats are an important part of any diet but are often overlooked or dismissed as being unhealthy. This simple isn’t true – it’s just that some fats are better than options. Steer clear of processed fats (trans fats), the kind you find in sweets, confectionary and ready-made meals. These have no benefits and might promote health issues in the future, like high blood pressure and heart disease. Good fats like omega 3 have been shown to improve health, reduce inflammation, support joints, affect mood and improve insulin sensitivity. Our Omega Oil Blend is a fantastic product
for making sure you’re getting the fats you need, with the addition of Vitamin E to reduce oxidative damage to the oils themselves. VITAMINS & MINERALS It’s not uncommon for many of us to be deficient in a variety of vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals are essential for metabolic processes and functions in the body. Without obtaining sufficient vitamins and minerals, these processes can’t function properly. Exercise puts a further demand on our bodies and immune system, so supplementing with something like Complete Multivitamin Complex™, or a nutrient dense supplement like Complete Greens™ will ensure that you’re getting the nutrients you need to ward off illness and fatigue, which is important if you want to maintain your efforts in the gym. In Summary: • Support muscle repair and growth with a good quality whey protein. • Replenish your glycogen levels post-workout to aid recovery with a fast release carbohydrate like dextrose or Vitargo®. • Take an omega 3 oil to help reduce exercise-induced inflammation and support joint and immune health. • Ensure you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals from your diet to fight off fatigue.
http://www.bulkpowders.co.uk/the-core/a-beginners-guide-tobuilding-muscle/
NewGen 19
Youth of the Month
Haatim Fearon Hi, my name is Haatim. I participated in the Birmingham Young Leaders Program. I really didn’t know what to expect when I first joined, but as I attended more meetings and got to know more people involved with the YLP; I started to understand that my consistency in participation would benefit me powerfully. How beneficial would you gauge the YLP to be for you, and why?
“The YLP has (what I see to be) a whole independent curriculum that is designed to develop a person’s: knowledge, experience, empathy, co-operation, organisation, self-control, decisiveness - the list goes on...” I found the YLP beneficial because it provided a chance for me to be outspoken on matters that aren’t regularly discussed. As a group, we discussed and debated many controversial subjects: learning from each other and determining the best methods to address certain issues (global and local) by way of elimination. Also, the YLP served for me as a reminder of opportunities outside my comfort-zone. NewGen 20
How were you benefited by the Residential? The Bedfordshire University residential was beneficial to me for all the reasons I mentioned for the YLP curriculum. I especially was inspired and honored by the amount of influential and successful people that came to share their knowledge with us youths, it was quite an opportunity. But a more spiritual lesson for me was in relation to a personal motto I have: ‘Positivity Promotes Productivity’. I’ve always believed this short statement, but attending the Bedfordshire University residential allowed me to experience its truth. The trip involved three YLP groups - Birmingham, Cardiff and Islington. We attended workshops and lectures together, not having met each other before the residential. At first it was quite quiet and tense, thus slow-paced. Anything you said would be heard by the other 70-or-so young people. But, as a result of some ice-breaking activities and exploratory curiosity, we started to integrate with each other. I watched as the atmosphere relaxed and the energy developed to aid our learning experiences. Soon nearly everyone was contributing during discussions. Everyone was open-minded and attentive while we spoke, and the positivity really optimized our ability to benefit from the program.
What learning experience would you say has been most memorable to you? One of my most memorable lessons with the YLP was when founder of the ACF, Hanif Qadir came to Birmingham to present a presentation concerning terrorism with us. I debated and discussed matters with him throughout his presentation. My rash, frank opinions were met with some disapproval by Mr Qadir. I didn’t understand why, because I was sure there was truth in what I was claiming. . I told myself I would make a good argument the next time I saw him too. So, when I met him again during the residential, I contributed quite determinedly during his ‘Terrorism: Conspiracy or Real’ presentation. I was told after by a few people that my argument was quite compelling and it did not seem clear why we disagreed, as our points had many similarities.
I later had quite an enlightening conversation with another member of the YLP team, Zahara. Our conversation made the whole experience quite humbling. She explained to me that Hanif had countered my arguments in such a way in order to show me the errors in my methods of presentation. I needed to speak considerately about such a controversial topic, provide direct evidence for all of my points, and improve my points’ compatibility by way of respectful presentation. This lesson taught me:
“Knowing is not enough; you must learn to be able to adapt your knowledge to be clear and compelling to all or specific audiences.” I would like to thank all the staff that helped to organize and maintain our residence at Bedfordshire University. In particular, I’d like to thank Hanif, Javed, Zahara, Hasan and Sara.
NewGen 21
Premier League
predictions
The collapse of champions Chelsea and the sight of Leicester City bucking all trends to top the table illustrate the unpredictability that has been the Premier League’s hallmark this season.
neck, it seems impossible to pre- job, pleading to stay on and put dict the unpredictable. So here right what has gone wrong. goes... So no title for Chelsea this seaChelsea were my pre-season son and despite being the undispicks - and no-one can surely puted team of the season in the have predicted the alarming de- opening months of the campaign, cline that has left them a point it is too much of a stretch to imoff the relegation zone in 16th agine Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester place after Monday’s 2-1 loss at upsetting all odds and winning Leicester City. the league.
Newly promoted Watford’s rise to seventh place under manager Quique Flores and Bournemouth’s victories over Chelsea and Manchester United in their last two games have made this Just seven months on from winterm a tale of the unexpected. ning his third title at Chelsea, then putting his name to a new four-year contract, Jose And with no-one grabbing the Mourinho is left fighting for his title race by the scruff of the
What a difference a year makes... Chelsea (after 16 games) Leicester (after 16 games)
This leaves the title, realistically, as a battle between Manchester City, twice champions in recent seasons, and Arsenal, as they chase their first Premier League crown since 2004. With City showing inconsistency, Arsenal and boss Arsene Wenger will never have a better chance to relieve the pressure and criticism that has built up in those barren Premier League NewGen 22
Season
Position
Won Drawn
Lost Points
2014-15
1st
12
3
1
39
2015-16
16th
4
4
9
15
2014-15
20th
2
4
10
10
2015-16
1st
10
5
1
35
years. If the Gunners do not win the league this season, it will be a desperate missed opportunity. With City showing inconsistency, Arsenal and boss Arsene Wenger will never have a better chance to relieve the pressure and criticism that has built up in those barren Premier League years. If the Gunners do not win the league this season, it will be a desperate missed opportunity.
The question is can they be trusted when the pressure is on?
NewGen 23
The Active Change Foundation is dedicated in promoting integration within communities by providing the tools for change. The development of young people is achieved through promoting leadership, education and skills development. We work with the local community including young vulnerable people, in order to protect, educate, enrich and empower our communities in East London
453 Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, E10 7EA, (0208) 279 1258 Charity No: 1125 970