Dunedin student Ranisha Chand (20) is providing a media platform for young people to discuss their beliefs, in the hope that it will reduce tensions over differing perspectives.
On OAR FM Youth Zone programme and podcast Hear Us Say, guests are invited to share their spontaneous responses to prompt questions around areas of prejudice and personal values.
The questions come from a set of Mosaic Cards, a resource developed by Ara Taiohi, a non-government organisation for youth development in New Zealand.
Hear Us Say was designed to build social cohesion, Ms Chand said.
“Through encouraging people to sit down and have a chat in a very safe environment about what their differences are, and how they can live with those differences in a community without any bitter feelings, we learn how to coexist.”
Ms Chand is a student of Politics and Pacific Island Studies at the University of Otago. She is also a Youth Advocate for not-for-profit community organisation Shakti, which provides free and confidential support for women, youth and children from Asian, Middle Eastern and African backgrounds going through family violence.
The Youth unit has run campaigns to stop intergenerational cultural bullying, and has advocated in parliament on the issues of forced and under-aged marriage. Hear Us Say airs every second Wednesday at 4pm on OAR 105.4FM and 1575AM.