The Global Education Centre last night launched a new Internet-based resource for youth workers, which explores Hip Hop as an instrument for young people's development.

The launch event in Wellington's City Gallery marked the pinnacle of a two-year project funded in the main by Save the Children New Zealand and JR McKenzie Trust.

Well-known Hip Hop artists such as the Wanderers, Step Kingz, DJ Kerb and Kosmo Footsoldiers gathered together with frontline professionals and volunteers who work with young people to celebrate the resource, called The Next: an impression of Hip Hop expression.

The Next was developed by the Global Education Centre in response to a limited understanding of Hip Hop culture among New Zealand youth workers and educators.

Project Manager of The Next Gino Maresca said the support from the Hip Hop community at last night's event was a huge endorsement for what The Next stands for and the information that the resource contains.

“Hip Hop is the language, the culture and soundtrack of many young people of the world,” he said.

“It is time we understood that the mindscapes, landscapes and cultural orientation of young people today are very different from any other period in history,” he said. “Hip Hop has emerged in New Zealand as a unique fusion of local music, language and cultural values – to the extent that it has become a vibrant and distinctive youth culture.”

“The Next is based on the belief that sound educational experiences can be derived from young people’s interests. By understanding the themes covered in theresource, we hope that youth workers and educators will be inspired to structure meaningful learning programmes and explore the potential that Hip Hop culture can play in the development of our young people.”

Extensive research was carried out with the Hip Hop community; youth workers and young people to ensure their voices were reflected accurately in the resource.

“The practicality and relevancy of the resource to all three groups was vital to its success,” said Mr Maresca.

Although The Next is Internet-based, high-resolution multimedia copies are also available on CDROM from the Global Education Centre.

For further information, or to purchase a copy of The Next, visit the official website: www.thenext.org.nz

ENDS