MOUNT VERNON — New Directions Teen Advisory Council (TAC) launched a new podcast made for youth by youth that tackles difficult subjects that can make a difference in everyone’s life.
During a meeting with members of TAC, the group brought up the idea of starting a podcast, though advisor Lindsey Lamp was hesitant at first, she said.
The teens running the podcast didn’t have experience recording audio either, setting the scene for a completely new experience for both Lamp and the members.
“We were both so nervous to talk,” Nevaeh Williams said. “Had to write out a whole script, but now we just talk.”
The podcast titled “Tuesday TAC Chat” allows listeners to hear the voices of Knox County teens and what issues fill their minds and how those facing hardships can find solutions.
Some podcasts will align with certain topics such as mental health awareness month, domestic violence awareness month, etc. It’s also geared toward what members are thinking about in their own lives and what’s happened in the world, Lamp said, like dress codes in schools, drag queens, red flags and green flags in relationships, often with data collected from Knox County youth.
“It’s tough topics to talk about, but know it’s impacting your peers and trying to break barriers,” Lamp said. “Their whole goal for this year is ‘let’s talk about it. That’s why they’re saying ‘OK if we can talk about it and that’ll open the doors for others to talk about it.'”
TAC’s 2022 Peer Environmental Scan study, collected by 405 high School students:
- 14% experience bullying in the school environment and/or in social settings.
- 82% can be their authentic selves on social media.
- 78.8% can be their authentic selves at school.
- 86.3% can be their authentic selves at home.
- 94% can be their authentic selves with friends.
- 42.5% feel pressure to change the way they look or act to fit in with their peers.
- 23.5% think social media makes them feel a need to be popular.
- 29.6% feel the need to be in a relationship.
- 86.4% have the skills to help a friend who is in an unhealthy relationship.
- 8.2% have experienced physical teen dating violence.
- 35% have experienced emotional/mental teen dating violence.
- 5.1% have experienced financial teen dating violence.
- 76.8% feel anxious weekly. (71% in 2021.)
- 75.5% identify they have the skills to manage anxiety/stress.
- 2.3% feel pressure to use alcohol from friends, family, advertisements, or social media.
- 22.9% have consumed alcohol in the past year.
- 15.5% have vaped in the past year.
- 84.3% feel connected to their family.
- 71.9% feel they can express their honest feelings to their family/parents.
- 73.5% feel they can share their honest opinions with the family/parents.
- 72.8% identify that their parents/family discuss problematic situations such as underage alcohol use, mental health, and dating violence with them.
- Episodes are recorded upstairs in New Directions office with some shows becoming solo ventures or in a group setting. The first podcast aired on Feb. 1.
The group’s 14th episode airs July 12 with a focus on it’s brand new song ‘Not Alone’ a song about finding community during lonely times.
While Lamp is listening to the podcasts in the car, she’ll often hear “golden nuggets” that have impactful messages that surprise her weekly, she said.
“It’s a safe space to share goals and build relationships,” Lamp said. “Every TAC member is not the same. It provides an opportunity for authentic opportunities.”
Lamp also thinks this TAC group is the most involved and active, easily getting 90-95% active participation with members. With such high participation, Lamp said, it creates a space where everyone wants to be a part of it and involved.
