Music video sends a message about sexual consent

Music video sends a message about sexual consent

25 young people, three days, one message… A group of young people have been supported by a youth service to write and develop a song and music video which shares the message that it’s okay to say no, or be told no, to sex. Young people have the right to say no, or not yet, to sex without feeling shamed or bullied, but saying no, or being told no, can be a tricky topic that can be very traumatic for some.

The song and video were launched in Hamilton on 2 June at a celebration of the young people involved – who volunteered their time especially for this project.

The young people named themselves F.A.M.S. They worked with Real (a youth mental health and wellbeing service), Curative (a creative agency) and two New Zealand music producers (Mark Arona and N.O.X. aka Mister Watkins) to write the song, music and produce the video – in just three days.

This followed Real working with groups of young people from the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions over 18 months to tackle the topic and find a meaningful way to share this important message with other young New Zealanders.

The song by F.A.M.S. is called The Message. The video tells the story of a relationship developing between a young guy and girl, and how they communicate, understand and respect each other’s decisions. All the writing, acting and singing was done by members of F.A.M.S.

The process involved a three-day workshop at a Waikato marae in May to consult with the group of young people about what the messages would be and how they would best be conveyed to others. The group were predominantly Māori from a variety of backgrounds. Young Māori people are often over-represented in at-risk groups so this project aims to help make this topic easier to talk about and lead to healthier, safer decisions.

Watch The Message on Real’s website www.real.org.nz/themessage or YouTube channel https://youtu.be/IQyrE1RyXgI

Previous research gathered by Real highlighted that music and video are effective ways to communicate important messages to young people. Real Waikato manager Anaru Hawkins said when young people tell you that something entertaining is a powerful way to share a message about sexual choices and decisions, you listen to their advice.

Mr Hawkins said they were really impressed by the way the group worked together and shared their thoughts about such a sensitive topic. It was just a matter of gently guiding them and helping them unlock their potential.

“They were honest and genuine and their talent is awesome. We’re so proud of them,” Mr Hawkins said.

For most of the young people, it was the first time they had been involved in writing and producing music. Many of them said they found the experience inspirational and amazing, and some said it was ‘’the best thing I’ve done.”

Mr Hawkins said a lot of these kids have had a tough time in their lives and they really stepped up for this project.

“They learnt that from hard work comes great satisfaction and that they can achieve so much when they put their minds to something.”

Sally Pitts-Brown, chief executive of Real said the launch was a wonderful celebration of some great collaborative work between Real and young people in the community.

“Early project research let the team know that if we wanted to create something that young people liked and wanted to share, they had to be a huge part of creating it.

“This music video did just that – the result is amazing and we’re so proud of the end result and all involved.

Sally said Real will continue promoting The Message through services and networks so that its positive message is shared with as many young New Zealanders as possible.

“The music video has been viewed almost 4,000 times in five days so we’re off to a great start and we’re excited to keep building on this momentum.”
Sally added that Real thanks the Ministry of Social Development and Curative for making this resource for young people possible.

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