Media Release

Monday, 11th November 2013

West Auckland Group Blames System for Rise of Roast Busters

A West Auckland group, Phoenix NZYP says that the rise and scandal surrounding the Roast Busters group is part of a deeper and systemic problem, which they have been working to address at the grass roots level for many years and have now created a play to tackle it head-on.

Jay Junior Williams, director of Phoenix NZYP, says that it comes down to bullying and the system not recognising or facilitating honestly a response, intervention or prevention that works.

His play “Elephant in the Garden of Gethsemane” positions its main character within a confusing world of misguided trust, bullying and betrayal eventually rising after adversity in an ugly duckling scenario.

“Essentially what these [Roast Buster] boys did is highlight a range of issues that have been going on for awhile. It's nothing new. It is another form of bullying. These boys just translated it into what they did. It highlights not only the failure of the education system to effectively handle emotional issues but also on the community and individuals to take responsibility for the actions of others,” says Mr Williams.

As a drama teacher at secondary schools around Auckland he saw a raft of problems occurring especially around bullying in which he says cyber bullying was the worst because often “you can't see it happening in the classroom and the victim may end up leaving the school or worse; while the bully remained and you wouldn't even know what had happened because of a disconnect between the students and the system.”

It was for these sorts of reasons he established Phoenix NZYP in 2007. Phoenix being a forum focused on emotional literacy and empathetic encounters teaching self and social worth through drama, music and discussion sessions focused on facing youth issues without bias or judgement. 

Williams explains,

“I wanted to start something that faced these issues in a multi-dimensional, inspirational and proactive way rather than a reactive way. Since we started we've worked with a lot of at-risk youth and seen the transformative process that occurs when they're given a chance to really connect.”

But the connection is not like “those” cyber bullies. It's a connection in which truth and feelings are shared in an honest way and addressed before they escalate into something more devastating.

Mr Williams goes on,

“The narrative we're using both in Phoenix and in our current play is not a conventional narrative. What people don't understand is that these issues have evolved and technology has exasperated them but we're still using old narratives, old methods and mechanisms. In order to tackle these issues we need to use the modes and language of today. It totally has to be accessible and honest and that's why young people are coming to groups like Phoenix because they're not finding accessibility or understanding in the mainstream.”

He points to the culture of secrecy surrounding the Roast Busters group activities and the failing of the system not only to recognise what was happening but also in not educating the community and individuals to recognise and take responsibility for it.

“People would report a car being stolen or a house being robbed but there’s a lack of education about emotional bullying and the emotional draining of others. We are being taught to be bystanders or to pass the buck. The bystanders initially in the Roast Busters case were the young girls' friends and even the boys involved themselves because I don't believe at no point they didn't question what they were doing. But above and beyond it was the system itself, which failed at every step. That’s what Phoenix is all about; redressing these failings and creatively teaching youth to reconnect.”

The elephant in the garden in this case is not only this culture of secrecy and bystanding allowing a group of boys to bully their victims but also the overall betrayal of the system (as in Gethsemane) to allow the development of the behaviour in the first place.

Mr Williams points here to the lack of policies in schools specifically focused on harassment, cyber bullying or even gay and disability issues in relation. He also points to the Ministry of Education often opting for an easy out without providing firm guidelines, which should be non-negotiable. 

Phoenix NZYP has been one group that has worked tirelessly 'under the radar' over the past six-years to fill the gaps and catch those who fall through the cracks. Here you see a group of young men and women doing tremendously positive things, and yet, it has taken a despicable act to bring attention to the issues they deal with.   

Mr Williams concludes;

“It's an elephant standing in a garden of betrayal. This is societies betrayal of our young people and what we're [Phoenix is] saying is it has to change and change comes through the whole community having courage to discuss the hardcore truth, come up with real multi-dimensional solutions and resource these for success.”

*Jay Junior Williams has been a Senior (HOD) Secondary Schools drama teacher especially in the West Auckland area and is the founder and creative director of Phoenix NZYP.

*He was a recipient of the 2013 Vodafone World of Difference Award supporting him in delivering his vision of using arts as a mechanism of change in young people.

*The play 'Elephant in the Garden of Gethsemane' by Jay Junior Williams is performed by members of Phoenix NZYP and will be open to the public at the Corban Estate Arts Centre (Shed 1) on Friday 13th December at 8pm (preceded by a directors talk at 730pm). For bookings please contact Ph. 838 4455 or email info@ceac.org.nz. For more information visit www.ceac.org.nz.

*Limited seating to the play will be available to the public on Tuesday 26th November, 730pm at Q-Theatre as part of a Leadership NZ fundraiser.

ENDS

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