An introductory course on anti-child ageism
This course can be made available and personalised for groups and organisations. Please get in touch if you are interested!
DATES: 29th October and 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th of November
TIMES: 6pm BST / 10am PT / 1pm ET
WHERE: Zoom
ABOUT
“Childhood is much like being raised in a cage with little space to move around and express ourselves beyond what the bars – materialised as parents, family, school, social conditions – allow. Often, like with most of the cages we grow up in, we don’t notice it is even there.“
— Has Oppression Found a Home in You? (zine) by Aiyana Goodfellow.
“I hate kids.” It’s a common ageist phrase that most of us have heard or even said, but we never really deep it. We hate kids, but are, supposedly, against child abuse or mistreatment. However, we rarely agknowledge how this violence is systemic in the form of ‘anti-child ageism’ (coined by me, Aiyana Goodfellow) which is part of the patriarchal system.
Why You Hate Kids 101 (fka Has Oppression Found a Home in You?) is a course for all ages offering the opportunity to learn about anti-child ageism from the often unheard perspective of a teenager. Challenged by discussions, writings, and activities you will have a unique opportunity to gain an overview of anti-child ageism as part of the patriarchal system as well as learn how it exists within the context of other oppressions.
This course is for you if…
- You have some understanding of marginalisation and privilege dynamics;
- You are new to theses concepts or are beginning to notice the existence of anti-child ageism;
- You’re interested in building community with other anti-ageists and can embrace being challenged.
The course is curated and facilitated by me, Aiyana Goodfellow, a Black, Queer, Neurodivergent writer, liberator and DELINQUENT. I am a young person myself, which is what makes this course even more unique. Not only are we tackling the woefully under-discussed topic of ageism, particularly the oppression of children, but this space is led by a young person with current lived experience.
This course explores and expands on theories from my newest published book INNOCENCE & CORRUPTION: An abolitionist understanding of youth oppression.
SCHEDULE & ACCESSIBILITY
The course will run over five weeks, at 10am PDT / 1pm EDT / 6pm BST and held on Zoom.
Each session will be 90mins long. Automated captions will be available and breaks are scheduled into the workshops. Sessions will be partially recorded for reviewing purposes, but this should not be considered another way to access the course: your live attendance shapes the space.
Our schedule:
- Ageism 101 – 29th October 2023 – We begin to explore the basics of ageism, including what it is and how it functions within the context of other oppressions.
- Schools are Prisons – 5th November 2023 – Investigating the politics of time, labour, authority, and disempowerment we consider the education system as a form of incarceration.
- Fam, Blood, & Boundaries – 12th November 2023 – What is a family? What are boundaries? How does the capitalist-defined family function as a unit of power and oppression?
- DELINQUENCY – 19th November 2023 – We challenge our privileges, map out what adult solidarity with youth could look like and the empowerment of young people.
- Community Reflection – 26th November 2023 – The finale of our course. We reflect on previous sessions and have an open community-led discussion.
“I really liked the content and how it was presented – every session was unique as it didn’t follow the template of the previous one. It was great to always have a chance to be interactive and communicate with the facilitator and other participants – I felt heard and understood. Practical exercises were very useful and advices given valuable and applicable.”
Course Alumni
Investment
This course is a reciprocal investment of energy, time, and funds. I appreciate anyone and everyone who chooses to invest in anti-ageism. For accessibility and in-alignment with my anti-capitalist values, I have provided a sliding scale.
If you are a young person (under 18) needing a full scholarship, someone who would like to organise a payment plan, or an adult requesting a subsidised place, please contact me.
| Tier One Free scholarship for young people — under 18s only! | £0 |
| Tier Two For adults who have the ability to invest at the true cost. | £250 |
| Tier Three For adults who have the ability to invest at a higher tier which helps balance the scales for other participants. | £500 |
What can I do if the course is outside of my budget?
I have provided a sliding-scale for accessibility, in alignment with my anti-capitalist values. I must also value myself, a young Black person who has spent my childhood educating adults on these matters and has spent many hours developing this course.
I am happy to organise payment plans, where you can split the cost in two payments. Please contact me if interested.
I can offer lower cost spaces dependent on those who enrol at Tier Three. Please contact me with your subsidised investment amount to be added to the subsidised enrolment waiting list.
Additionally, I am willing to engage in value-exchanges: if you have an offering you believe might be useful and equals the course cost, you may also get in touch.
What is the difference between WYHK Intensive and WYHK 101 & 102?
Why You Hate Kids 101 (introductory) or Why You Hate Kids 102 (deeper analysis) allow you to explore information through weekly workshop cohorts that run at various times throughout the year. Why You Hate Kids Intensive is self-paced, including workshops from both 101 and 102 as well as further content.
If you prefer learning by yourself, need the course to be flexible, and/or want a particularly deep dive into the topics, go for WYHK Intensive.
If you prefer learning alongside others, need a defined timeline to motivate you, and/or real-time support to process information, go for WYHK 101 or 102.
Who is this course for? Are there pre-requisites to joining?
Anybody, of any age, can join this course, as long as you have an open-mind and interest. It will be helpful to have some understanding of terms like ‘patriarchy’ or ‘white supremacy’, however I have curated the course so that it will be both accessible to beginners and enlightening to those who already have a solid understanding.
Isn’t all this information available somewhere else?
Not as far as I’m aware! I am a strong believer in “create the things you wish to see in the world” which is the driving force behind all my many projects, hence why I created this course and wrote my book INNOCENCE & CORRUPTION. My work is incredibly unique: not only is ageism a highly under-discussed system of oppression these conversations are rarely led by young people ourselves. The course explores and expands on theories from my book, but there is loads in both the course and the book that does not overlap so there’s always opportunities to learn more!
How long will I have access to the course?
You will have access for twelve (12) months! Please get in contact if you need to extend your access.
Can I book for my community group, organisation, or family?
If you are looking to book for multiple people (e.g., as a family or organisation) please contact me before the registration deadline.
Alternatively, if you would like this course – or parts of this course – to be personalised for your company, organisation, or community group please get in touch.
REGISTER BY TBC.
DO YOU STAND FOR YOUTH LIBERATION?
Join us now!
