The popularity of our role models can be a useful measure of the values and priorities of our society.

So, what does it say when our young people no longer aspire to become skilled craftsmen or pioneering artists but instead choose to emulate ‘personalities’ such as Abi Titmuss, Jordan and Jodie Marsh?

According to a recent survey among 15-19-year-old girls by the ‘interactive entertainment website’ www.thelab.tv, 63 per cent now wish to become ‘glamour models’ instead of doctors, teachers or nurses.

When asked what they’d like to be known for, 89 per cent said they’d like to be recognised as a celebrity, as opposed to a mere 11 per cent who sought ‘achievement with little recognition’.

It’s not surprising, in a world saturated with ‘glamorous’ images of young women, that teenagers associate success and acceptance with having a figure that’s been enhanced by a surgeon or computer.

It’s surely, too, a symptom of our get-rich-and-famous-quick culture – as celebrated by the National Lottery and Big Brother - that teenagers believe that baring all is the most painless route to stardom and wealth (apart, that is, from the plastic surgeon’s scalpel…).

That’s certainly been true for Abi Titmuss, who became famous simply for being John Leslie’s girlfriend, before then re-marketing herself and appearing 68 times (and counting) on the front of national newspapers. Her ‘modelling’ ‘career’ has so far gained her over a million pounds, though she agreed with one newspaper which called her ‘the most pointless celebrity around’.

Can we hope to counter such a shallow aspirational culture, and point young people towards a more positive future? Significantly, the American psychologist Amy Taublieb suggests that ‘if a young person has emotional/psychological security as well as open lines of communication with parents, the actual influence (of media) is minimal.’

Love, in the form of active and involved mentoring, is the key; a formula that Moses saw as essential to the flourishing of the Israelite nation. After issuing the commandment to ‘love the lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength’ he implored them to ‘impress these laws on your children’ (Deuteronomy 6).

If, as Christians, we also hope that our young people will choose Christ as their ultimate role model, then our lifelong passion must be to model effectively the way of Jesus, too.

Jason Gardner

additional resources

Some useful resources on role models are parked at www.theory.org.uk.

What do you want to be when you grow up? For a bit more help, visit www.womenswork.org/girls.

Another role model project for girls can be found at www.rolemodel.net.

'Making Devoted Disciples: How to be an effective mentor' by Erik Johnson in www.christinaitytoday.com.

'Is Abi Titmuss a sign of the times? I'm afraid she probably is' by Jim White at www.telegraph.co.uk.

'Naked ambition rubs off on teenage girls' in the Manchester News Online, at www.manchesteronline.co.uk.

For more info on Amy Tautlieb, visit www.iparenting.com.