The target market for HSGH are young people ages 13 to 20 who is either a junior high school student or graduate, senior high school student or graduate, vocational training students, school drop outs etc. HSGH provides a platform that provides relevant information and connects high school youth together to assist them develop the habits and perspective that will lead to success and hopefulness in the future. HSGH will be driven by social connection, social engagements, and empowerment, mentorship & training workshops. HSGH believes in empowering the Ghanaian high school youth to achieve their fullest potential. Our extensive demographic and psychographic (audience surveying) research informs us that our HSGH reader is as follows: - One of over 491, 081, aged 13-20 is going to senior high school each year or graduating. - One of over 422,946, aged 13-18 is going to junior high school each year. - An avid online surfer who uses a either a mobile, a laptop or a personal computer to visit the internet. - They surf as an escape from daily school activities as a way to relax, to challenge and expose themselves and to interact with others students in their community. - They are interested in a platform that gives them a voice to be heard and to tell their own stories the way the want it told. They are also interested in learning and being informed about the opportunities, dangers, challenges that they could possibly face in the near future as they grow into adulthood.

HSGH seeks to address the following problems and presents the below opportunity to empower, connect, educate and inform high school students of the better prospects that exists out there. What is the Problem? There is no platforms, venues, initiatives and spaces where the Ghanaian high school youth could meet, come together and informally exchange their thoughts and ideas. If there exists a platform, where all Ghanaian high school youth – the informed, un-informed, miss-informed and everybody felt that their opinions were valued and listened to and that they could voice their thoughts knowing they will be listened to and not ignored, then a better socialised and connected country is set in the future. A movement you can join for free, and access knowing that your voice will be valued and listened to. Social isolation is ‘a deprivation of social connectedness’ and can be defined as ‘the inadequate quality and quantity of social relations with other people’ at different levels of interaction (individual, group, community and broader social environment). Subjectively, isolation may be experienced as loneliness or a persistent sense of being unable to approach others to find comfort, seek advice or engage physically or emotionally. It is like ‘being at the bottom of a well’, a situation in which others are unaware of one’s distressing condition. Why is this important? The Ghanaian high school youth needs guidance, resources and information to develop into whole, competent adults who can enjoy gainful employment and work constructively and collaboratively to improve their communities and society as a whole. Social connection and association represents a fundamental human desire for international relationships with others. This is especially important for teenagers as research has consistently shown positive relationships and experiences with others, and specifically, relationships and experiences from teen youth garner esteem and competence. Connection and association is crucial for young people and contributes to their sense of self, psychological wellbeing, academic performance and social competence. Lack of these is linked to a range of negative outcomes, including social withdrawal and loneliness, risk-taking behaviour in adolescents (e.g. early commencement of smoking, drinking and sexual relations), and increased risk of juvenile delinquency. What are the contributing factors? • The Ghanaian culture in general is such that children are not allowed to experience unfamiliar things to determine whether they’re going to like that experience or not until they become adults. • The education system in Ghana is such that children get to university level before they start to contribute to society and thinking about or looking for what career prospects exists to them out there. • Graduates from universities sit at home looking for jobs that doesn’t exist on the job market, and those that exist they don’t have the experience required. • Children study what they’re parents want them to, and choose what university to go to, not what they would like and they can’t do anything about this because they don’t have an alternative or don’t have the relevant information on which tertiary institution would offer them that course of study. There are lot of situations where courses that a student studied at the university which was influenced by their parents, are not what they’re using in their employments or careers. • In Ghana there is the rule that were adults are gathered and are conversing, a child is not allowed to make contributions as this is considered rude and disrespectful. This notion has grown with us and as such a particular group of people [high school youth] in the society are left out in the discussions and decision making processes of the country. • Leadership roles and responsibilities are given to only adults in the society. What are the root causes? • Culture – The Ghanaian teen youth is raised such that, we are not inspired to be opinionated and contribute their voice to issues. A child is forbidden at where adults are gathered and conversing. A child is considered rude and disrespectful if he or she tries to give their opinion on something that matters to them. • Education – The education system is making students bookish and unemployable. The SHS programme is not self-contained, practical, sharply focused and to some extent not terminal. After completing SHS, students are not able to go straight to either industry to practice or able to set up their own start-ups. • Technology – Technology is under or miss-used. The internet is a repository to millions of opportunities available to the Ghanaian high school youth. This is either being miss-used and the teen youth are not encouraged to see these positive opportunities that they can use to start making money and create jobs for themselves. Parents are preventing their children from logging onto the internet, students are not allowed in schools to use this technology.

There is a growing body of evidence to support the assumption that schools have an important developmental role to play in producing more than just positive academic outcomes. When the Ghanaian high school youth feel connected to each other they are buffered from risks that jeopardize their health and social development. Understanding what promotes social connectedness and engagement is a relatively new field of study. What we know from current research supports what teachers and others who work with youth know: positive relationships between students and opportunities to influence not only what happens in class, but school structure, policies, and rules, matter for youth well-being and productivity. This is particularly important for the Ghanaian high school youth who are the least likely to be connected and successful at school or in other important settings, as they are at the greatest risk for problems during adolescence and later in life. Why is it solvable? Create opportunities for the Ghanaian high school youth to be included and involved on as many levels as possible. Providing a platform that connects all the Ghanaian high school youth where they can connect and associate themselves with. A platform where they are empowered, encouraged and given the opportunity to self-actualise. HSGH is to encourage self-expression among the Ghanaian high school youth and connect them to topics and issues that matter to them most such as academics, career prospects, music, fashion, health, entertainment among others. What would the society look like if you solved it? The society would become a network of connected youth sharing and giving voice of thoughts on topics of interest hence becoming an integral part of decision making process in Ghana, being empowered to become change leaders in the society. Empowering and providing relevant information and tools available to the Ghanaian high school youth means giving them the necessary guidance and steps to follow in order to achieve their future dreams and aspiration. Reducing social isolation improves the quality of life and health of individual teens and contributes to social cohesion in communities. Teens who feel socially connected tend to contribute more towards their communities, participating in the creation of social capital, in networks and in relationships that allow society to operate effectively. Social connectedness is also associated with the economic performance of a community or region. Through HSGH, the Ghanaian high school youth will be empowered to start-up their own initiatives through shared talents and skills as Socially connected individuals have meaningful relationships and bonds with those around them, including their peers, families and communities. Social connectedness is intrinsically important to people because it gives them a sense of belonging; it is instrumentally important because it facilitates people’s access to opportunities and nurtures their participatory abilities.

There isn't any direct competition in terms of lifestyle media (magazines ) for the Ghanaian high school students. Although it’s reassuring that there are several similar and very successful publications in Ghana. Although there are obviously many lifestyle magazines out there, what is unique about HSGH is that we are not simply about entertainment but aimed specifically at young teenagers to help them develop career prospects at teenage, develop entrepreneurship skills, and help support them grow and perform better in their academics. With over 914,027 young people going to senior + junior high schools yearly, we are the only media that is tailored to specifically meet their needs, as well as desire for academics, career, entertainment and lifestyle development. HSGH is being established to provide the Ghanaian high school youth a platform to connect and share relevant information and skills. The brand will create partnerships with all the high schools in the country. HSGH will set up five distinctive modules: 1. Digital Platform (Website – HiUS$choolGh.Com), 2. HSGH Club, 3. Print Magazine, 4. Radio / TV Channel, 5. Training Modules Overview I. Digital Platform (Website – HiUS$choolGh.com) – Year 1 The website provide high school youth a platform solely to connect with each other and share common interests. The website features major categories such as Academics, Relationship & Lifestyle, Sports, Entertainment, Do It Yourself, and Time With. Academics: Here, students can access academic news from all high schools in the country. This section features articles on books, examination timetable, study tips etc. Debates and forum discussions are also held. Universities and senior high schools are profiled to give aspiring students an opportunity to be well informed in order to know the sort of school that would offer them what they’re looking to achieve in their education. Relationship & Lifestyle: This section features articles on the social lifestyle of every high school individual. Articles relating to career prospects, relationships, sex, health, fashion, etc. are featured to educate and inform the Ghanaian high school youth on the dos and don’ts in order to live a better lifestyle in the society and grow up to become respected, well groomed and healthy individuals. Education and information is provided on love, sex, sexually transmitted diseases, teenage pregnancy etc. Sports: This features on-and-off-campus sporting activities and news. Reports on on-campus sports activities and tournaments, and off-campus sports news on the local league, national and international sports tournaments, the English Premier League (EPL), UEFA Champions League and other major leagues of interest to our target audience. Content features photographs, videos and interviews. Entertainment: This features on-and off-campus entertainment activities. HSGH Club members from high schools across the country reports on entertainment and events happening in their schools for other students across the nation to read about. Here, students can access contents on music, movies, television, events, fashion shows, and video games. Content features photographs, videos and interviews of key personalities involved in the said event or activities. DIY: Do It Yourself: This features an extensive step by step tutorials and tips to help students in their academic works, social lifestyle, health, and talent and career developments. The objective here is to help the Ghanaian high school youth use their talents and skills to develop career prospects at a teen age and use those talents to make money to support their families and themselves hence creating jobs for themselves and others. Entrepreneurship must start at teen age. Time With: Is an exclusive featured editorial/interview on young high school youth entrepreneurs, celebrities, athletes, teachers, headmasters, past students who used or are using their talents to build careers and become successful and recognised individuals in the society. This is to inspire and motivate high school students to develop talents and use those talents to start making money to support themselves at teen age and not having to wait until they finish university before thinking of career prospects. II. HSGH Club – Year 1 Members of the club will feature Writers/Reporters; students with interests in journalism and creative arts, who will report on activities happening in their respective schools and achievements of the school for the aspiring JHS students and other students across the country to read about. The club will develop its own activities guided by the principles of the school to help connect with other students. Benefits: Opportunities such as mentorship, coaching and practical leadership skills are developed and shared. III. Print Magazine – Year 2 - 3 The print magazine is to provide students in areas where access to internet is not available. Users will also have the opportunity of downloading digital version of the magazine online using their mobile phone, desktop computers and smart devices. We anticipate producing the first issue of the magazine in the second to third year of operation. IV. Radio/TV Channel – online – Year 2-3 As we seek to provide high school youth a sole platform to connect, we will establish a visual/audio platform where issues affecting the youth can be discussed and addressed. We plan to establish an online radio station which will also stream the studio discussions online. Users can access this through mobile phone and computer devices. A broader strategy will be developed at this stage. We anticipate to establish this in the third to fourth year of operations. V. Training / Motivation/Mentorship/Training – Year 1 HSGH will provide relevant entrepreneurial, career and talent development workshops for the Ghanaian high school youth across the country. Career and motivational seminars will be organised for the schools to help them understand the possibilities that exists out there for them. Most of these seminars will be free to attend but more specialised and intensive ones will also be organised at a fee to attend or participate. Certificates will be awarded for participation and or completion. The workshops will focus on helping the Ghanaian high school graduate gain an employment or start their own initiate while in school or waiting for their results to go to the university.