Dealing with work experience students

It's that time of year - when schools and, it has to be said, parents, need to find something to occupy teenagers'/school-leavers' time. So, for the last few weeks, we have been introducing the willing and not-so-willing to the 'mysteries' of journalism. Having a teenager out of his/her comfort zone is a fascinating experience, not least because you have to spend a fair amount of time correcting their grammar and spelling and showing them how to cut through the PR hype to find the story. We've been incredibly lucky on the magazine - so far. All those who have signed up would, with a modicum of training, make a good journalist, so the time and effort spent with them has been worth while. And, gratifyingly (or politely), all have said they want to come back, and have left clutching samples of their work - after leaving behind a much-apreciated box of chocolates as a thank-you.