Journalism gigs are hard to find—ask any writer. Having a little help along the way can work wonders, and Southgate Mall hopes to give one talented writer the boost he or she needs need to launch a writing career.

Last month, the center reached out to local high school students and matriculants to find skilled, interested young writers. It wasn’t asking much—just 500-1000 words on any of the following topics: My Pride, Respect and Honor, Celebrating Women, and The Faces of Spring.

There were some great tech prizes up for grabs, like Samsung tablets and BlackBerry smartphones. But the real prize is a huge opportunity: a three month practical training course at Caxton South Newspapers, and three months’ intensive theory training with Caxton Editorial Cadet Training. The program has brought several writers into the local news world, and there is every possibility that the winner of this writing competition could be the next.

“We’re really excited to have the opportunity to partner with Caxton and be able to offer bright young individuals with a love of the written word an opportunity to realise their potential in journalism as a career,” said Thulisile Rahlaga, PR and Marketing coordinator at Southgate Mall. “The competition ensures that their talents are not only recognised, but enhanced through hands-on mentoring at one of the country’s most successful newspaper and media corporations.”

For a long time now, we’ve tried to encourage teenagers to drive safely by instilling them with fear. Simulated car crashes, gory videos, graphic ads—all tools to teach new drivers the risks of misbehaving.

State Farm spent this weekend trying something different: building a support network for young drivers, teaching them with compassion and encouragement rather than fear. The effort is called Celebrate My Drive, and it rallies around teens who are getting their licenses.

SouthPark Mall hosted a Celebrate My Drive event over the weekend. It was a party, not a lecture—raffles, prizes, fun and games. In amongst the fun were the simulations, including the classic “drunk goggles” that let folks see just how hard it is to process the world while intoxicated.

Kids had an extra reason to participate: the chance to win a brand new Chevy Sonic. To enter, they could visit the program’s Facebook page and vote for a local school to be awarded a $100,000 grant.

As a youngster, this editor spent most of her summer days reading, visiting the library and loading up on new books each week. Most kids aren’t quite that eager, though, so programs like Golf Mill‘s Summer Reading Club can make a really big difference in fostering literacy and a love of literature in the next generation.

It’s part of a partnership with Niles Public Library, a partnership that is now in its second year. This year’s program started with a Kick-off Festival last week. In addition to gourmet cookies and drinks and learning about the library and the center’s award-winning Teen Center, the first 50 kids and teens who sign up for the club will also receive free admission passes to Brookfield Zoo where they can take in the Xtreme BUGS exhibit, complete with giant animatronic bugs, live creepy-crawlies, and fun hands-on activities for everyone.

The club itself gives young readers a good reason to keep reading—all sorts of great free gifts for completing reading achievements. For example, teens aged 12-18 can turn in reading logs to get to-go cold cups that contain vouchers for free admission to attractions. Not only that—there are weekly restaurant giveaways and an iPod Touch on the line.

The Glades is ready for prom, just in time to help its young shoppers get themselves prepared for their big night. Said Maria Cooper, marketing manager at the Glades, “The prom phenomenon, imported from the US, is spreading like wildfire. Most of our local schools and colleges now hold prom events, allowing students to celebrate the end of their exams and party with their friends before heading off to university, a gap year or their new career.” So the center put together Prom Nights, its inaugural prom event.

The event centers around the Glades’ Style Pod, where shoppers can try on their fancy frocks and tuxes with guidance from the center’s Style Advisor. They can also get advice on accessories, hair styles, shoes and jewellery.

The Glades is also offering £1,000 to one school or college to make its prom even better. All the center wants is for entrants to describe how their school would use the money to make an awesome prom. Prom goers can also enter to win a full style makeover, including dress or tux, hair styling, makeup and accessories.

Speaking of money for prom, Hulen Mall in Fort Worth, Texas recently heard back from the high school that won first place in its My School is Cool program last fall. The $5000 the school won went to turning its prom into ‘A Night of Elegance,’ with creative decorations, including a dome over the dance floor complete with speakers and LED lighting.

Bromley Youth Service recently put out a call to challenge local teens: help us climb Mt. Everest (or perhaps the next best thing).

The call to action brought hundreds of visitors to Glades Shopping Centre, where they bravely scaled the mountain in relay. Sort of. They scaled a climbing wall, true, but they made the distance: 7200 m, the distance required to climb to Everest’s summit and back to its base. And while many have perished attempting the real Everest, the Glades event was a a friendly, fun challenge for all.

Unsupervised teens are a challenge for a lot of malls, but it’s great to see a mall invite them in for a productive, fun event. Working with your teen population can bring great rewards.