OLD VERSUS YOUNG - THE GENERATION GAP

The youth of today - out of control trouble makers or simply misunderstood? The older generation samples life from a teenage point of view and vice versa.

Growing up is never easy and the teenage years are

always particularly fraught. Puberty, pimples and parents are a source of constant embarrassment whilst life for enthusiastic gardening grandparents seems like a breeze.

But step over to the other side of the fence and you get a whole new perspective.

The older generation know all to well about the trials of teenage life having experienced the same fundamental embarrassments. But when they went through puberty things were a little different.

When a Big Mac meant an oversized raincoat…

Whilst today's education system encourages individuality, and expression of opinion, the education system of the 40s and 50s put a firm emphasis on discipline and uniformity.

Teachers were highly respected - and most often than not - feared individuals. Answering back was unheard of and all work was completed with the help of a fountain pen and paper.

The internet, Playstations and mobile phones were fictitious items to be found alongside flying cars, talking robots and other such imaginings.

With so many differences - can the two generations ever understand each other? Inside Out, with a little help from technology, finds out.

Undercover teens

Inside Out commandeered a willing bunch of Tunbridge Wells' teenagers to go undercover to give the older generation a taste of teenage life in 2003.

A secret camera captures their forays to a newsagents and of course the typical teenage haunt - a fast food restaurant.

And whilst the older generation is experiencing teenage life on screen, 15 year old Daz is being made up to look and feel like an old man.

Whilst make-up artist Cat Crawford takes care of Daz's appearance, Dr Finnbarr Martin, a consultant geriartrician fits a neck collar, arm weights and bleared glasses to help Daz to experience the reality of getting old.

Scrutiny

The hidden camera catches the teenagers as they head into a newsagents for sweets. The shop owner is wary of their antics and the spraying of an aerosol can proves the final straw.

The shop owner spots the act on CCTV and the teenagers are asked to leave.

The older generation are not impressed.

"These kids are pretty dreadful. They're rude and just seeing how far they can go," agree the older generation.

"They're showing off to each other, they're arrogant and they're letting themselves down frankly."

So when the group journey to another newsagents for a second attempt, it comes as no surprise to our watchers that there is a sign insisting they go in two at a time.

A rule the teenagers find humiliating and our youth worker can see why.

"I think at the end of the day you have to remember that they are just children," explains the youth worker. "Children growing into adolescents, but they are going to behave like children."

Whilst the teenagers get into bother in the fast food restaurant's toilets, Daz struggles to make his way along the street as an elderly man - it proves quite an eye opening experience.

Face to face

The 'day in the life' draws to a close, but have either generation learnt anything about the other?

The older generation are certainly not impressed with some of the teenagers' behaviour, whilst the teenagers feel unfairly treated. But despite their differences, there is no animosity.

It seems the generations may never fully understand each other, but maybe that's the way it should be. After all, things could turn nasty if granddad was always hogging the Playstation!