Poet and youth worker Dean Oke studied Community Development and Social Policy, and has a postgrad in youth work and his poetry reflects this interest in community issues and social justice. 

He’s an emerging poet with a strong social conscience and an advocate for youth voices. 

We talk about whether there’s enough room for young people’s voices in literary spaces right now, the importance of spaces like the YMCA and Sauti in Cork, and what the future could look like in this regard. 

Dean also explains the importance of his faith in his life and in his writing, and reads several of his poems, including  ‘26 And Feeling Awkward’ and ‘Hard Times’. 

Thank you Dean for being so open and articulate about mental health struggles, I’m sure a lot of people will relate to what you’re saying. 

https://www.instagram.com/deanstonyoke/

Thanks to the Arts Council of Ireland for their funding support and thank you for listening!

Produced by @bairbreflood //