[Closed] National Citizenship Service....

what's in it for the young people? 🙂

We are struggling to get young people interested

Oh, wait...

what on earth is it?

[i]what on earth is it? [/i]

this - I'd say awareness needs to come before interest.

It's a Big Society thing isn't it?

So nobody can tell you what it actually involves.

Hiyooooooooooooo

I'm guessing its something to do with young unqualified people doing the jobs for free of highly skilled public servants who've been downsized as part of our 'Big Society, we're all in it together, except for me, I'm a millionaire don't you know' initiative?

If only cynicism could power the National Grid, stw could take 3 or 4 coal-fired stations offline!

:-))

my question was a serious one... i've never heard of the scheme or seen it mentioned so have no idea what the kids taking part will get out of it.... promoting what's in it for the kids seems like an important thing to do if you want kids to be joining up surely?

Don't be silly - that sounds well thought through and vaguely sensible.

This is a political thing ie made up on the hoof to please the Blue-rinse Tory voting brigade!

Heres a link to an artice in the Guardian.
Its basiclly a scheme thats supposed to target yr11 school leavers. Problem is they dont want to do it, for obvious reasons.
Ten 'pilot' schemes to run this summer delivered by mostly tory supporting organisations. Tenders for next year have already been requested. Its a croc.......

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/24/national-citizen-service-unproven-vanity-project

I'm truly staggered that educated people would think that kids would be queueing up for this?

It's the 1st I've heard of it and if my [yr11] son mentioned doing it, I'd be getting him to go away and think hard

If only cynicism could power the National Grid, stw could take 3 or 4 coal-fired stations offline!

Cynicism yes. Mis-placed Cynicism, no.

we are not citizens were are subjects

Cameron has maintained a belief in the ability of such a programme to instil "a sense of purpose, optimism and belonging" largely founded on his own experiences in the cadet force while at Eton.

I want to see a programme which engages young people and gives them a sense of purpose, optimism and belonging,” he said. “Something like national service, but not military, not compulsory but universal.

Does David Cameron think that we all came up the River Clyde in a banana boat?

Well if it worked at Eton I'm sure it's a perfect for the rest of the UK!

largely founded on his own experiences in the cadet force while at Eton.

So have they all got to wear little soldier boy outfits too?

I'll offer them classes in much more relevant skills such s how to throw a street party when Thatcher dies and how best to burn a Tory at the stake.

Engaging kids in meaningful and constructive activities is a great idea and literally millions benefit from things like scouts, youth clubs, sports clubs and so forth. All run by volunteers with a sprinkling of professionals. The irony is that what funding they have is being cut left right and centre and it is without doubt having a negative impact on the existing voluntary sector.

The Big Society concept is firstly patronising and ignores the vast amount of people who have being doing such things for donkies years. It is fundamentally flawed by the fact that people do things becuase they get something out of it, not because of any sense of duty or obligation to fellow mankind. By making it harder to be a volunteer, (i.e. cutting funding), if anything Cameron is the architect of the destruction of the real "Big Society", ie. the one that existed in village halls, scout huts and playing fields waaaaaaay before the his father had a twinkle in his eye and well before the best part of him ran down his mothers leg!

didnt see anything or did i completely miss something in the article about what the kids will actually be doing as part of the course?

is there a qualification at the end which will benefit the kids?
are there fun activities that kids like to do?
how qualified are the people running the courses?
is it something at further/higher education establishments will recognise as a good thing?
how many hours a week is it and what happens when the kids go on holiday with their family during the summer holidays?

so many questions! sorry 😳

philconsequence - providing actual specifics isn't part of the policy - saying it's 'Big' Society means not having to worry about what it means at a micro level.

Seems even MP's think the whoel thing a bit dubious in terms of cost/benefit;

[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-13879100 ]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-13879100[/url]