The reaction to National Service on here

So what?

They're already doing it.
https://www.ncvo.org.uk/news-and-insights/news-index/uk-civil-society-almanac-2023/volunteering/what-are-the-demographics-of-volunteers/

Good point, I've got the same question. What kind of volunteering does she do?

@wombat15 agree
It's a horrible ageist policy. Designed to punish youngsters for the crime of being young. They already have a much harder time than the average older person did at that age - COVID, house prices, lack of jobs, need to get an expensive pointless degree to be considered for every role.) I have no idea why anyone would think it fair or right that they should be expected to "give back" one weekend a month for a year!
How about we have a compulsory "volunteering" for 65 year olds before they can access their pension at 67? (I don't actually think we should do this btw, just pointing out how unfair and ageist the policy is!)

I think the aim of the policy is possibly to pit generations against each other.

Oh I quite agree and that's what I had put in my previous comment. I know so many young people who are working hard but with limited options for the future unless their parents can help. It's so sad, we just aren't set up for NS in our current society.

I had put in my pp about people crowing about how NS is such a good idea and it'll teach the youngsters discipline have not participated (and wouldn't) in anything like this. Our younger generation are not all lazy and workshy just like other generations are not (I think it was said about my generation and the ones before that because they had washing machines and microwaves).

If we are worried about layabouts then the police could crack down on drug crime and start some enforcement. Many young people are actually hardworking and study. For those that are not, getting them to do national service will be a nightmare. Fine parents? No, these are adults.

I agree with what you say. And the worst way to build communities is to pit generations against each other and pander to the prejudices of some older people that the youth of today are all useless layabouts who deserve a good kicking at every turn!

I'm not a fan of the policy but I am a fan of building communities to support one another. Surely if we start to build communities this will only help you and your DD - get the surestart centres back, get childcare accessible and cheap, help people come together to help. We live in such an individualistic society these days and it's helped no one, so although I'm not supportive of NS per se I do want to see our younger generations supported and we need to see our society shift.

When I first saw it announced I was against it, but don't actually think it's a completely terrible idea. I do still have a few issues with it though and my thoughts are this:

If the 18 y/o is in employment I don't think it should apply to them. Most employers now do lots of charity work and something companies should all sign up to to get everyone involved.

Hoping young carers will be exempt.

If the 18 y/o is studying I think there's time for volunteering.

The govmnt should improve conditions for the armed forces and focus on getting PROFESSIONAL service men and women.

Anyone on benefits and fit for work, kids not wanting to work or go in to further education should be forced to national service by joining the armed forces or volunteering more than once a month and for the length of them not working/being educated.

Apparently it will be enforced by fining parents, 18 y/o are adults and not children.

I don't necessarily think that the idea of it giving them skills and a sense of community is such a bad idea but it's the fact that our society is not set up for this to work. Many young people need to work to survive and/or pay for university/college. Have families that need care etc. and this hasn't been thought through.

I also find the people all crowing that it might teach them a bit of discipline galling as they haven't done any of this and not all young people are workshy and lack discipline. The older generations have created the society we live in which is tough for the younger generations and it's only going to get harder.

It is nothing lik nazi Germany though so if someone has made that comparison, that's frankly ridiculous.

No i don't, i don't agree with Wes Streetings plan to get NHS staff to work weekends and evenings, staff are already burnt out.

I'm also not sure about the VAT thing or the Nom Dom plan, now a tory policy.
The danger is, it drives people out of the UK, they may not pay tax on overseas earnings but might well be paying large amounts on UK earnings.

School fee VAT, i want to see Labours workings on the effects of this, many of the arguments made by the anti's are compelling.

On the Tories, i'm not going to praise Tory plans when everything they ve done over the last 14 years has been a failure.

I ve given my reasons for why i'm against sunaks NS plan, those reasons would stand if Starmer came out with it.... its a plan designed to be backed by their base.

My thought was about those who have to work at the weekend to fund their studies or any other reason. It's another policy created by someone who doesn't know their own privilege.

Not military service? Well some of it is. My kids have had jobs and volunteered as well. There is no need to take them away from those things. School is already compulsory to 18. Enough.

Sorry but you have consistently supported every Labour policy and pledge and criticised every Tory one.
I think had this been a Labour idea, you are highly likely accept it.

Well, i wouldn't.

Part time National Service is bonkers, as is making Students at Uni, or at FE do this is madness, they aren't the children that need it......

My DD did 24 weeks placement in various hospitals, all unpaid, fuck off to making people like her give up even more time to do another 5 weeks unpaid.

I think that is probably correct

I read it.

No exceptions, even if on a gap year..... wtaf?

Student nurses/ot's/paramedics expected to do this, even though they all do v long & unpaid placements.

So 18yo goes to charity X for a weekend, comes back again in a months time, has now forgotten pretty much everything they were told a month ago.....
Do the Police/Fire Service really have the time to muck about with 18yo's 2 days out of 30?

On military, cyber security? Engineering? it takes years to learn about these things, they are degree level (and beyond) subjects.

If we have a section of our youth who would benefit from this type of scheme, why not just focus on them, rather than lumping them all together?

Sunak said that our kids are all a bunch of bored, would be criminals.... looking for trouble.

If it was anything to do with "preparing" to go to war they would be asking the military for advice on what to do. They certainly wouldn't be using military resources and money in this way. The uk is at threat from nuclear weapons rather than invasion.

For me I just think why would anyone expect young people in this country to be enthusiastic about this?

What do we do for them as a country that we feel they should now "give back"?

The NHS is falling apart, most jobs they will be able to get will likely only just cover the extortionate rent they have to pay, getting on the housing ladder is a pipe dream for most younger generations now and hell a lot of the time they can't even afford to go to university to better themselves to get any higher paying jobs (that half the time don't even exist to successful university candidates anyway). Oh and if they do manage to get to uni, they'll likely have to get a job anyway just to fund it.

So what is it again sorry that they should be enthusiastic about in terms of contributing to their country?

It's very easy for me, as a 30+ woman, sat in my owned home, with a decent job and salary to look down on a younger generation who have it tougher than I did and still do, to get the start in life we had, and say how ridiculous they all are for not wanting to contribute to their wonderful country.

We used to have peoole who delivered prescriptions many years ago. They were called post women.

I would love to see how this would be enforced. Young adults will have just gotten to an age where they can make their own choices, don't have to be in education etc. and who would police this? It's never going to happen, just a ploy to keep all the boomers on side.

maybe they dont go through it publicly, but in general they would have worked it out privately, so they even know if it is possible or not.

This is not possible⌛⏲

How will this be administered? Who is supervising this volunteering? How do rural 18 year olds access opportunities (we have very few, if any weekend busses)? Is there any exemption for young adults who already work a full time job or who have full time heavy course workloads (e.g. med students)? Are there tailored opportunities for the disabled or those with mental health conditions or things like ASD / ADHD? Who gets punished if a young adult doesn’t show up or doesn’t contribute? Are there exceptions for those with children / babies (there’s no nursery on weekends!)? Where are all these volunteering opportunities coming from? What is it - litter picking and prescription delivery?? Who’s going to supervise litter picking crews? They’ll need paying!!

The whole thing sounds badly thought out and unworkable. It’s just a stupid Tory distraction ploy. Everyone’s now discussing it as if it had any actual chance of happening which it clearly does not!