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Original poster

How are your older teen/young adult children reacting to the election?

333 replies

BertrandRussell · 13/12/2019 13:42

My 18 year old is incredibly upset- it was his first opportunity to vote and he feel very let down by Corbyn.

OP posts:
Original poster
BertrandRussell · 15/12/2019 14:16

“My kids are thrilled and so are about 75% of their friends”

What are they thrilled about in particular?

OP posts:
Trewser · 15/12/2019 14:18

the most disadvantaged of our young people who don't have lots of fancy qualifications, skills or money

With respect, those young people are unlikely to get a job in France or Germany anyway. If they are that disadvantaged, being able to work in Austria is probably fairly low down on their list.

KenDodd · 15/12/2019 14:23

@Trewser
That was me. I was born one of the most disadvantaged in the country, I went to the EU to work (without even speaking the language) minimum wage job abroad. It opened my eyes to the world more than anything I learned at school and showed me a better life is possible. I think it's an enormous shame kids like me won't have that opportunity anymore.

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18 years old
Trewser · 15/12/2019 14:29

I'd be intersted t see how many disadvantaged young people with "no qualifications, skills and money" leave here and go and work in the EU

CanIHaveADrink · 15/12/2019 15:37

@Trewser that is true that the disadvantaged teens are unlikely to go away to work in the uk.
But.... the Eu has given so much money to support all these disadvantaged areas (such the NE) that they have hugely benefited from it. The thing, they probably don’t know it.

Original poster
BertrandRussell · 15/12/2019 15:44

The “very disadvantaged” teens at ds’s high school benefitted hugely from the Erasmus programme for a start.....

OP posts:
Trewser · 15/12/2019 15:51

But benefitting from the eu is not the same as leaving the country to work there!

The erasmus programme is aimed at academically able dcs, not those that dont have 'facny qualifications '

Original poster
BertrandRussell · 15/12/2019 15:54

“ The erasmus programme is aimed at academically able dcs, not those that dont have 'facny qualifications “

The kids at Ds’s school were certainly not academically able- at least not by Mumsnet standards!

OP posts:
KenDodd · 15/12/2019 15:55

@CanIHaveADrink I think it's a lot more than you seem to think, I have certainly met a lot. Lots of them are able to just rock up on the Costas and get jobs handing our flyers or bar work, cleaning, that sort of thing. You might dismiss this sort of work as worthless, but these are life enhancing experiences that these kids would never have had the chance to see. I remember a poster a couple of years ago described these uneducated, working class youth, working their was around the EU as 'drug dealers would shouldn't be allowed to travel anyway'. I think it's really sad that these life chances will be taken away.

KenDodd · 15/12/2019 15:59

I expect (hope) erasmus might survive Brexit. The people I'm taking about would never have the support to navigate such a scheme anyway though. Even after Brexit those who do do short term visas like this, well they won't be able to just stay on if things are going well for them.

KenDodd · 15/12/2019 16:10

@Hulagirla
You didn't answer my question. I got that you couldn't vote Labour because of antisemitism.

Do you think Boris Johnson isn't racist?

Maybe you didn't vote Tory either because of Tory racism.

Original poster
BertrandRussell · 15/12/2019 17:08

“ The people I'm taking about would never have the support to navigate such a scheme anyway though.”

Really? As I said- tell that to ds’s old school....

OP posts:
BerwickLad · 15/12/2019 17:32

Why? Would that alter the fact that 75% of Erasmus participants are from professional class families and only 14% are from a household that earns less than the mean average?

BerwickLad · 15/12/2019 17:34

But yeah Erasmus already includes non EU countries so I'm guessing the UK will continue with it.

KenDodd · 15/12/2019 17:36

Erasmus is university level I believe? Then yes, the kids I'm talking about (like me) would never have been able to navigate this. I went to a failing school, with a failing family and left home/school at 15. My EU citizenship gave me enormous opportunities and in the future kids like me just won't have the escape route I had.

KenDodd · 15/12/2019 17:41

It does astonish me that people give up these rights, for themselves and their children, so joyfully. I know they say Remainers don't understand Leavers and on this they're right, I really don't understand why anyone would want to take these opportunities from our children.

GrumpyHoonMain · 15/12/2019 17:46

Erasmus opportunities / benefits only come via a university degree. The young people who can’t go to university don’t really benefit from Europe unless they get Thomas Cook & other low salary travel jobs

KenDodd · 15/12/2019 17:48

goodlawproject.org/petition/good-law-project-associate-citizenship-petition/?fbclid=IwAR0DYQ1srmXztswYFA6YzItFxpGqYO5IXsc9kWdzNfNatMj8mt5LrW4yufQ

I've signed this with my kids in mind. I don't expect it'll do any good though.

slipperywhensparticus · 15/12/2019 17:51

My 19 year old is unsuprised and her friend is devastated this happened

KenDodd · 15/12/2019 17:52

@GrumpyHoonMain
Have you read my posts? I benefited enormously. I never feel any resentment towards EU immigrants, even the ones we are so determined to get rid of, like chicken factory workers. They might just be seeking to escape poverty (like I was) see a bit of the world and make just a bit of a better life for themselves.

KenDodd · 15/12/2019 17:58

The young people who can’t go to university don’t really benefit from Europe unless they get Thomas Cook & other low salary travel jobs

I went to Lapland a few years ago, in the hotel and running all the activities were young people from all over the EU. They looked like they were all having such a great time. So, I would disagree that this sort of low paid work doesn't benefit them. Again it made me sad that in the future British people will be excluded from this sort of experience.

Original poster
BertrandRussell · 15/12/2019 19:40

“ Erasmus opportunities / benefits only come via a university degree.”

No they don’t.

OP posts:
Parker231 · 15/12/2019 19:54

The programme is available for secondary school age as well as apprenticeships. I can’t see the programme surviving Brexit. The UK will be eliminated if they restrict FoM.

Trewser · 15/12/2019 20:51

Bertrand, sorry I've only heard of Erasmus at uni. Is there a different one for school kids?

Nonicknamehere · 15/12/2019 20:59

Just looked up how my text conversation went with DS (25). DD is 22

Me ‘make sure you try and vote tomorrow,I know it will be late for you. DD voted Lib Dem’s’

DS ‘She’s a fucking idiot! Wasted vote, what was her logic behind that? I have just voted’

Me ‘well she deliberated over it. Did you vote Labour Grin

DS ‘why would I do that, that’s only good for the dossers that want to go on the dole’

No doubt It will get jumped on, but background to DS is he has Aspergers, so says it as it is in his opinion. He went through an absolutely horrendous time at (various) schools. We fought for him to have an education he was entitled to, obv given his age this was under Labour.

He left school with a couple of GCSES (so pretty disadvantaged from the off). He is now in a job that he loves - selling cars, earns a wage which I wouldn’t have believed if I hadn’t seen his payslips, and I’m proud of him.

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