Ive had an idea

[FatFemale]

i want to suggest someone, unsure who, could open up a kind of youth club for age 10+ kids to learn skills? For example, woodwork, basic electronics, gardening, diy type stuff. My kids are itching to do this. Im in between houses atm/divorcing. Their dad would rather sit at home drinking than teach them. I do not know where to start. I can do decorating/gardening but were rented atm so im not updating this house. Once we get settled, ive said id get a shed and tools for them. But it got me thinking, what if there was a local club they could go to eg Saturday afternoon where they get involved in a project etc. i saw something on facebook the other day where Martin off of Houses under the hammer, his teen kid was involved in putting up a fence and now offers this as a service to others. It would be great for kids to learn these skills, feel a part of something and would give them motivation etc not hanging around causing mischief 🤷🏻‍♀️ especially at that age idk

I mean youth clubs exist but they rarely do things like DIY/electronics because I think it's quite a big insurance risk, and you need far more adult supervision than, say, playing board games.

Not sure you'll get very far suggesting it to someone, I'd assume if someone has the time/skills/will to do something like this they would be already! You could always look at setting one up yourself and trying to get friends/neighbours/families with the skills to run sessions. Lots of work though.

It's called Scouts!

My kids have been scouts and they dont do stuff like this in my area

There's an organisation called Bodgers which is the association of pole lathe turners and green woodworkers www.bodgers.org.uk

Did they do nothing towards their badges? All the skills you want them to learn are scouting badges.

If you have a repair cafe near you you might make some contacts there too

You would have to ensure any adult involved was dbs clear

Great idea. And sewing, knitting & similar. Cooking?
We learned all of the above in primary school.
DS will be starting next year, not sure if it’s still done…

It's a good idea, but a massive undertaking. Premises, insurance, safeguarding, ratios, etc etc. I would try to instigate this in a club that already exists.

There might be something suitable with National Trust and/or the Duke of Edinburgh Award

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/support-us/volunteer/duke-of-edinburghs-award

Plus for learning those skills, there's always Youtube.

It's not an exact match, but worth looking at Scouts/Guides, Woodcraft Folk and the various military cadet forces.

Also volunteering at things like community gardens and taking up hobbies like karting (if you can spend time fiddling with the kart as well as just driving it)

I think it's a great idea.

Scouts is not the same thing. The amount you have to do to earn a badge is not enough to form the basis of a lifelong skill

It is if you go through each section. Gardening, for example, is taught at an age appropriate level at each stage.

There is an association that does that very thing - in France!

https://www.loutilenmain.fr/