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AIBU?

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Original poster

to think Camila Batmanghelidjh is fucking awesome?

448 replies

bejeezus · 04/07/2012 10:50

I saw her talk on a news programme last night...

shes so composed and articulate, and clear-sighted and insightful and compassionate and calm and stylish and unique...

and the work she does/ what she acheives is OUTSTANDING..

heres a link to her wiki page...but it doesnt do her any justice

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camila_Batmanghelidjh

OP posts:
mayaswell · 04/07/2012 17:49

Aha exotic exactly - deeds not words.

I'm always shocked by the attitude of parents at our C of E primary when they find out that priority is given to children in the care of the local authority. Like they did it tactically!

sarahseashell · 04/07/2012 18:11

yanbu she is the most amazing and wonderful woman

hardboiledpossum · 04/07/2012 18:49

I think she is wonderful. She is partly the reason why I want to be a child psychotherapist.

exoticfruits · 04/07/2012 19:01

Totally shocked, mayaswell, that anyone could think that looked after children shouldn't come first in all catchment areas. We should be very thankful for people like Camila Batmanghelidjh.

JamieandTheOlympicTorch · 04/07/2012 19:03

She is inspirational. She will back children no matter whether she has to say the unpopular things.

Foshizzle · 04/07/2012 19:06

Agreed, I think she's amazing.

Nanny0gg · 04/07/2012 19:13

I've heard her speak too, some years ago.
She is absolutely wonderful.
Why Kids' Co isn't modelled in every major city I don't know.

Gibbous · 04/07/2012 19:52

YADNBU. She is an inspiration and a role model. I heart her. There should be more like her.

And she is stylish imo, not necessarily in the fashion sense (depends whether that's your bag), but in her demeanour. She has style.

www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/video/2010/jun/05/child-criminal-camila-batmanghelidjh

Original poster
bejeezus · 04/07/2012 21:48

She is all style and class

exotic what was that thread? People not agreeing that kids in care should have priority school places? Really??

Can you link to it?

OP posts:
theinets · 04/07/2012 22:12

She's a New Labour luvvie and irritating self promoter who's become fat on the quangocracy.

everybodysang · 04/07/2012 22:30

I know some kids who'd disagree strongly with you. Can you back up that bollocks statement?

civilfawlty · 04/07/2012 22:33

I have met her several times through work and she never fails to be incredible. If the world had a few more of her it would be a great thing...

tethersend · 04/07/2012 22:45

Am Shock at that thread too, exotic- can you link?

lovebunny · 04/07/2012 22:58

she's certainly impressive the first few times you see her. but she does things her own way, regardless. if everyone did that there would be a lot of robust individuals and even more lying metaphorically steam-rollered in the metaphorical road.
i say batmangayly. hehehe. oh dear.

AitchNotHaitch · 04/07/2012 23:02

She is AWESOME and you are AWESOME too for spelling her name right. Spelling hero, whooot! Grin

Stellarforstar · 04/07/2012 23:02

I have never heard of her, and I think I really should have.

TheSpokenNerd · 04/07/2012 23:03

Yanbu. I used to live on the estate she started with and she had her work cut out!

I will also never forget one Christmas...in the run up...sitting on a bus from Peckham into town and two little girls of about 13 sitting at the front singing a song about KidsCompany to the tune of some Christmas carol.

They were discussing the vouchers they'd been given for Christmas...TopShop, Claires, New Look and what they'd buy. I think she's a bloody saint and so Realistic. Those kids were so excited and happy.

Original poster
bejeezus · 05/07/2012 01:02

Ive just started reading her book, and wanted to share this quote with you;

none of us can live believing that society is the sum of one individual's capacity to meet his or her own needs. somewhere, your selfishness would suffocate you, it would take from you your struggle to hold onto your humanity for yourself

OP posts:
exoticfruits · 05/07/2012 06:57

A couple of you have asked for a link but I am not very good at doing them on my iPad - if you go to 'education' it is under 'grammar schools 'a think' piece'. There are over 500 posts and it is towards the end - I see that I even mentioned Camilla Batmanghelidjh - I hadn't read her book - but I was saying that it was extremely selfish to have your child at a fee paying school and not like the idea that local authorities would pay for places for a few looked after children ( it is a proposal put forward).

HarlotOTara · 05/07/2012 07:17

Totally I am full of admiration for what she has achieved with damaged children. I agree with all that she has written and spoken about and her book 'Shattered Lives' is excellent in explaining the shit some children live with. The chapter about the effect of abuse on developing brains is excellent.

Himalaya · 05/07/2012 08:09

She is great and a complete one-off.

I think that is why Kids Company isn't modelled by other Councils around the country. Kids Company is Camilla. You couldn't pay another professional to work the way she does and to love the kids the way she does (and in fact Kids Company burns through professional staff quite quickly).

There is the same thing with finances. She is great at raising money from different sources, but it means that no body really knows the full cost per child of the service they offer. I think if you added it up properly most Councils would say "we just can't afford that".

Nancy66 · 05/07/2012 08:29

I think what she has achieved is phenomenal - however i wish she loved the limelight a little less.

OhDoAdmitMrsDeVere · 05/07/2012 08:38

I think she is brilliant.
She loves the children who appear unlovable.
She is not swayed by the moral panics about feral youth.
She sees children for what they are ...children.
Children who have been screwed over by their parents, the system and everyone else who should have done better.
She does not separate children in to innocent or evil (or ours and someone else's)
She doesn't give up.
She cares about children who can't even recognise they want to be cared about.

what she does appears to work but it doesn't fit in with this and the last governments view of what disadvantaged children need so she is constantly fighting to keep going.

That's what think

Bossybritches22 · 05/07/2012 08:48

I think she's bloody marvellous even if she is mad as a box of frogs-in a totally unique & lovely way I mean!

She is a tigress when it comes to the kids she works with & is well thought of amoungst the community she works in-some local officials / authorities think she's a PITA though which is as it should be!!! Grin

GlassofRose · 05/07/2012 09:16

Suprised to hear of all the worshipping of her tbh.

She does and has done some amazing work ie. Kids Compant... but she also spouts a lot of nonsense drivel.

In fact after the riots she made a stupid remark on question time about the reasons youths of Knightsbridge didn't take part in rioting. I can't quote it because I can't remember it word for word but it showed that she didn't really understand the difference in morals and upbringing in different communities.

I think Camila is part of the awful brigade that create the too PC nation we have where people become too afraid to sing Baa baa black sheep.

Fucking awesome? Nope