To be baffled at Rishis National Service Plan

[frankentall]

I have never voted Tory and don't intend to start at this election. Maybe it is due to my late father who did National Service who was vehmently opposed to it, but even allowing for the idea - surely it simply isn't practical. How has he cooked up such a batshit idea?

he hasn’t got 2 brain cells to rub together so has asked a right wing think tank to come up with some ‘bold’ ideas, and this shit show was the best they could manage.

It wasn't just national service but volunteering in your community... why it's that a good thing?

Going against the grain here, I am all for it in principle.

@WinterMorn why do you like the idea? Not being facetious, I'm genuinely interested 🙂

They’re back tracking already, it’s a load of nonsense

Volunteering isn't a bad call , I think it's the National service idea that has riled people more
The idea of making people do something they don't want to. The military probably arn't keen on the idea either and think it's bonkers.
NS was stopped in the 60s for being too expensive, so goodness knows what it would cost now ( 2.5 billion I read yesterday? )
It feels a bit cobbled together even if it did happen to work for some people it's aimed at.

It’s very simple. This policy is designed to persuade retired Daily Mail readers to vote Conservative instead of Reform. Nothing more, nothing less.

Even Nigel Farage thinks this is based on focus groups, not on what the military needs or wants.

I am happy to answer 🙂 I think it will offer skills, purposeful activity, opportunity in certain fields and experience. It will be great for university and job apps, as well as giving a foot in the door and a sense of involvement. There is a horrible, pervasive selfishness in society today and this will at least be a start in fostering a sense of community and the concept that there is more to life than personal wants and needs.

It seems to be a very half baked idea that is definitely just for votes.
£2.5bn could be better spent on supporting apprenticeship schemes and Mental Health services, surely that would be better for young people?

Because he’s a desperate twat trying to appeal to a certain type of person.

The military are against it. They know it will take further funds from them and why on earth would they want a load of young people who don’t want to be there?

You can guarantee he’ll find a way to ensure that his kids don’t do it.

I’m not retired, wouldn’t dream of voting Reform and read a variety of different news sources, online and print.

@WinterMorn i agree that there is a horrible, pervasive selfishness in todays society but I don’t see it in our young people. I see it in our current government and I don’t think that’s his target for NS

If you actually read the details about it, it’s nothing like the national service our elderly relatives did back in the day.

I think it cuts across every demographic to be honest. I think MP’s should participate in this scheme too, it would do them the world of good!

Many European countries (including Scandinavian countries) have NS. Are they ‘batshit’? Or are their much-coveted-by-Mumsnet-users communities better because of their sense of individual responsibility and contribution?

If 24 days (that’s how long it would be in total) of delivering prescriptions or volunteering as a hospital guide has you talking about human rights violations and Nazi Germany, then it’s very clear that you’re so pampered a bit of NS would do you good.

Everyone on here expects the world in terms of a ’village’, generous benefits, a caring society, but wants to do fuck all to contribute to it. It’s wild.

@frankentall maybe a read of the other 350 threads about this started in the past 48 hours will unbaffle you.

as a requirement to graduate all three of my kids had to do work placement.
in this case the schools found the placements.
somethings that young people were already doing counted towards the required hours (sports coaching and or part time jobs).
both my boys did their hours at a fish hatchery clipping fins.
it was just something to add to the resume and no negatives from the experience.

Actual National service was cancelled by the Conservatives after 6 years as it was too expensive. This ill thought out nonsense is something else. Choose either a year long military service - None of the armed forces want this or can afford to train people only to leave in a year. Or choose Community service one weekend a month in the police, ambulance or cyber security services. Who is going to baby sit these volunteers? Not to mention small issues like what about people with kids, people who have a job already, people who work shifts, people with disabilities. Wont they need to pass a dbs check? What if they don’t - they not have to do it then? How will it be enforced- will there be penalties for not doing it and what will they be? It’s hard enough to enforce court ordered community service and compliance is low there. How much will it cost? This will die a death before it gets anywhere near passed - not to mention the Conservatives are out in July anyway.

🔈 ITS NOT JUST MILITARY SERVICE, READ THE BLOODY ARTICLES 🔈

Because if mandatory it isn't volunteering, just unpaid labour.

Here's an idea....
Actually promote the already existing NCS scheme and extend it to the whole of the UK.
Make the age for it start lower (basically 12 - end of Year 7) and incorporate some of it (especially the volunteering) as part of the school curriculum.
Child can take part as many times as they want from 12 - 18.
From 16 they could choose to be junior leaders for the younger ones.
In theory that means at 18 every child will have taken part in a scheme that gives them confidence, skills and some volunteer/community experience and can enter the adult world with confidence.

I KNOW I TALKED ABOUT. COMMUNITY SERVICE AS WELL - READ THE POST

Compulsory volunteering isnt volunteering.
Who wants sulky teenagers that don't want to be there in anything to do with vulnerable groups

People seem to be concentrating on the military side but only 30,000 places on offer and I think you have to apply for them, so would only get the ones who want to do it.

@Needmorelego that would have been the better option or promoting and supporting DofE