The reaction to National Service on here

[MaryMaryVeryContrary]

Many European countries (including Scandinavian countries) have NS. Are they ‘ridiculous’? 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 and think the notion of them having to do ANYTHING for anyone else is insane.

It’s nuts!

All the 17/18 year olds I know have jobs.

Why should they?

The Tories have taken away their rights to live and work in Europe, a functioning NHS, the chance to ever buy a home( or even rent), having a dentist, MH support, SEN provision……and they partied whilst youngsters followed the rules during Covid.

Young people don’t own this country anything.

Thank you !! The lack of understanding and empathy about ASD on here is shocking isn’t it. Solidarity from one ASD parent to another, the possibility of National Service is absolutely terrifying !

As someone who employs teenagers at weekends I want to know if they are going to compensate me for the weekends they can no longer work. Just 1 weekend a month may not be considered much to some of you but to me that would mean at least one member of staff down at my busiest time

I’m a very compassionate person but we can’t escape impending economic problems with compassion.

Maybe we need a government that will think about need instead of their donors and who will actually provide some MH provision. There is none.

@audweb
You can do both through uni

I worked three jobs to support myself (x2 term time 1x holidays), volunteered on several projects throughout the year (Guides and activities for the elderly predominantly) whilst working hard on my degree and still did very well in the end. I just chose not to sit on my backside watching daytime TV, partying my loans away or indulging in illicit drugs like a lot of my course mates did.

I'll add I'm not entirely sold on the NS idea but the thought that "I'm a student I can't possibly be expected to do anything but study and work ten hours a week" erks me somewhat.

I agree but we should be moulding this country into the kind of place we want it to be. Saying ‘oh who gives a fuck then, just in it for myself’ won’t improve anything will it?

If you can explain to me how attacking this poster who is clearly trying to deal with a very tricky situation helps our economic problems, mate, I’m all ears.

Be exempt on those grounds. Mine has ASD and dyspraxia and is starting a degree apprenticeship, he'll need the weekends to decompress. He definitely won't be doing it.

I'll be amazed if it ever gets off the ground though, it'll be one of those head line grabbers that gets quietly shelved if they manage to get back in. Or it'll end up being voluntary or watered down majorly in one way or another.

I had less issue with the military bit which was a choice for a smallish number, might have some pay and was long enough to learn something useful and some sort of scheme encouraging people into the TA with a starting course isnt terrible for those that want to.

My ds actually does want to join the military and his response is “so they are training them for intelligence and only making them sign up for a year so if I can’t get on that then I’m never going to get intelligence”
Then I made a hilarious joke and he did not laugh. Not impressed and thinks all the cushy one year good training stuff will go to posh boys. I would say “we shall see” but this stupid scheme will never be mentioned again after July 5th.

Well that’s what the Tories do soooo….

Will they compensate the ones who work every weekend already . I doubt it . I couldn’t have survived without my weekend job wages while I was at college. At the very least they will have pay the travel expenses of those doing this free work . Can’t expect students to be out of a weekends wages and then out of pocket for travel . Especially for those who live rural and places with no public transport on a Sunday . Maybe they will organise coaches to get them to these placements but it will cost a small fortune .

Done in the right way I think I’d be quite happy for my DS to participate, and it could be helpful to him. But that won’t be the case for all, I do see that.

You’re not a compassionate person at all, in fact you are the very antitheses of it !! HTH

Which is why it’s a good job that 4th July is coming round soon

Let’s be like them, great idea!

Saying ‘oh who gives a fuck then, just in it for myself’ won’t improve anything will it?

That's the attitude our politicians have shown for the last 14 years. And now they want young people to sort the mess out for them, for free.

It’s interesting to see the quiet majority agree with me!

I know it’s hysterical!!!! The arrogance. Just no.

It the fact that suddenly they've decided a NS type future without actually thinking through how it will work and very likely to mean money for mates through forming the royal commission.

It's another "cure" and headline like the Rwanda scheme.

They wouldn't need to spend £2.5b on this if they had spent that money in the education and health system and youth services etc over the years rather than cutting it all and creating a situation whereby they feel they need. Sticking plaster for youth responsibility and mental health.

Hear hear.

It's a stupid idea. This isn't the fifties, the Tories have done fuck all for us and they now want to demand that our young people give back? I don't think so, mate.

She would do the hobby 3 weekends out of 4 🤷🏼‍♀️

That doesn't work for athletes etc. you need to train and compete where necessary and rest and complete school work inbetween.

The idea itself isn't the problem. It's the un thought out nature of it and the fact they don't have a plan but are apparently sticking to it

I worked three jobs to support myself (x2 term time 1x holidays), volunteered on several projects throughout the year (Guides and activities for the elderly predominantly) whilst working hard on my degree and still did very well in the end. I just chose not to sit on my backside watching daytime TV, partying my loans away or indulging in illicit drugs like a lot of my course mates did.

Sounds like you had very little free time. Like most 18yos in fact. What would you have been most likely do give up to do your compulsory volunteering every 4th weekend? It can’t be your sitting around, leisure or socialising time as you don’t have any so what will it be? The non mandated volunteering you already do, or the paid work you do to feed, clothe and house yourself? Or do you think the one weekend in 4 won’t apply to you? Just for other people. Losers who work in care homes but are just too lazy to volunteer with the elderly perhaps?