To say NATIONAL SERVICE?! WT actual F?!

[BarbaraVineFan]

I mean...really?! Rishi really thinks that a plan to BRING BACK NATIONAL SERVICE will get the Tories back in? It's so ridiculous! Do you think he has in fact realised that he is shit at his job and it's actually a cunning plan to ensure that they are booted out?

Where does it say this? It says all 18 year olds in all the reports I've read, not just NEETs.

Funny he didn't mention this in his campaign to become PM 🤔

So looking at who this is aimed at, its particularly going to target young people who may not be accessing education or work due to mental health issues. How about committing to actually putting some proper funding into mental health services, instead of some mad scheme that's never in a million years going to work. Anyone who votes for the Tories because they support this will find out pretty quickly if they win that this was never on the cards.

Their other option would be to volunteer one weekend per month - or 25 days per year

It does sound as if it would be workable for those away at university, for example, because they could do their 25 days during the holidays. It doesn’t have to be at the weekend.

Here in the US, my DD did the bulk of her volunteering during the summers and I imagine that DS will do the same. As I said upthread, in our area, it’s a requirement to graduate high school so no one objects to it (no military service though, just approved voluntary work).

Im a bit surprised that some posters are mentioning the nightmare of organizing bolshy teens who don’t want to do it. I’ve never heard of that happening here, people just accept that community volunteering is part of high school.

The soundbites emanating from the Tories over this really are dripping with contempt for young people. "Living in a bubble", "this will help prise 18 year olds away from their screens ".

They really don't care about younger voters, do they? Are they just chucking this shite out to stop all the Daily Mail readers voting for Reform?

Didn’t James Cleverly say earlier it would be for all?

It does sound as if it would be workable for those away at university, for example, because they could do their 25 days during the holidays. It doesn’t have to be at the weekend.

I worked holidays when I was at uni as well as having a term time job. 🤷‍♀️

@CormorantStrikesBack So did I. All I’m saying is that the teens manage to do their volunteer hours here so I think it would be manageable in the UK.

Thankfully well never have to worry about it.

I look forward to seeing Rishi's daughters being enlisted. Or doing care work. Or more likely volunteering in one of daddy's friends' companies.

This would cost an absolute fortune paying expenses for all these people to travel to the weekend work. Especially if like in my area there is no public transportation on a Sunday . Are the government going to stump up taxi fares. Not everyone lives local to things. For example my local hospital is 8 miles away . If they aren’t going to pay them at the very least the expense to travel will need to be covered. With them cost of driving lessons people seem to be passing later and later. Or maybe they will organise coaches to take them . Again though very expensive.

@Themisthefacts That’s
an interesting point. As I mentioned upthread, where we live in the US, completing approved voluntary work is a requirement to graduate high school. I’ve recently received an email about it for DS and there’s nothing in it about transportation!

When DD did hers, we dropped her off at the homeless shelter and luckily she could cycle to the nursery. I wonder what happens if there’s transport problems? I doubt that it would be funded here.

Maybe the volunteering for people who live in areas like yourself would be focused on those areas.
So rural activities.
Cleaning up the area. Supporting people disabled, elderly etc also living more rurally.
Wildlife and environmental conservation

Wasn’t the whole point of this full scheme for young people to learn new skills? Picking up litter etc isn’t a skill. I would ask who is going to supervise it too. Or would it just be down to the 18 years old to say they did it? With the nature of living rurally there could be miles and miles between you and your nearest neighbour . Your disabled elderly neighbour who needs help could be 16 miles away so again transport would need to be provided. Thats even if the family’s of vulnerable elderly and disabled people want random unqualified unchecked 18 year olds in their homes .

So wildlife and environmental conservation then.
The RSPB for example often run events asking people to count number of bumblebees in a specific area over a period of time. Or migrating birds etc.
You get sent a pack of information and report your findings online.
For example.

We live rurally and my sons did similar activities for DofE.