If you agree with the so called National Service proposals

[Outdoorsygirl1]

Would you still agree if it applied to everyone over 18 not just 18 year olds?

So everyone able bodied over 18 had to either complete a year in the military or undertake 24 days of unpaid work.

If not then why not?

Yes please call it what it is.

It's unpaid work.

Volunteering is by definition voluntary. I'm most certainly not against volunteering.

However if the government want us to complete unpaid work, then we should all do it.

You don’t quote when you’re replying to multiple people and perspectives on an ongoing thread, instead we expect that people can sort for relevance and follow the conversation as a whole. Hope that helps.

For everyone?

So, those people saying they would do it, assuming you don't already, why don't you?

There are lots of opportunities to volunteer already.

Why not force people that are retiring into "voluntary" service for a year. Just a year tacked on after they retire. Considering it's mainly that generation that is in favour of these plans let's see if it's still so important to them.

A better policy would be for all adults to be called up for some form of community service, the you are for jury duty.

Picking on 18 year olds is just there to appeal to the Conservative grey vote who may be tempted by Reform.

A bit late for the Tories to start preaching about society now after everything Thatcher said and did.

I said exactly that to dh.

Do it like jury service where you get called up for a set number of weeks.

But the truth is it's a gimmick.

It's never going to happen.

This is the Tory party's My Lovely Horse moment.

Yes I'm interested to know this.

Myself and my son both volunteer. Parkrun, litter picking at the local park, a bit of sports coaching.

Those who don't volunteer but support these proposals. They themselves should pull their finger out.

I’m sitting on the fence a bit but this quote sums my opinion up better than I can express it.
I joined the navy at 17. Best time I ever had. The disciplines have been my mainstay for the rest of my life and I’ve been glad of that at times since.

I reckon for those who don’t fancy the Forces, the idea of volunteering is a great idea. Whatever the outcome I believe there’s nothing wrong with character building experiences, especially when we’re young.

I actually have no faith that the Conservatives will carry it through if re-elected which makes me think it’s a bit of a gimmick anyway.

Of course a lot of people could benefit but in the same way, a lot of people with mental health problems would find this was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

It won’t happen anyway as the bureaucracy alone would be astronomical.

100%

Unless they are in full time education or a full time job

And it's not just about the foces, it Volunteering with fire, ambulance and police services as well.

I'm an officer in the Army Cadets, the children I look after are amazing, their confidence goes through he roof, the skills we teach them sets them up for life, first aid, teaching skills, dofe, team work, leadership skills etc

I give 4 evenings a month running a unit, plus weekends, annual camp, training days, admin days etc as well as working full time and I've been doing it for 14yrs.

I don't agree as it won't apply to everyone. University students won't be able to do even the once a month weekend work as most students have part time jobs and don't have the time. And the daft idea that parents would be fined if their child didn't do it. They are 18 and an adult so that is ludicrous. The alleged 2.5 billion it would cost is better spent on NHS, levelling up and reopening youth centres etc.

But those kids want to be doing it. That's the difference.

Don't be so ageist. I am a late boomer as are most of my friends and we all think it is a fucking stupid idea.

I quite like the idea. It'd give 18 year olds some work experience to put on cv's. I think it should be rolled to all under 30's on benefits also and then to all aes on long term unemployment benefit then to all. I already do more than 24 days a year volunteer work so no problem there. My teens aren't particularly against the idea.

Is that what they're saying that the parents will be fined. Hilarious.

Might have helped if you'd quoted me, then I'd know you were replying to me!

If the NHS/fire service/police need staff then they should pay staff. I've worked as a HCA with people who clearly don't want to be there. It's awful. They do the bare minimum. It makes my job twice as hard.

Why under 30s? I don't understand why there should be an age put on this.

@IClaudine the policy itself is ageist! Obviously not all boomers support it (thank god) but I bet most people who do support it are aged 55+.

The vast majority of volunteers are retirees. Most of us don't need dictating to.

@saraclara do you have figures to back that up? I work (paid) for a charity and almost all of our volunteers are actually aged between about 17 and 25 or so.
But they are volunteers nobody is forcing them!
Would you like to be forced to volunteer? Maybe in something you're not interested in? Im going to guess you wouldn't.

More as a place to start the rollout as they are less likely to have children, obviously depending on area. I have no problems with it being all adults.
A handful of adults do multiple jobs on a voluntary basis in all my children's sports clubs and this would see the load distributed across the board.

Training and managing volunteers is a vast amount of work. It's only worthwhile because you're doing it for people who actively want to be there and so become helpful.

I can't imagine doing all that it requires, for a bunch of 18 year old who really don't want to be there, and are consequently liable to regularly just not turn up, consequently making everyone's life harder.

I agree the policy is ageist, but that doesn't make ageist comments ( and there have been plenty about teenagers as well as older people since Sunk announced this stupid policy) acceptable.