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?

I support this scheme and yes it should apply, in some form, to all ages.

The reason most volunteers are retirees are because they have the time to be able to do it. That doesn't take away from the good they are doing. But they have the time.

Most 18 year olds are either in full time employment or working weekends alongside studying. They also don't need dictating to.

People volunteer for things they have an affinity with and that fits in their life (time and money wise). I am not talking about that. I am talking about "volunteering" that is being talked about by the Tories.

@CuteOrangeElephant the mandatory unpaid work scheme?

As an ex-nurse (at a time when the NHS was not as pressured as it is now) I can't think of anything worse than having to babysit a stream of ever-changing and often reluctant 18 year olds and try and find them something useful to do that can't cause potential harm to them or others. Yes, volunteers can of course be really useful, but they have to want to do it and it takes a while for them to find their feet so they can maximise their value.

Ooh I agree with you and I think this policy is absolutely ridiculous.

My volunteering takes up a lot of my time, but it's not an unselfish venture. I need to be doing something other than sitting on my sofa, and the people element is a positive for me.

For the record I'd say the same about a bunch of 60 year olds who really don't want to be there.

Unwilling 'volunteers' are a lot more trouble than they're worth.

Yes I'm confused by this too! Who is going to choose to go in the military for a year when you can just do alternate weekends instead. Unless they force the military on a certain level of society.

I'm against it anyway OP and it should be for all adults not just 18 - 21 year olds. A lot of this age have weekend jobs to support themselves through Who is going to make up the shortfall in their lost wages?

But why your children haven’t done it?
I know quite a few clubs for disabled children which are really need young people volunteers and always needed them. My DD attended sports club 10 years ago which was functioning 10 years before that and was staffed by young people volunteering.
Why would your children wait for National service announcement?
Im not being sarcastic I just don’t understand, there are a lot of volunteering options available and it was always the case.

I don’t support the policy and don’t think that it will happen but I think that they’ll have to be more flexible with the age since there are people who repeat a year (so age 19 when they repeat a year) and the majority turn 18 during the school year so can’t just skip school. I agree that age 18 is an arbitrary number that makes it look legitimate.

If it became policy then the exclusions would be a mile long for example I don’t think that 18 year olds who work or in apprenticeship courses should be forced to quit and disability would be a legitimate reason not to be able to do the scheme.

Schemes like this cost money and I’d rather the money go to services like education.

Doesn’t NCS happen anymore ? Expanding that sounds like the more obvious investment ?

Didn’t Cameron come up with NCS?

Let’s be frank the middle class families are desperately touting their kids into unpaid labour to get something on the CV. The charity shops are full of kids cv building desperate to say how putting things on shelves and speaking to customers makes them ideal for that spot in university. The Law Centres are full of trainee solicitors, kids are metaphorically fighting to hoover the floor of a vet practice or clean the GP surgery to say we did work experience there. How many kids desperate to stock the library at school etc. The reality is that many kids have no idea that their peers are doing all this stuff and getting a leg up. There are kids left behind and they would be helped enormously by it. So ironically the kids who might actually benefit are being benefitted by the protests of those who probably have actually touted their kids to get the ‘volunteer’ bit of Duke of Edinburgh etc.

The branding is terrible but there is some good and it could redirect and change people’s lives especially if they come from a household that does not have the sort of push that might benefit them.

So I can see some good but it seems gimmicky presented in this way.

Does anyone genuinely think the current ruling party have any chance whatsoever of actually pulling this off? Actually putting the scheme together, working out how to run it, manage the logistics?

A Royal Commission will be set up, with cross party members looking into how it could/should be implemented, possibly with a blue print from other nations who either do it already, The Nordics, or those about to.implement it, France.

It may not happen at all. But in principle I am not against the idea, but then I know lots of youngsters who do various bits of training with the military already, and it's great training, fun, and you get paid.

Oh, and you have to be fit, no caring responsibilities, etc, so most 30 plus probably wouldn't qualify anyway.

No I don't support it.

24days a year volunteering?

actually would be a good thing for a lot of young people - help a lot with “ yeah you applied for this job but you’ve not got a workplace reference “ for a start.

however the nitty gritty of getting 17-18yr olds a volunteering place for d of e was complicated and places were hard to find so they need change of that first 🤣

military call up. Of course not.

So for everyone who protests have you or have you not suggested or supported your kids into voluntary work - if so that’s the same thing in reality.

My daughter worked weekly unpaid at an old people’s home and loved it. She also worked in a charity shop unpaid and loved it. It was extremely beenficial for her and helped her come out of her shell etc.

Even my son tried to volunteer - bless him. Being actually able to volunteer is itself a privilege and to be actually wanted…my son struggled to give himself away but he had more joy on a farm.

I think that we have a feeling of cynicism because it was proposed by the conservatives where as if someone like Gordon Brown proposed it, it would be more acceptable.

So my view it’s a cynical ploy but don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.

It’s a brilliant idea .. give the youngsters a chance to make something of themselves.. give them confidence and direction and self esteem .. a better chance of a lovely CV etc
im fully behind it

I’m not sure I am against the idea of everyone being mandated to do 24 days voluntary work a year. It might(just might) help to deal with some of the levels of entitlement the general public possess. If it opens people eyes to beyond their own narrow experiences then it could have the potential to be a good thing.

That said I wouldn’t trust the current government to implement it fairly or competently.

Why is it easier to start with School Leavers?

Why not the over 50s? have work experience, majority with older children....

...and most importantly... Leading by Example!

If ever there was a policy designed to get younger people voting, this is it!

Well done Mr Sunak.

• In 2020/21, people aged 65-74 were the most likely age group to formally volunteer. 22% volunteered at least once a month and 32% volunteered at least once a year. This was down from 31% and 40% respectively from 2019/20.
• People aged 25-34 were the least likely age group to formally volunteer. 12% volunteered formally at least once a month - slightly more than half the rate of those aged 65-74 — while 23% volunteered at least once a year. This was also down from 16% and 29% respectively from the previous year.

https://www.ncvo.org.uk/news-and-insights/news-index/uk-civil-society-almanac-2023/volunteering/what-are-the-demographics-of-volunteers/

This survey was just after the pandemic, when older volunteers were more likely to have been sheilding etc and not got back to their volunteering yet. So the pre-pandemic numbers are probably more accurate.

I don't support it, but asking 18 year olds to do 24 days of unpaid work is vastly different to asking every able bodied adult to.

18 year olds have just finished school (or other training) and are generally still living at home, don't have children to support, a mortgage to pay etc.

Alternatively, the adult population at large generally have a lot more responsibilities. I have a one year old and work 3 days a week (or will do, shortly) averaging 12 days a month. I would therefore be expected to do two months of unpaid work. How can I provide for my family? If I'm working, I can afford childcare. Would my childcare be covered by the government if I was doing free work for them?

Obviously there will be one offs - 16 year old mothers or adults with a shit load of inheritance with no caring responsibilities. But generally, 18 year olds are better positioned for this.

Many over 50 have volunteered. Our society is run in the back of invisible volunteers.

But the first cohort who would be affected are not yet old enough to vote. I'm sure it's not a coincidence that the only member of our family who would be directly affected is the only one who can't yet vote.