Just got a leaflet through my door from david cameron - I didn't realise they are planning to bring back NATIONAL SERVICE for 16 year olds

[serengeti]

I think this is a terrible idea.
Ay thoughts?

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Any thoughts??

I don't think its THAT bad an idea, but I didnt vote Tory anyway

Erm, didn't you miss all the kerfuffle about this a couple of weeks ago? They even dragged out Michael Caine out to endorse it

I was actually chatting to DH about this the other day and tbh, although he disagrees with the forces having anything to do with it (he's an army officer and thinks only people who want to be there should be there), we both feel that a community service type National Service would be really good. In Germany, they can either do the army thing or social care and I think the social care (doing community gardens/helping in soup kitchens/working in charity shops/working in residential homes) would make a huge difference to younger people. The country's youth is going wayward and has been for the last 10 yrs and something drastic needs to be done. I don't feel safe going anywhere at night and so don't and I live in a very lovely market town. I dread to think how I would feel living in a big town or city. Young people need boundaries and they've pretty much lost them. we need to create a country where people aren't afraid to leave their homes for fear of being mugged etc.

I am kind of in agreement with it, but it depends what kind of national service. I have quite a few friends from other countries who did it in their home countries - it may not necessarily be things like going to war (sucks. A few friends did military service, some up to three years), but could be things like community volunteering, teaching kids to read etc. etc.For some Austrians I met, they were sent overseas to work in an old people's home for a year. Worse things have happened to 18 year olds.

Yep missed it- stuck in new baby land so just watching snippets.
Cor blimey.

A voluntary National Citizen Service scheme.

And Cameron hasn't just put it in the manifesto. He has set up a successful pilot programme with charities.

Sounds like a great idea to me.

Voluntary? - doesn't say that in his election leaflet.

Great

I agree with it.

Would do our country the world of good.

Well, my 16 yo youth is most definitely not wayward or lacking boundaries, so I think there's a big problem in any kind of generalisation about what "the youth of today" needs. I agree some young people are a problem, but so are plenty of adults.

yeah, those 16 yos will the the ones volunteering emptying the bedpans in your local hospital next summer.

Seriously?

Where's that popped up from - I've not heard any mention of that before.

Amum, I don't think it's anything to do with thinking that all young people are wayward - for me it's more about bringing back a sense of social cohesion and community, and bringing different generations together.

Reading a very interesting book (21st Century Boys) about how this has been lost.

If it is just to be used as cheap labour then I definitely don't agree, but it could be so much more than that and would benefit all young people and beyond.

My thoughts exactly muminscotland.
another year of supporting financially, delaying university and earning etc etc.
Surely those who would benefit from it most will not volunteer?

Ahh yes - all part of his big society idea. Cut public sector pay and get 16 yr olds to do it for free!

I think that wayward or not, all teenagers could benefit from this, contributing to the running of the country by doing either military or social work would hopefully give them a sense of usefulness, help them to gain lots of new skills and confidence. I can't see how it could be a bad thing really.

Eddie are you referring to the sense of community and social cohesion that the 80's ripped out of so many towns and villages?

For heaven's sakes, it's not a year, it's a few weeks in the summer holidays between GCSEs and A-Levels.

Most of that time is spent locally - only a couple of weeks at the most are away from home.

Amuminscotland - I was obviously generalising and I know there are many young people who aren't like that. But even for the very lovely, good natured young people who wouldn't say boo to a goose, I believe that national service would not only help the nation but would help the young in many ways - not just to prevent them from turning to crime etc but to give them different values, help to show them a different way of life and to make them a less selfish person. This isn't implying that all young people are selfish; you can be a lovely person but still not appreciate what some don't have.

Absolutely foxytocin - society was destroyed in this country in the 80s and we desperately need to get it back. I'm not sure if this is the way, but we need to do something .

It's voluntary, won't involve anything military but might involve ex-army people who can no longer fight (due to injury) helping out. It would probably be in the style of the old 'Boys Brigade' (similar to cubs/scouts) but only more higher profile.

Oh, and I wouldn't want it to be connected with the military, but that's cos I'm a pacifist.

Sorry - completely not involved in election as am overseas longterm and ineligible to vote, BUT if it's such a great idea why not make it part of the school curriculum in some way?
I did community service (OK, as a way of getting out of Games ) in 6th form and loved it (involved going to talk to an old lady every week for 2 hrs), but I guess it could be expanded so there were different things to choose from...

Hmm I mean community service, of course, not military service (though I guess for those who wanted a kind of cadets thing could be organised??)

I think its awful and dont want my little man to do national service. Stupid pillock cameron.