Top Issues
Find your way round the discussions by clicking on any of the issues below:
Find your way round the discussions by clicking on any of the issues below:
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Everyone on youth services
Garath Symonds, assistant director for young people at Surrey county council, claims in this Guardian blog post that "Young people have come to expect a level of service and support that we are changing under the banner of "transformation and reform". He wonders if "we could start a renegotiation of the service offered to young people."
I know you guys are very passionate about youth projects... Read more
On a recent visit to several youth projects, Garath Symonds found a generation terrified of what the cuts will mean to them
about 2 years ago
Kathy Marshall
Most seem to go without any service or support anyway, or get a useless attempt at it, so rather a lot of people don't actually have anything to lose.
Danny Muggleton
This man went on to do some of the largest cuts in any frontline service in the country. Surrey is now deprived of any form of youth service to help those that may be more vulnerable or that need support. We are terrified of cuts bought on by people like him
Why can we spend so much money on war, but cant even keep Connections open?
about 2 years ago
Jeff Mowatt
If You Google this you'll find a pitch for socia investment
"The US side is presumably attempting to foster democracy in another country, which never expressed much interest and shows little real interest now. That of course is Iraq, where recent estimates indicate a cost of $1.5 billion per week.
That same amount of money, spread over five years instead of one week, would more than" cover... Read more
Charlotte Beckett
Very interesting question, Joshuaa, and thought provoking response, Jeff. Have you guys seen the various parliamentary outreach events we have this month? You can submit a question for Andrew Stunnell MP, and there's a physical event on 21st Century activism on May 23rd if you could join us.
Mohammed Ahmed
Or AimHigher. So, so sad.
Myriam Roberts
I agree Aimhigher and Connections are more important! But the real confusing thing is that Connection advisors sometimes were classed as youth workers and some times as advisor's.
Myriam Roberts
which is why some connections workers were kept and others were removed in the big remove the youth work sector last year 2011!
Hi All
Hope you're all well.
Been a while since I posted.
Just wanted to let you all know we're still fighting hard for young people. We've been speaking to the local council, our MPs and have even manage to speak to Nick Hurd under our local MPs behalf. We're moving forward in every way possible.
We are in a very strong position at the moment. As you're well aware, the riots saw young... Read more
almost 2 years ago
Myriam Roberts
This comment has been removed by the user.
Myriam Roberts
keep up the good work of giving the government and other decision makers a balanced view of young people with in the UK!
Hi Guys,
MASSIVE opportunity to have your say here! I'll be working with Minister for Education Tim Loughton on creating a NEW youth policy for young people on monday and need some serious input from you guys on the three questions below:
The minister will be keen to know what young people think:
- is needed to help them reach their FULL potential
- Which services they feel are MOST important... Read more
over 2 years ago
Rebecca Student
More youth centers which provide enrichment activites, and things for young people to do. Learning skills such as first aid, sign lanuage, office skills, mechanical skills, things which are going to be beneficial for the future. An environment which promotes education and allow young people to receive recognition through qualifications and certificates. This would encourage and allow more young... Read more
James Butler
Surestart is the area that needs the most protection. I know you want us to talk more 16-25 blah blah blah but the most important years of anyones life is 0-4.
If a child is hooked on learning and discovering inspiration in the early years, they can carry that through for the rest of their life.
sabian muhammad
HI guys thanks for your replies.
James, I see your point about 0-4 year olds, but I cannot help but wonder that the set up of the system does in some sense stifle the natural will to learn and explore once a child enters the schooling system and that is based on my experience working in schools.
Personally, while 0-4 may introduce a child to the joys of exploration once they get into secondary... Read more
James Butler
I agree. I think some of the Early Years ideas could be employed throughout the education system.
Jennifer Blair
I'm organising a volunteer-led youth project with a tiny budget at the moment. We are working with the Supreme Court and so far the project has been wonderful (http://bigvoicelondon.wordpress.com/). However it is good for both the volunteers and youth people's personal development and professional development. Without those benefits to everyone taking part I don't see why most people would do it.
So David Cameron said yesterday he is going to give Pakistan £650million of tax payers money in aid, to help with schooling over there.
What do you think about this?
Do you think this is a good thing, that we are helping there country or do you think David Cameron could have used that money better for example to help all the services that are getting cut at the moment?
Leave a comment.
about 2 years ago
Kathy Marshall
Depends. If it was only going to be spent on something relatively useless like opera anyway, then why not spend it on teaching little kids to read, even if they're foreign?
Jennifer Stevens
I think this is crazy, yes there are children in other countries who should have a right to an education, but there are also people in our own country who cant afford to live a decent standard of life and cant afford to pay their bills because of the amount of rightfully earned money that is taken off them every pay day. Also, as we are a country in recession isn't it just common sense not to give... Read more
Amy Moseley
There's no reason why every child in this world shouldn't have the same level of education as what we do in the UK. Yes we are in a recession and I don't agree with a lot of the spending cuts, however Pakistan are a lot worse of than we are, so I can't fault the governmentfor their decision to do so.
Kathy Marshall
We're not actually as poor as politicians like to claim we are. But however skint Britain was, we'd still give aid. It's a political decision, we don't just do it out of the goodness our our hearts. Politicians do it because they think it will benefit Britain too, usually.
Demi Sharman
i think it is a good idea for our government in wanting to help out children in Pakistan but, rather than just sending loads of money they should sent out organisation too. They need to make sure that the money we give does benefit the children and not just some politiction in Pakistan.
Hey everyone!
Bit of a taboo subject here, but it's something that deserves to be talked about, i think.
Youth services to start with - locally a lot of parks are being dug up to make new houses and also a new waterfront, now young people hang around the city centers with no where to go and they get in trouble for hanging about! We need more parks and "cool" youth places to hang out so we don... Read more
over 2 years ago
Tracey Herald
Hi Rachel,
Thanks so much for your post. There's definitely a lot of anxiety about cuts to youth services across the country - and also about how far the government is actually listening to young people. This website is one way for young people to be heard - and here at v, we're hoping to collate some of the most common views and concerns of young people, alongside some of the best ideas and suggestions... Read more
Emma Chadwick
Hi Rachel
The UK Youth Parliament's Yorkshire & Humberside region are currently campaigning on the isssue of Young Carers. There's currently a bill going through Parliament to try and make it complusory for all young carers to get some support in some shape or form.
We are also working on an acreditation scheme to introduce into schools to identify young carers, along with other initiatives.
I... Read more
Rachel Anderton
Thanks to both Tracey and Emma :)
There's a lot happening here to do with Young Carers too, I'm going to Glasgow tomorrow to talk to the MSP for Policy making as Young Carers are soon to be written into the Scottish manifesto's.
Personally I feel Young Carers have to be identified at a young age so that they can benefit from services. Teachers need to be better trained in how to handle young carers... Read more
This just nearly made me cry. EVERYONE involved in spending decisions should watch it.
A volunteer from KICFM - 2 years unemployed and suffering health problems - asks: "What am I going to do when the radio station shuts down and when my counselling service shuts down... what am I going to do?"
over 2 years ago
Rui Jorge Octavio
Powerful!
On Saturday, I attended the ChooseYouth rally in Solihull; this event was brought together because Youth Services seem to have been seen as an easy target reducing public spending and thus the majority of them are being culled.
Near the beginning of the rally, there was a wonderful figure given, the £6billion (£6,000,000,000) that are by being given in banker bonuses could keep youth services going... Read more
over 2 years ago
Kate VInspired
Hey Morgan, thanks for letting us know how the rally went, I think the young lady you are talking about is in this video... http://goo.gl/D6a7r
Also one of the websites members Sabian is meeting with Children & Families minister Tim Loughton to develop a new youth policy. He wants to hear from young people about the most effective ways of including young people in the decision-making process... Read more
Have you ever tried to run a small project? Like a film-night, fun day, a debate, a skill-share.... Personally I find doing such small, simple projects can be unnecessarily complicated.
Last month I met MP Andrew Stunell with other people from Big Society’s Big Mouth and he talked about ‘barrier-busting’. He is a minister in the Department for Communities and Local Government and they have set... Read more
almost 2 years ago
Kathy Marshall
I always found it easy as long as it didn't require CRB checks...
It's almost impossible now there's no money available though.