- by Iain McWhirter
Why we should be utilizing one of
the most undervalued resources
The Leicestershire police are taking the brunt of the criticism that has ensued from the inquest into the tragic deaths of Fiona Pilkington and her daughter as a result of a concerted campaign of bullying by a gang of youths. Various recent and equally tragic cases of child abuse and murder have also portrayed the social services in a less than favourable light. Their “crime” was, in most cases, failure to recognise and respond to warning signs that the victims were in mortal danger. An inevitable consequence of living in a society with an ever-expanding public sector is that we have plenty of agencies to blame when things go wrong. So I am going to propose a possible solution. It won’t stop these appalling cases, or even help us to better understand them when they occur. It isn’t actually the principal reason why I am proposing it, but it might help to make them less frequent and certainly less likely.
Now, this is going to split my audience, but please hear me out. I am proposing that we re-visit that old chestnut – national service. However, what I am proposing is less like the military service that our fathers and grandfathers knew and more like a cross between the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, apprenticeships and a residential course on life skills. In fact it is more self-service than national service, but both the individuals participating and the nation would stand to benefit.
Every day thousands of people retire, often before they would like to. In most cases they do not have another opportunity to pass on their knowledge and experience to the next generation. There are school and university buildings, and other assets that are not used for significant periods. Billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money are being used in benefit payments for unemployed youths and for pensions. Employers are complaining that many school leavers are unemployable, illiterate or lack the necessary self-discipline, attitude and work ethic to make successful employees.
Drunkenness and teenage pregnancy are at record levels; gangs and knife and gun crime are more prevalent. The Government, fearful of an electoral backlash, respond with the usual mixture of training schemes and more laws, backed up with police targets and wrapped up with more social services.
Why can’t we just admit it? This is not working and will never work. It is not a solution but a series of temporary measures aimed at containment and designed to give the impression that something is being done. Many young people are disaffected and drop out because they are suffering from a lack of ambition. Their own expectations, and other people’s expectations of them, are non-existent, and they lack inspiration. We have all seen and heard those uplifting stories where previously unmotivated young people have been picked up by some inspirational individual or enterprise and have walked across a jungle, learnt to cook or built an orphanage. Given respect, attention and praise and made to feel part of something, if only a team with a common purpose, great results are achieved. The work that the Prince’s Trust does with young people in programmes run by professionals and volunteer mentors, is a good example of how this is working.
OK, so here’s the plan. We devise a national scheme, on a par with the establishment of the NHS after the war, in which all those leaving school participate. Those that leave school at 16 might join for a year, those leaving school after A Levels or having attained similar qualifications, for six months, and those with a place in higher education for three months. The scheme would draw on the lifetime’s experience of those retiring, giving them an opportunity to pass on their knowledge to the next generation. The facilities are readily available in schools and colleges during holiday periods. Industry and commerce, both in the public and private sector, which stand to gain most, could be involved in a national apprentice scheme. Part of the scheme could be residential, part vocational.
The emphasis should be on imparting life skills, as well as practical skills. For example, participants should have the opportunity to both give and take orders, to lead and be lead. They should have experience of planning and executing tasks with clearly defined goals, and working within a budget. There should be an element of physical exercise involved, challenges that require self-discipline. There should be opportunities to work alone, and work in teams. The life skills should range from the basic information we all need, such as how to open a bank account, how to apply for a job, how to vote in an election, how to look after your health, etc., through to how to build and maintain a group of social or business contacts. There should also be sport, an appreciation of art and culture, and an appreciation of other people and their contribution to society.
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