National Citizen Service

[anotheoldgit]

Should this proposed scheme be compulsory rather than voluntary?

/// Every secondary school will be made to encourage teenagers to take up community service in a major escalation of a government scheme dubbed national service for youngsters. ///

/// Academies, sixth forms colleges as well as state and private schools will be required to tell hundreds of thousands of 16- and 17-year-olds to take part in the National Citizen Service. ///

/// Cabinet ministers will also be forced to report on what they have done to promote the scheme ever year while councils will be made to encourage participation. ///

/// The scheme will see teenagers across the country to help out charities and take part in community services in a scheme championed by David Cameron. ///

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/18/queens-speech-criminals-prisons-weekend-tagging-eu-referendum/

[Old_Geezer]

They can tell them what they wish as long as the pupils have the right to tell them exactly what they can do with their demands.

If a job needs doing then someone should be employed and paid to do it, not expect to get it done for free by bullying those too young to be confident and stick up for themselves. Someone may need that job to get off of the dole.

[jno]

why just teenagers? Plenty of older citizens could be encouraged/required do the same thing. They seem to have plenty of spare time to spend posting on websites. *ahem*

[mikey4444]

A volunteer is worth 10/20 pressed men AOG !

[fiction-factory]

That assumes they will all be filling, and replacing people in, existing paid posts, though, O_G. Some harities may welcome the help, although I'm not sure conscripted labour will work as well as it did many decades ago

[Islay]

Was National Service so good?

[jno]

for those who weren't killed, Islay, maybe.

[youngmafbog]

No, it should not be.

If Camoron is so keen on it then let him do it. He will have plenty of time on his hands soon.

[Old_Geezer]

Not so FF. It implies that any such posts should be paid posts. Otherwise it is taking a job from someone. Everything should be properly funded. If it is not then that is a different issue. If things were run properly then there would be no need for charities to fill in gaps where the authorities have failed to put something in place.

As for National Service, in wartime it is a necessary evil, in established peacetime a darned cheek to say the least. For those involved, some will take to it and come out a better individual, whilst others will resent and hate every minute of it and may even end up broken. Which is why it should be voluntary.

[anotheoldgit]

jno

/// why just teenagers? Plenty of older citizens could be encouraged/required do the same thing. They seem to have plenty of spare time to spend posting on websites. *ahem* ///

Most of us have done our bit, which really should be classed as a vast amount, time for some of the young and healthy to take their turn.

[anotheoldgit]

Old_Geezer

/// As for National Service, in wartime it is a necessary evil, in established peacetime a darned cheek to say the least. ///

Have you forgot the Falklands, the First Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan, didn't see the re-introduction of National Service then?

[naomi24]

I expect it's an exercise in attempting to encourage greater social cohesion.

//The schools will be made to encourage teenagers//

Doesn't sound as if it will be compulsory.

[youngmafbog]

Except I doubt those divisive and ignorant Acadamies that preach against cohesion and integration with the infidel will take part.

[RandyMarsh]

My daughter is 16 and if she is not revising she is working, she is under a lot of pressure with her A levels and the last thing she needs is to go and fish bikes out of canals.

[Old_Geezer]

I'm unsure what point you are making AOG. Islay's question was about National Service not lack of National Service.

[Ken4155]

Compulsory for the schools who will be "made to encourge" and for Cabinet Ministers who will be "forced to report". Quite rightly not compulsory for the students.

[naomi24]

Ken, I meant for the students.

[anotheoldgit]

Old_Geezer

/// If a job needs doing then someone should be employed and paid to do it, not expect to get it done for free by bullying those too young to be confident and stick up for themselves. ///

What about those jobs that most Labour councils have cut, because they can't afford to employ anyone to do them?

Whist increasing the Council Tax and giving the excuse that it is because the Government have cut their funds, even though they continue to spend vast amounts of money on non essential projects.

[anotheoldgit]

Old_Geezer

/// I'm unsure what point you are making AOG. Islay's question was about National Service not lack of National Service. ///

I wasn't answering Islay's question, I was answering your comment appertaining to National Service in both war and peace.

[Old_Geezer]

Perhaps they need to tell Central government that they aren't being funded properly. I'm unsure which non-essential projects you refer to, but there ought to be a national agreement as to essentials, and other 'nice to have' stuff funded from what's left in the budget after those are covered.

[Old_Geezer]

You were remarking on my answer to Islay's question, and I assume making a point; but I couldn't see what part you were either supporting or disputing.