Albert Tatlock Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 Based on a little research, I estimate that the cost of building several key, well equipped youth development centres across the island (well run by police-checked professional staff) would probably be around the £6 million mark. Say Douglas, Peel, Ramsey, Port Erin and Castletown first. The running costs would probably be around say £800K a year. I am interested as to whether people would, in principle, support politicians if they wanted to pursue such an idea. As an example: Based on say 30,000 individual tax payers (though I know tax isn't as simple as that and there are businesses to consider etc.) this would work out at approximately an initial £200 each toward the building and equipping, and annual running costs of around £23. So over a ten year period the total paid out every year would work out at about £46 - say £1 per week. That's less than the price of half a pint of lager, and a quarter of the cost of one packet of cigarettes. These centres would be staffed and equipped to deal with say: 1. Having a place to meet with friends, 2. The negative attitude of adults, 3. Drugs and alcohol, 4. Having people to talk to, 5. Boredom and having nothing to do, 6. A lack of transport and mobility (e.g. easily accessible on a major bus route) - as well as many other issues identified in the recent UNICEF report. I'll keep it simple for the moment, and post some useful links to some other projects and studies later if there is any interest in the thread. Many of these studies suggest a tenfold return on such investments. There would also be opportunities for businesses to become involved with sponsorship which could help lower some of these costs, and for all sorts of other clubs, associations, organisations, police etc. to become involved, and of course for youths to help design and formulate such a scheme. _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pragmatopian Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 I'm all for prevention rather than cure, but the issues are deeper-rooted cultural and social phenomena that go beyond children and young people having nothing productive to do. It sounds rather grandiose, but I believe that these issues go right to the heart of how we perceive our place in the world: how we interact with our families and society more widely. Clearly, they will not be straightforward to address. I'd be interested to see the information (statistical and anecdotal) on the results of providing high quality facilities for children and young people in other parts of the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted February 15, 2007 Author Share Posted February 15, 2007 I'd be interested to see the information (statistical and anecdotal) on the results of providing high quality facilities for children and young people in other parts of the world. This is a good background information site. There is also a good report on there regarding the benefits of financing of various initiatives. In this context of 'Youth Development Centres' we are talking about dealing with the 'after school' and 'unaccounted for' time highlighted in the report. I am well aware such clubs are not the complete answer to societies problems, but they will help to act to some degree as 'substitute parents' and 'substitute mentors' for those people who (or whose children) seem to be causing many of the problems on our streets - giving them a place they 'own and run' that is safe and secure. I would envisage them as well equipped community centres too, where parents could also bring their children to meet other parents - but with areas parents were discouraged from so as to ensure 'privacy' for teenagers (e.g. many of whom would be there to 'get away' from their parents for a while and meet with their peers only). That said, they should be seen as an essential part of the community and not seen as 'places where problem people go' _. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumble Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Nice idea, but it would be a huge waste of money. Teenagers - especially problem kids who form gangs, get drunk, take drugs, breed young and indiscriminately and engage in antisocial behaviour - would never use the facility you suggest. They HAVE always hung about in packs on street corners, and always WILL. 'Nothing to do' isn't a complaint, it's an excuse for anyone who cares to listen. I don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amadeus Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Good idea and all for it, but you have to leave the parents out (of the building..). The trick is to make it a desirable place to be - not just somewhere to hang out, but a proper youth centre with added benefits. Proper planning and staffing is crucial - not just another shack or volunteer-run hut at the edge of town, but preferably a purpose built facility offering everything the playstation generation might find interesting. Used to go to one myself many moons ago, and can testify that it works - obviously not the ultimate solution for everyone, but definitely better than buying torture devices and installing them in parks. Actually, the point of having a proper facility was one of the few things all of us agreed on during the election race, and it was also one of the top priorities on the doorstep. Maybe instead of waffling on about stupid foreigners in schools, Bandwagon Malarkey could bring that issue into the spotlight and push it - public support would seem pretty certain... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wright Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Agreed. There have to be lots of activities, it has to excite, it has to be attractive Its no more thgan updating boys cubs or East end boxing clubs in a different guise BUT they must be separate from school and arenatl authority Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cambon Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 I agree with Grumble. It will never work because the very people it is designed to attract would be the ones whose only intention if they did turn up is to destroy it. Are the parents to blame? Yes, to a degree, but most parents have to work full time these days and do the best they can with the little time they have left. Are schools to blame? Absolutely, children are taught these days that they are all winners. It must be a big shock when they leave school and realise that life is competitive. No wonder loads go off the rails. Let's not forget police regulations. Under 16s cannot be prosecuted and they know it. Adults who do get prosecuted tie up police with hours of paperwork so police tend not to prosecute much of the time. Add to this the political correctness brigade and it is no wonder society is messed up. Apart from that Albert's figures do not include the seemingly mandatory 100% over spend that every project seems to incurr. No, I would rather have my half pint a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted February 16, 2007 Author Share Posted February 16, 2007 Re Grumble and Cambon - We all know what the problems are - now is the time for solutions. Maybe some will stay in the same pattern, but if an element of such centres is also aimed at younger kids - perhaps they will be discouraged from developing the same behaviour? Such centres are not just about having a physical place to go to, they are about 'learning social responsibilities' and mentoring etc. too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millman Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Yes I'm all for these "centers" you suggest. The cost is obviously for the 12 foot high concrete walls that surround them, then razor wire and the machine gun towers. However once built and any stray scrotes that are rounded up thrown in them the island would be a much better place. The running costs would obviously be for the copious amount of birch twigs required for their daily admonishments. Of course those of us without kids should pay nothing, they have to be funded by the "Breeders". If the parents can't afford it we could also throw them in there. Oh the bliss of a young muppet free existence. We could reclaim our parks and fill them with sweet old people listening to the gentle melodies of the brass bands. We can go for a promenade with our chaperoned lady companion in the evening with fear of alcopop fueled assault. We could waltz the night away with some young ruffian picking a fight with us. Yes, Yes lets build the re-education camps, sorry, youth centers now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nessa Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Reckon this would be a brilliant initiative Albert I know I always try to support such ventures as best able, and so my teen and I now have vague memories of similar ideas in two very different communities & countries which also explored similar etc One project was a small part of Agenda 21 brainstorming and indeed the youth themselves were very enthusiastic and committed once they realised their ideas, input and ongoing involvement would be respected by some of us volunteers etc Sadly however back then - this was still pretty much a grass roots initiative and it was pretty much sabotaged by bureaucrats or others with less compassion or interest in the young etc Now its probably ten years since a lot of that effort was wasted and many young people were disillusioned...and yup that very same community has much greater problems as far as oppression, deprivation and crime goes imho!! Looking back it feels like once the local PTBs and pennypinchers disregarded or *dissed* some of the needs and voices of their young .... well it didn't take long for more sophisticated gangs and criminals to step in and start sadly The other project I am thinking off was in another country and deprived area rife with youth violence and sectarian difficulties etc Adult role models were encouraged to get involved and to cut a long story short ... a center plan was funded ... and which is in the process of being built if not completed AFAIK Money for this was obtained from various fundraising efforts including finding a significant portion from outside the country where it was needed and going to be be used etc One of the big pluses then too I felt was having a core team of local adults committed to following through - I reckon this ensured support flourished locally and kept it very much in the minds of many youth and families etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cambon Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Re Grumble and Cambon - We all know what the problems are - now is the time for solutions. Maybe some will stay in the same pattern, but if an element of such centres is also aimed at younger kids - perhaps they will be discouraged from developing the same behaviour? Such centres are not just about having a physical place to go to, they are about 'learning social responsibilities' and mentoring etc. too. Institute some form of Civilian / National Service. It seems to work in Europe. It is a shame Germany is dropping it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad_Naylor Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Total waste of money, give the kids something they actually want, lets start with an indoor skate park, myself and lots of other parents, have to take day trips to Liverpool to visit Rampworx, it's expensive and cant be done much more than a few times a year, the park would also cater for bmx bikes and roller blade's, I've been to quite a few parks in the UK and abroad and have never seen a sniff of trouble, just kid's doing what they do best, having fun, but hey maybe a school from school would be nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.