Cubs, Scouts etc (split from Tesco Topic)

[Miss Marple]

Marple's own "working class hero" enjoyed a "middle class pursuit"!?

Hey that's me  DIB DIB DOB DOB ! 

[RWW]

Marple's own "working class hero" enjoyed a "middle class pursuit"!?

[Miss Marple]

I fully agree with you Chicken Lady.  I was a Brownie and a Girl Guide and a member of the GLB oh what fun we had   Oh yes and so was my mother and her mother ! 

[chicken lady]

RWW I agree with you. As an "older YP" myself (aged 56!) I think scouts and guides are fantastic, and silly comments from people here (who have probably never been involved and have ill informed and preconceived ideas) are not helpful to the scout movement. I believe there is a waiting list for some groups which says it all.

[RWW]

As an "Older YP"(which IS a ridiculous stereotype by the way) I find this attack on the scouts quite offensive. I left scouts at 14 and rejoined it at 22. They have been nothing if not generous and accommodating. Through the scouts I have been on holidays that I could not have otherwise afforded. They acted as a reference for my last job interview and have taught me invaluable people management skills along the way.
Granted not everybody wants to be in the scouts but I think they do as much as any organisation to promote responsibility in children and young adults.

I also think that demonising "young people" is part of the reason they're hiding in the park . If "older people" expect you to be a pot smoking, knife wielding, shop-lifter sooner or later you start to feel like one. Respect and good manners work both ways and most people whatever age are friendly enough when they are applied.

Having said this a youth club in Hanburys with the right facilities could be very successful. If someone more business orientated were to take that on i'd certainly be prepared to get involved

[chicky]

What about the Co-op opening up Hanburys in the evening an paying a few staff to  organise a bit of a youth club for youngsters.  We could have our community police officers involved too.  Some of the older kids could get involved and make it a bit of a community project?  I'm sure there are loads of youth workers/social care graduates looking for a new venture.   

[My login is Henrietta]

Miss Marple

Hi Scout I did not  make myself very clear I was referring to older YPs who need skills to acquire confidence and skills to enable them to gain employment. And also a youth club for older YPs to keep them out of the parks at night and give them an organised meeting point.  I spend a lot of time speaking to youth workers who say that there are no resources for older YPs in Marple, hence the congregating of youths  in the Memorial Park

The Scout and Guide movements start building confidence and interpersonal and socials skills necessary for entering the work place at a much earlier age than you are suggesting is necessary, Miss Marple.

And how do you intend making these older YPs join in the activites you are advocating? A press-gang to round them up in the park? A whip and a chair? We are not living in the 1930s anymore. If "young people" (horrible expression) haven't developed a "joining" culture in their childhood and early teens how do you expect them suddenly to join a youth club at 15, 16 etc?

[bluebelly]

what an excellent post by lisa oldham.
we had the ridge youth club, holy spirit youth club and a pool and snooker table at st marys, discos at the liberal club.

[Lisa Oldham]

most older YPs unfortunately don't want to be Scouts/guide!  Huge in Marple I know, many more YP part of it here than many other places, however rather uncool when reaching a certain age!  YPs in Memorial.  not all of them are bad you know... my kids over the last few years have spent time there.. Of course theres trouble makers.. but there are those sorts of people in all age groups and they are always in the minority .. I dont see a problem with them hanging about there... I did many years ago cos the youth facilities then were a bit rubbish too!!

Another point.. When I was 14 i started working in the Rolling Pin!  I was rubbish! dropped bread everywhere! By 15 I was working in a shop in Stockport... because I could!  Kids under 16 cant really work beyond a paper round now and I think that's a terrible shame as they are not learning the value of work and effort early in life.. or respect for the work knowledge and experience of older people beyond their family and teachers. 

I also think its a bit sad they cant get away with drinking in pubs like most of is did too!!  They don't mix and learn the <cough> etiquette of Pub life.. and instead they have to hide in the park with a vodka bottle with no adults about to tell them maybe they've had enough.

[Miss Marple]

I take your point Chicken Lady but with all the best will in the word I can not see a reformed drug user dressing up in a scouts uniform at 25    he may still think he's tripping 

[Duke Fame]

I think most will be aware that Cubs & Scouts are not elitist. The whole point of the uniform is you leave your privilage  or otherwise at the door. C&S activities don't cost much, hiking accross hte pennines cost nothing and all you need is faith in your group to help you if you needs it. It's an excellent way af giving kids a taste of hte real world.

[JMC]

Cubs/Scouts etc. are excellent. I don't consider myself middle class and i have been able to afford to send my children and we have a large family. The subs are very reasonable since they work out at only a couple of pound a week or so. Many trips with Brownies were subsidised too and the camps work out much more reasonable than a school trip. Mine have all been on camps (except the very dear ones which were about £200) and at around £30 a weekend, which you can pay in a good timeframe, are much cheaper than equivelant school trips. I admit though that i often thought there should be a way for those who really would like to join but cannot afford even the subs and uniform. I would gladly contribute and hope most parents would.

I think brabyns bike track is a great idea and the skate park at Marple. Maybe there should be more like that and a couple of youth clubs.

[chicken lady]

However I chose to move to Marple 22 years ago and we have loved it here, but life moves on, the kids have left and its time to move on, maybe to somewhere a bit more rural. You can't stop progress, Marple is not a village, it's a large town, and not really where I want to spend the rest of my life. As for Marple having nothing for young people, I disagree. Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Tennis Club, Cricket Club, Football Clubs, Rugby Club, Carver theatre, Cinema, Swimming Pool, Parks - and probably more that I don't know about!  Good lord what more do you want?

The theatre in Marple only puts on 6 shows a year so it is not of much use in keeping kids off the streets. And I realise that young people can volunteer at the theatre which can be very interesting, although I myself volunteered at the Plaza Theatre for many years until recently and left after some terrible experiences there! 

6 shows a year is one every 2 months, include the rehearsing etc and I think it would go a good way to keeping kids off the streets! when my kids were involved in gang Show (many years ago) it involved rehearsals 2 or three times on weekdays and all day sunday for a couple of months.

[chicken lady]

Miss Marple

As a scout leader I have to say that scouting and guiding is not a middle class pursuit, indeed we make many allowances for any child who wants to join where money is an issue. The same applies fpr the Rugby club, the yearly subs are low and very good value for your money, as are the cricket clubs.

Hi Scout I did not  make myself very clear I was referring to older YPs who need skills to acquire confidence and skills to enable them to gain employment. And also a youth club for older YPs to keep them out of the parks at night and give them an organised meeting point.  I spend a lot of time speaking to youth workers who say that there are no resources for older YPs in Marple, hence the congregating of youths  in the Memorial Park
I was not aware that when money was an issue groups like yours could assist low income families.  It may be a good idea if you were to set up a different post in events or whatever to advertise that assistance is given so that parents on low income are aware and can take the opportunity to enrol their child

What "older YP's" are you talking about Miss Marple? Scouts are from aged 6 (beavers) to aged 25 (Network), a fairly diverse age range I think. Guides work with similar ages. And as Scout1 says, they  are most definately not middle class and exclusive. As for keeping YP out of the parks, I hung around parks in the late 60's /early 70's (not in Marple though)- its what young people do. The youth service outreach workers stop at 7 -8pm - just the time that the young people are off out on the razz.

Perhaps Marple does need a big Tesco, it could provide much needed work experience, skills, confidence and jobs to the young people you are talking about .... just a thought!

[marpudlian]

However I chose to move to Marple 22 years ago and we have loved it here, but life moves on, the kids have left and its time to move on, maybe to somewhere a bit more rural. You can't stop progress, Marple is not a village, it's a large town, and not really where I want to spend the rest of my life. As for Marple having nothing for young people, I disagree. Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Tennis Club, Cricket Club, Football Clubs, Rugby Club, Carver theatre, Cinema, Swimming Pool, Parks - and probably more that I don't know about!  Good lord what more do you want?

The theatre in Marple only puts on 6 shows a year so it is not of much use in keeping kids off the streets. And I realise that young people can volunteer at the theatre which can be very interesting, although I myself volunteered at the Plaza Theatre for many years until recently and left after some terrible experiences there!