Nuisance kids

Hi all. I'd like your opinions if I may please.

We all know from the media, and sometimes from first hand experience, that some kids (and young adults) can be a real nuisance. I would dare say that most kids are good kids, and even most of the bad ones have the potential to be good kids. I have a couple of ideas about what's gone wrong, but I'd like to hear what you all think. Please bare with me while I explain my point of view, and my idea as to what we could do.

Thinking back to my childhood and teenage years, which wasn't that long ago really, I remember that all my spare time was taken up with either me larking about on my BMX or skateboard in places where we didn't really bother anyone, or at my karate club where all those teenage hormones got worked off in a controlled environment. I was never any bother to anyone.

Nowadays things have changed. The council owned public BMX tracks have all gone (presumably because of health and safety concerns), signs saying 'No Ball Games' have sprouted up at just about every public open space, there are signs popping up everyone saying that the coppers can move you on if you are in a group of two or more, we have devices in town centres that emit high pitched sound to drive kids away, we automatically distrust and try to exclude kids and young adults from everything we can get away with.

Basically it is gradually becoming illegal to be young.

I think this probably compounds the issue of growing numbers of anti-social kids, because kids learn by example, and if people treat them with contempt then they will treat others with contempt. Also we all know that if you tell kids often enough that they can't do this and can't do that, sooner or later they'll just do this and that regardless.

So what are people's thoughts on that? I'm not some super liberal beardy by the way (although I do currently have a beard ), I recognise that some people are just pure bad, but I think most are just off the rails.

Now here's my idea. I thought about creating a website to promote all kinds of clubs and activities for youngsters of specific age groups in their own areas, along with things like college courses, event info etc. I thought I would do a very basic one and gets some younger folks to take it over (under my guidance at first), with the ultimate goal of it being something run by youngsters, for youngsters. I can do all the technical stuff, but I'm not sure where to start in terms of who to aim it at, what kind of stuff should be on there etc. My goal would be to get kids to take up as many opportunities as possible to get into clubs, sports, to socialise in a way that won't get them an ASBO etc.

I have no specific questions for you all, just really looking for people's thoughts on all this.

Cheers

 

As a Mum to a very bored nearly 15 yr old I would say-give the guy a medal.

Well done for seeing past the cr*p that the media thrust down our stupid throats.

If you don`t look after the boy how can you appease the man ( girl/woman)?

Let`s assume they aren`t going to rob you eh? Let`s assume they are just younger versions of yourselves.

 

My view is that up to the age of about 10 or so, children are exactly what they have been trained/brought up to be. If you see problem kids, they have invariably been brought up that way by problem parents living in a problem society. Sometimes the parents are not nice people who don't care, but sometimes the parents can be nice people who aren't aware of the damage that is caused by their actions, for instance too much freedom.

I wish you success in your endeavors - but its a big area.

 

Good ideas you have there Clueless. I'd add that kids don't need that much encouragement to go out, have fun and find their own entertainment, if they're allowed to. Providing younger kids with a puddle of water and some wellie boots is just as entertaining for them as an expensive video game.

We also need to let them be children for longer. That's the harder bit and what needs looking at too. But as we I don't have children and probably never will, I am not in the best place to advise!

 

I know my idea (that's all it is so far) will take a lot of work. I also know that it won't be a panacea for all of society's ailments. It might just help a handful of youngsters to do something that boosts their confidence a bit. If it does, then it worked

Basically, its all still in my head at the moment. In fact asking you lot for your opinions is just the first step in making it happen.

 

I think your idea is a pretty good one Clueless1. In our local area there is no central resource providing information on what activities or courses are available for youths. Setting up such a resource would be no easy matter as there are a number of things you would have to take into consideration. For example if you give web space to promote an activity how will you, or will you, vett the organisation or individual providing the activity ? You may also have to participate in a 'disclosure' check (I'm not sure about the current terms or legislation particularly in England) if you are going to work with children.
Bottom line - a very good idea, but you'll have to do quite a bit homework before you start setting things up.

 

See as somewhat a "youngster" I can say that the idea IS good, but the type of people that would use/run the service aren't the people who'd benefit from it. If I was in my teens, knew you and you turned round to me and said "Hey Dan, fancy running a website for social activities and events for teens?" I'd jump at the chance. The problem is, I wasn't one of these "problem" youths, my alcohol intake was non-existent til I was nearly 18, I didn't hang around on street corners. I mainly socialised with friends at my own or their homes, it just made sense to me.

Also I'd like to state that there are still quite a few bad youths about, for example a couple of years ago (i'd have been 21/22 at the time), someone threw something at my car as I was driving past. I pulled over and got out of the car to check the damage, where a group of around 8 or 10 youngsters (I was later told of ages ranging from 12-17) walked over to me and attacked me. Like a idiot I hardly fought back (this is due to my dad telling me if I hit someone i'd probably kill them due to my size), so they easily overwhelmed me and I was unable to protect myself beyond burying my head in my arms as I laid face down on the floor while they stamped on the back of my head.
While I was unconcious they noticed my missus trying to phone the emergency services in the car, because she had thought quick and had locked the doors as they had me on the ground, the youths tried to smash the windows to get at her.

So yeah I know there are good kids, but in the same way its not just the media falsely reporting about bad kids...... but I'll agree that there will be much exageration.

 

I couldn't vet them all. The plan would be to enlist trusted individuals to take care of keeping everything above board. I'm not entirely sure how I would find and enlist these trusted individuals, but I'm sure with a bit of brainstorming a way could be worked out.

If some authority wants to do a criminal records bureau check, or other background checks on me, I have no problem with that. However I don't intend to really work with kids, certainly not in person (although I wouldn't rule out the occasional meeting if it was appropriate).

Basically, I see my role in this project someone who merely guides it through its fledgling stage. As it develops, I would step further and further back from it and relinquish more and more control over it to the people that it is for, ie the youngsters. Ultimately I would hope to hand over ownership of the web space and all the code etc to someone else, perhaps an organisation like SureStart or some such entity.

I've got the technical skills to do the site, but there are many many youngsters who are budding programmers and web developers. Some of these people could take over the maintenance and ongoing development, maybe with some sort of committee to keep an eye on what they do. This would mean not only that the project would evolve in a way that its users want, but it would also help them to learn to work collaboratively, help them build their technical skills and give them something to put on their CV. Of course not everyone will be interested in the technical side. Thats fine too. There will be loads of tasks for graphics and audio people, writers, and whatever else they want on there. Then of course there will be those that just use it without contributing to its development. That's good too.

It will be kind of like open source, but not quite as open, in that there will be someone, or some committee overseeing it all to make sure it remains fit for purpose.

 

Clueless I think you are barking up the wrong tree it's not the kids that need to be the focus of your enthusiasm it's the parents and their lack of parenting skills and couldn't care less attitude,there is plenty going on for kids these days lots of clubs and activities they are not encouraged to join them,kids are just let out to wander the streets and inevitably they join gangs and get up to mischief and criminal wrongdoings,I am out in the early hours (around 4am) and see groups of youths no older than 15 or 16 usually on bikes with no lights up to no good where are the parents? why do they not know were their kids are or what they are up to? why are the police not around to find out and confront the parents of these ferals? I live half a mile from were Garry Newlove was murdered his wife has been fighting a campaign to change things and has had lots of support it will trake generations to make a difference, good luck with your endeavours.

 

I think there are plans to look at this. But more police will be needed for this and our tin pot Home Office replace police with "community officers" who cost almost the same but have far less powers on the street.

 

Thanks for all the useful comments so far. Keep them coming

DiggerDan: Sorry, I didn't see your post about the gang of youths until after I'd posted up a reply to another post. It sounds horrendous. Certainly you do get people like that, and I reckon those sort are probably more for the coppers and the courts to deal with, but there are kids who are merely bored and frustrated but are not brutally violent thugs. It is the latter group that my project would be aimed at.

JWK: I like the comment about some people kicking up a fuss about being CRB checked. I wonder why that is. I have no problem being checked because I know it will come back clear.

@Everyone: Thanks all. I have read all your posts and taken them on board, even if I haven't specifically replied to them all.

 

No worries, yeah kids are just like days sometimes you have good ones, other times you have bad ones.



But yeah like I said before, I give you plenty of credit for getting the idea in the first place and when its executed it will probably help some kids. Even if it just stops a couple of kids getting into trouble, its worth while.