I totally agree! The money would be better spent creating a fund for "would be" youth clubs could draw on. I'm pretty sure that by the time a child reaches 16 their character is more or less formed...it's too late! I think that YCs closed down due to the overbearing costs of having all "would be" staff screened for criminal records /insurance etc. Ignoring the fact that offenders seem devious enough to get around this by changing their names/moving to a new address and so on, Soham being an awful example. A group of us up here (Scotland) started up a Community Radio station with the aim of getting the community spirit going,programmes for older residents during the day esp. the housebound and the youngsters in the evening,the costs involved in getting all volunteer adults vetted and insurance cover are exhorbitant,probably our main outgoings and believe me the ingoings are microscopic. Now if the Government set up a fund to underwrite these we could work wonders,as it is we've had to up the minimum age to 18 unless the childs parent is present,kids don't want that do they,they want to get away from them? So yes I think the money could be much better spent!
Tony Wood ● 4826d