New generation: Is the future still bright?

Remember the times when you would wish you could go back to your childhood. Especially the time when you just turned eighteen, you were officially an adult; you could do whatever you wanted and not answer to anyone.  Some may have discovered a new found freedom. Oh to go back to those days with not a care in the world with your whole life ahead of you.  Well, not according to The Independent and The Times today.  Before you start getting all nostalgic and head off down memory lane, The Independent is asking the question today, who would want to be 18 today?  And as usual the papers have gone for the doom and gloom approach.

Both papers are reporting that record numbers will miss out on university places, those lucky enough to secure a place will find that they incur record debts of £24,700.  And to top it off, those leaving university will find it almost impossible to find employment as the recession bites and the older generation already in work will be forced to work longer.   I should also mention that many of those missing out on places will include high flying students with three grade A passes.  With more students applying for places than ever before, have we done that terrible thing of building up our children’s hopes only to dash them? Have we piled unnecessary pressure on them to achieve good grades for it to amount to nothing?  Or are we trying to fit square pegs into round holes?

I know for some it may even be the first time that a family member has gone to university in generations.  What was once seen as an attainment of the privileged few has been made more accessible to the many.  However, you can argue that traditional degrees in maths, science, engineering etc are less sought after, with students perhaps opting for easier options like media studies, art and photography.  The new coalition Government is standing by its election pledge to provide an additional 10,000 university places but only in subjects key to the future of the economy, like technology.

However, are all students suited to university?  What about good old fashioned apprenticeships and work placements where you could work and earn as you learn?  What about work?  There is already a shortage of skilled tradesmen such as plumbers and electricians. There is definitely no shame in not going to university and learning a trade.  Telecom giant BT announced today that they have had over 24,000 applications chasing 221 apprenticeship places.  That’s more than 100 applications for just one place!  Successful applicants will go on to specialise in information technology, telecoms or customer services and will gain a BTEC certificate/diploma or a foundation degree.

Instead of painting such a negative picture I think what we need to do is provide students with realistic solutions and options according to their skills and ability.  For some, going out into the work place might be the best option.  And yes, before we start harping on that there are no jobs out there; I think that is a slight exaggeration.  What we need to do is equip school leavers with the right skills and confidence so that they know where and how to look for a job, so that they can hold their own in an interview and have the social and communication skills to compete in the workplace.  If we can teach them that, they can make it in these challenging times, it will provide them with the experience and character building that will stand them in good stead. Students and young adults should be taught that not everything is handed it to them on a plate, but the best things in life are often those things which you have to work hard for and you’ll appreciate it even more because of it.

I also think we need to encourage our children to still aim high.  We’ve heard the quote many times “Reach for the moon and even if you miss you’ll land among the stars”.  Almost every year we read statistics at how our young people start off so well at primary school and by the time they get to secondary school it’s all gone horribly wrong.  They get involved in the wrong crowd and go down the wrong road and then well…we all know the rest by now.  I’m not saying we shouldn’t be realistic and give false hope, but we should not stop encouraging our kids to shoot for that moon.   But what we must do is help them to set out achievable goals with plenty of options.  We need to look at investing in education, mentoring and good work programs that they can respond well to.

Sometimes I think we need to give our kids a break.   We keep putting them under so much pressure.  We want them to dress well, not play their music too loud, have friends that we approve of, don’t take drugs, study hard, get good grades etc etc.  We even complain when they do well and achieve good GCSE or A level results.  However, even if they do all the things we would like and without succumbing to peer pressure, what do we do? We go and heap more pressure on them with today’s headlines.   So if on Thursday you get the university place, job or apprenticeship of your dreams, then great, well done and congratulations!  But if you don’t, look at all your options and get good advice as it’s not the end of your world.  Actually, it’s all still there right in front of you waiting for you to jump straight in, so go ahead and enjoy your life, enjoy being eighteen.

For better for worse or until pre-nupt do us part!

Another celebrity wedding, another celebrity pre-nupt.  Are we not yet tired of seeing airbrushed pictures of A, B and more often C and D list celebrities on the cover of glossy magazines?  Are we not bored to know how much was spent on a designer dress or the engagement ring or seeing grainy paparazzi photos from overhead helicopters?

Robbie Williams is the latest celebrity that will soon be gracing the covers of a glossy magazine after he recently tied the knot at the weekend, but when will the appetite be satisfied for the need to know all about the so called celebrity?  Jordan still has cameras following her every move and a recently aired show had all the details of her wedding and honeymoon to her latest husband Alex Reid.  Now I ask the question – do we really want to know? Unfortunately, it appears the answer is yes.  If people were not buying these magazines or watching these reality shows, certain people would have to go out and get a real job!

Now don’t get me wrong, I love a good marriage and having been married before I also understand when a marriage does not work out.  I take marriage vows very seriously, but sometimes I think marriage has been reduced to a bit of a freak show for whoever wishes to tune in.  All the hype is about the dress, the food, the amount spend etc etc and not enough on pre-marriage counselling and asking some basic but vital questions.  Are we suited? Is this what we both want?  A lot of people nowadays want a wedding not a marriage, which is why many fall at the first hurdle.

There are also too many women on the hunt for a man with money, whether it be a wealthy footballer or a sugar daddy.  If they don’t manage to snare them, they are more than happy to sell their stories to the nearest tabloid.  It has already been reported that Robbie William’s wife has signed a pre-nuptial agreement giving her $2m for every year of their marriage.  Now that’s not a bad return on a low investment.  What happened to walking away with your dignity intact, I’m not saying she’s a gold-digger either, but call me old fashioned, I always thought you married for love and companionship, partnership, two becoming one… maybe I missed the bit where it said in the vows – For better for worse or until pre-nupt do us part!  I also understand the argument for escapism.

Sometimes, our lives can appear so dull that it gives us some amusement to look at the lives of others, especially when things that at first appear perfect then begin to crack at the seams.

These things always challenge me to think, what sort of message are we sending out to our children, the next upcoming generation?  Have we devalued marriage and real relationships so much that there is now a distorted view of a happy long lasting relationship?  Are we encouraging our children to take time finding the right partner? Or are we painting a picture of ‘Oh well, I guess this is better until someone else comes along?’  Now I know relationships have their problems and you do have to work at them, but there are some good role models out there.  Arnold Schwarzenegger for one, has been married for over 24 years.  Barack Obama is another.  However, it appears that people want to read about gossip, salacious stories which will make headlines and sell newspapers.

I believe that whatever we feed our mind is not only what we attract, but what we become.  I would much prefer to surround myself with positive role models, not hurry come up lately’s and people craving their 15 minutes of fame.  I prefer to read about people’s accounts and life stories that inspire and encourage, how they’ve overcome adversity and challenges rather than an account of a seedy affair conducted in hotel rooms.  I’m sure there are a lot of you searching for your ideal partner, your soul mate, your rock.  Well, I hate to break it to you, but you’re not going to find them in the centre spread of a glossy magazine!

Rough justice just isn’t fair!

I have just watched something rather disturbing that has made me really think long and hard about the police force in general.  Leaked video footage filmed by a housing rights organisation has come to light about the protest of immigrant African women in France who were evicted from their homes by riot police.  Many of the women had children, some with babies strapped to their backs. Now, the French police don’t have the best reputation in the world but I couldn’t believe the level of force that was used to remove these women.  At one stage a visibly pregnant woman who was dragged and carried away by two officers was later seen lying unconscious in the street.  Another piece of footage showed a mother being dragged away on her back while her crying baby strapped to her, trailed behind in the dirt.

Now, the only thing I would say to these women is yes, you have the right to protest and I for one could argue all day long about whether babies, children or even a pregnant woman should have been there.  Perhaps they thought it would have given them more leverage.  But I challenge you to watch that footage and not be concerned about the brutality that was used to separate these women.  With all that said, should the police be allowed to get away with using such excessive force against these women?  And were riot police really necessary? They were not screaming and shouting abuse or throwing petrol bombs, they were all just huddled together trying not to get separated.  This event took place on the 21 July in La Courneuve, a suburb northeast of Paris.  The footage has only just been leaked to the press and anger is now spreading throughout France at how these women were treated.  Why has this story only now just come to light?

I hate to say this, but people have been protesting about the use of excessive force in the police for decades and what has been done about it?  Not an awful lot!  The days of video evidence seems to have done little to ensure justice is done if the perpetrator is wearing a uniform.  I’m sure we all remember Rodney King; in March 1991 he was beaten by four police officers in Los Angeles while others looked on without intervening.  We saw the video footage across the news channels of police repeatedly striking King with batons while he was on the ground.  Quite clear cut most of us thought.

However, a year later the officers were acquitted after a trial sparking riots.  Two were eventually sent to prison after a federal trial for civil rights violation found them guilty and the two were acquitted.

And who can forget Jean Charles de Menezes?  In July 2005 he was fatally shot dead by police on a train at Stockwell tube station in South London after police mistook him for a terrorist.  An open verdict followed and the family later reached a settlement with Scotland Yard in return for not pursing further legal action.

Also Ian Tomlinson, who got caught up in the G20 protests in 2009, was struck and pushed to the ground by a police officer and later died.  The officer was acquitted after there was not enough proof that he was directly linked to Tomlinson’s death.

And more recently the case of Raoul Moat who shot himself after a stand-off with the police.  I went to bed with Sky news reporting to viewers that the police would be in it for the long haul; keen to prevent further loss of life, keen to negotiate and talk him down, but when I woke up several hours later Moat was dead.  The events of this incident are still unclear and are being investigated, but questions are already being asked about the use of the unauthorised XREP taser gun that police fired at him either before or after he drew his gun on himself.

I’m sure there are many incidents like these up and down the country, in fact probably throughout the world.  This makes me ask the question, if the police fail us, then who do we have?  We all know the drill probably by now… the police have there independent enquiry, lots of questions and paperwork follow and either the case is dropped with no action taken against them and the officer(s) involved take a holiday until it all blows over.  No wonder the police have such a problem recruiting, especially from amongst the black and ethnic minority communities.  People have little or no confidence at all in the police, even more so when they have a gun in their hands.  Whether there is video evidence or not, if you or I assaulted or killed a person we would have to be accountable and more than likely face prison.  But put a uniform on and do the same and it seems as though you can hide behind the badge, now that’s definitely what I call rough justice!