For more than 100 years, the Scout movement has been supporting the community, helping young people realise their potential.
So when one group in a deprived area applied for funding to help renovate a dilapidated hut which is almost as old as Lord Baden-Powell’s initiative, they thought they were in with a strong chance.
Oh, dear. You just know what's coming, don't you?
To their dismay, they were told they were not eligible for the cash – because their work does not involve drug rehabilitation for addicts or services to help young offenders.
*sigh*
Mr Lewis, 37, works with a Beavers group for children aged between five and a half and eight. He said: ‘It’s infuriating that the good kids who keep their noses clean are ignored and don’t get any financial support.
‘So much cash is made available for young offenders after they have committed crimes.
‘They will throw any amount of money at them.’
Yes. Yes, they will. And what sort of message does that send to the young of today?
No-one was available for comment at Knowsley Council last night.
I'd hope that was due to shame, but I suspect it wasn't...
Such are the expectations in this area that, on proposing a bid for EU money to help in my own area, everyone thought this was inevitably about spending on the bad guys. In fact, it would have provided playing fields, theatre and art opportunities for local kids and free surveillance cameras, wrapped up in job counselling.
ReplyDeleteI got the grant, now in action in a town up the road, as the council brought in their own scheme, which has already collapsed leaving residents paying £8 a week more rent for their surveillance cameras, which didn't help stop the drug rehab room getting trashed.
Strangely, comment on council schemes that clean up buildings is usually met with comment on 'why don't they do something about the scrote'.
It makes news and dreadful news. However Mr Lewis may be into local politics since his approach to fund raising is a trifle suspect.
ReplyDeleteThe Grants Board should have been his first port of call. There are also many generous individuals, trusts and FreeMasons who support Beavers, Wolf Cubs and Scouts.
Unfortunately, the council will be able to sleep at night for the simple reason that they don't give a shit about the scouts or what local people think. They will have based their decision not on doing what is right but on satisfying their perception of the greatest need.
ReplyDeleteI'm willing to bet that people in the scouts and similar groups are less likely to commit crimes?
ReplyDeleteThats where the money should be going, not to those who are already criminals.
Crime seems to get you all the goodies that you can't afford, and not because you nick them, because the government gives you them in the hope that you wont commit more crime. Yeah right.
The Scouts fall foul of the "White, Middle Class and probably militaristic and/or racist" ban. My own Group applied for lottery funding under a "Youth and Communities" grant and got kicked back in favour of Prostitution and Drug Projects. Told the Group to put up a Red Light and see if it makes a difference! Many of these grants etc. are used more for social engineering purposes than actually benefiting the community itself. In general it is the old story, break the law and get everything given on a plate.
ReplyDeleteProgressive policy is designed to reward depravity and mock the civilised.
ReplyDeleteI hate to sound like a Guardianista Sandal Wearer but why should a Neo-fascist paramilitary youth group be consider more worthy than ,say, drug taking single moms?
ReplyDelete...and yes I was a scout.Being able to tie a half hitch or knowing all the verses to "Michael Rowed The Boat Ashore" has not helped me reach my potential.
..although getting to shag Akela (female)behind the Scout Hut did.
"Such are the expectations in this area that, on proposing a bid for EU money to help in my own area, everyone thought this was inevitably about spending on the bad guys."
ReplyDeleteThose sort of schemes never seem to collapse, do they? Or is that more of the failure to admit defeat?
"The Grants Board should have been his first port of call. "
Yes, and there are various other organisations. The Petchey Trust does a lot of good work in this area.
"Unfortunately, the council will be able to sleep at night for the simple reason that they don't give a shit about the scouts or what local people think. "
True... :(
"Progressive policy is designed to reward depravity and mock the civilised."
Indeed, it certainly seems that way.
".Being able to tie a half hitch or knowing all the verses to "Michael Rowed The Boat Ashore" has not helped me reach my potential."
No. But it hopefully taught you teamwork and gave you an ordered structure, something a lot of children are missing in their lives.
" But it hopefully taught you teamwork and gave you an ordered structure, "
ReplyDeleteMaybe but most of all it taught me:
*that I have a problem with authority,
*that I don't take orders well
*which of the older Ranger girls was 'up for it'.
*that no one argues with a bar of soap in a sock.
(btw this troop was in the Rural Norfolk country-cide, which probably explains some things)