@ Alan Duncan
DFID Minister of State
Hello, have just finished listening to the debate in Parliament on the aftermath of the riots.
Are there any programs available for mentorship, to the at risk children in London, ones likely to turn ... Show more »Hello, have just finished listening to the debate in Parliament on the aftermath of the riots.
Are there any programs available for mentorship, to the at risk children in London, ones likely to turn to gangs. Also, for the villains involved in the riots, can there be some way in which they have to work to get the places they tore apart back up on their feet. eg: working to rebuild the devestation, alongside a solid citizen (mentor). Do these types of programmes help.? I just think that if children from an early age were to take ownership of the areas where they live, they may develop a sense of pride in themselves and the area they live in.
If we are to help single parent households then wouldnt it be a good idea to have a trusted mentor to work with the young people of the household... do youth services work in this way?
I just have a problem with only sentencing the people at fault in the riots without them being a part of the aftermath cleanup. If they were a part of the clean up, in the cold light of day they may even "feel" the destruction they caused and the meaninglessness of it.
I think we need to help defeat boredom by giving these kids many opportunities to keep busy in their local areas, teaching productivity, reaching out to help the elderly people in their homes, community gardening, painting of trashed areas etc. At the same time we are quietly teaching skills to these young people, not to mention a work ethic. Show less »