I am an educated, working mother with a 14-year-old son. I am extremely passionate about our young people, and the failings of society. I work in a youth centre that caters for eight- to 19-year-olds, and their participation in our service is what keeps us going. It is a pleasure to see the young people interact with each other, and more importantly with the youth workers, volunteers and centre manager.
The lack of resources, poor structures, and threats of closure of our youth centres across England and Wales are a disgrace. Such decisions threaten vulnerable, deprived young people - and we wonder why there is so much crime.
These centres give young people a base to learn basic life skills, interact with others and extend their learning ability. There should be more money and services that focus on helping and promoting our young people. Once we equip both parents and young people with the information they need and monitor those at risk of committing crime, we will see a drop in crime and the number of young offenders.
Rather than always seeing it as issues and problems, let's work together to come up with means and ways of addressing their needs.
- SANDRA BLAKE, volunteer youth offending service panel member, Enfield, and part-time assistant, Ponders End Youth Centre
OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE?
Congratulations on a great editorial on the "troubled" opportunity card (YPN, 6-12 December 2006, p15). I was a critic of the Connexions Card from the word go, as was every youth worker I know. After five long years and more than 100m down the drain and with a less than impressive take-up rate in its target group, the card was binned.
Do we really believe the opportunity card will be any better? It is already a year late and I fear that the only people who will benefit are the IT consultants.
Let's keep things simple and spend money in ways that empower young people and allow them things we already know they want, such as places to go, and things to do.
I was encouraged when I read Jon Boagey's piece on his visit to Korea (YPN, 6-12 December 2006, p23), which informed us that, when asked, young Koreans said they wanted somewhere safe and reasonably close by where they could meet their mates and take part in interesting things to do.
Good to know that young people are the same the world over.
- JEREMY GLOVER MBE, chief executive, Bolton Lads and Girls Club
IDENTITY CRISIS OVERCOME
As a youth adviser at the Financial Services Authority, I receive a lot of feedback about how difficult it is for young people, in particular those who are homeless, to open bank accounts when they don't have passports, driving licences or utility bills.
To help stop money laundering, banks are legally required to check a person's identity before they can open an account and new guidance about what will be accepted as ID came into effect on 31 August last year.
It is now possible for banks to accept a wider range of proofs of identity, including a passport or photo-card driving licence, or combinations of documents, such as an old-style full UK driving licence plus a council tax statement or demand letter. If a young person doesn't have these documents, a bank may be willing to accept documents relating to their particular circumstances, such as a letter from a government department or a local authority confirming a right to state benefits; a confirmation of identity from a young person's workplace or educational institution; a letter confirming a person's identity from a care-home manager or warden of sheltered accommodation, or a letter addressed to it confirming their identity from an "appropriate person", such as a social worker or teacher.
In Scotland, Young Scot cards that have the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) hologram are now being accepted by Lloyds TSB Scotland as proof of identity. However, each bank has its own policy about identity checks, which it should explain. If a young person is having difficulty proving their identity, a member of staff can usually refer the matter to someone who is authorised to decide in exceptional cases.
- LINDA JACK, youth adviser, Financial Services Authority
www.moneymadeclear.fsa.gov.uk
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