This is not just an affectionate picture of the girls she understands so well: "At 15, life has sudden tendencies to seem devastatingly dull." It is rich in the practicalities of organising activities for girls. They have to be involved in everything, including finances. "They must be compelled to face the difficulties of helping to run their own show," she says.
Jephcott is forthright in condemning the "ignorance and apathy" of adults, including parents: "They wish her to become a model of virtue (their virtue, of course)." Youth workers are also scrutinised. Her acerbic comments on those who "do too much" and "think too little" serve as sharp reminders of the need for acute self-awareness and a firm value system. Jephcott reminded me of the duty we have to challenge racist, homophobic and sexist behaviour, for at the heart of this book is a passionate plea for gender equality and tolerance. If workers can provide identical tools for girls and boys, then both may exercise citizenship and enter employment as equals.
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