Daily roundup: Kent academies, homelessness in Burnley and youth philanthropy
Neil Puffett
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Academies and concerns over school places in Kent, Burnley's homelessness problem and 40,000 young philanthropists, all make the news today.
Kent County Council has written to Education Secretary Michael Gove raising concerns about local academies refusing to take in more pupils, the Kent Messenger reports. The council told Gove that they are struggling to provide enough school places for local children becuase academies are choosing not to expand.
The number of homeless young people in Burnley has increased by 60 per cent in just 12 months, the Lancashire Telegraph reports. The paper says that rising youth unemployment and an increase in the number of parents who cannot afford to let children live rent-free at home after finishing school is to blame for the growing problem.
An initiative designed to encourage youth philanthropy has hit the milestone of having distributed £1m to local charities. In total 40,000 young people across the UK have been involved in the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) since 2007. The scheme gives teams of young people the chance to represent a local charity of their choice and to pitch to a judging panel in a bid to secure a £3,000 donation for their cause.
Guidance on improving mental health and wellbeing in communities has been published by the Department of Health. Youth mental health charity Young Minds welcomed the document, but challenged those who commission and deliver local services to move from "rhetoric to reality" and make practical decisions to improve the mental health of children and young people.
The House of Lords has backed a private member’s bill calling for a smoking ban in cars when there are children are present, the BBC reports. Lord Ribeiro's proposal would see a £60 fine introduced for the offence or attendance at a smoke awareness course. The measure would need the support of MPs to become law.
Heavily marketed alcohol is leading to children drinking at a younger age and damaging their school performance, a campaign run by Balance, the North East Alcohol Office, is claiming. The organisation’s campaign for greater restrictions on alcohol marketing to protect children and young people has now been backed by the National Union of Teachers (NUT).
