Category Archives: Zzzz … Old Stuff

ASBO Baby – Excluded at six months

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Slight problem. We took Indianna to the childminder for the week to try and get her ready for Lori’s return to work next week. However Indi had other ideas, she cried at every session and would not eat or drink. Picking her up yesterday we were informed they could not accomodate her next week. This means Lori had to cancel her return to work. Whilst this is good in that Lori gets to stay with Indi we could have done with the income. So plans for the day van are on hold but hopefully it will give Lori the time to do some more writing and look after asbo baby.

relationships of equality

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Yesterday Iain (BCYM) was running a session for line managers and said a throw away phase that caught my imagination. In line management we needed to have “relationships of equality rather than relationships of power”. A great phrase that says a lot about management style and approach, good to keep in mind as we approach others. It also reminds me a Transactional Analysis and how much better management is when you have adult to adult conversations.

The issue is how easy it is to revert to power bases particularly when you are in a hurry or have loads of expectations from others. Couple of other interesting points came up. Paul rasied the issue about how often ministers/ clergy are metaphoriacally seen as more “white” coller staff, professional expecting to manage their hours themsleves etc, but other staff can be seen as “blue coller” needing to clock in and out, request time off etc.

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Mute Witness video

G-brand

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Had a great time at Greenbelt. Didn’t do the usual running around to catch speakers, as the baby took time and we had a nightmare journey. Enjoyed chilling with friends and the kids. Beth (9) went off with two friends for most of the festival, and I hung around with Jo (12).

It is great how kids surprise you. We were in messy space playing pick up sticks when Jo notices the Tote betting, Tote gambling etc branding and signs around the walls and rest of site and made a thought provoking statement.

“Just like Greenbelt, G-Store, G-shop, G-Talks,”

I was really surprised by the observation. He doesn’t worry about wearing brands, never asks for the branded cereal over the supermarket own. His connection was just an observation. Yet the “just like” is a little disconcerting. How does a 12 year old navigate the branded world, decide what brands to trust, or begin differentiate between an ethical brand or another?

Even where they try to facilitate a counter cultural apporach, is branding an inevitable consequence for Greenbelt as they recoup costs, keep prices low etc through merchandising? Is there a third way for Greenbelt?Mute Witness dvdrip

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famous holidays

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When we go on holiday we have the habit of bumping into famous people. in Wales I saw a guy from a bbc 1 series about something northern, okay I cant remember his name but his face rang a bell. In Morcombe we spotted Edwina Curry. In Cornwall Rick Stein, Amelia Fox at Corfe castle, and we just saw Stephen Fry in Norfolk. Okay we haven’t been anywhere exotic, but that means every holiday Lori and I have had we did see someone vaguely famous. Would it be any better if we spent time traveling miles abroad, we would probably just bump into Brad and Angelina!!!

Press and news agencies guilty

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Yesterday FYT launched the findings from the Labels are for Jars not young people, which researches the views adults have of young people. The findings (see here for full details or below for a snapshot) are critical of the media. So it is not really surprising that none of the invited media showed up to press launch despite 6-7 foot jar being driven down Fleet Street. The research shows strong evidence that adults opinions are being distorted by media representation, had been a trial and the defendant failed to show a guilty verdict would have been passed.

Overall the research shows categorically that young people are viewed negatively by adults in England and it goes on to offer ideas about how the negative labels might be challenged and replaced with positive ideas for change.

The research offers significant evidence that when adults are thinking of young people as ‘perpetrators’ there is an overestimation relating to levels of anti social and criminal behaviour (in some cases very significantly). However, when thinking about young people as ‘victims’ adults are underestimating the extent of young people’s vulnerability. The research clearly shows that adult opinions are being distorted by media representations that are creating a negative spiral in attitudes and beliefs across different generations.

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More updates on Government changes

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DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES – Gordon Brown has given a clear signal that supporting young people is his top priority as Prime Minister and has said “Children and families are the bedrock of our society. The Government’s aim is to ensure that every child gets the best possible start in life, receiving the ongoing support and protection that they – and their families – need to allow them to fulfill their potential.â€?. The appointments are as follows: Ed Balls – secretary of state; Beverley Hughes – minister for children and youth justice (will also attend Cabinet); Kevin Brennan – parliamentary under secretary of state (youth minister); and Lord Adonis – parliamentary under secretary of state

DCSF will have the following responsibilities:
• To coordinate and lead work across government on youth and family policy.
• Pre-19 education policy responsibilities, from the DfES.
• To work with the new Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills to ensure delivery of the 14-19 reforms. Funding for 16-19 education will in future go to schools and colleges via the local authority education budget.
• To raise school standards.
• It will assume responsibility for promoting the well-being, safety, protection and care of all young people – including through policy responsibility for children’s social services.
• It will be responsible for leading the strategy on family policy – including parenting.
• To work with the Department for Work and Pensions and HM Treasury to take forward the government’s strategy for ending child poverty.
• It will be responsible, together with the Department of Health, for promoting the health of children and young people, including measures to tackle key health problems such as obesity, as well as the promotion of youth sport with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
• It will lead on youth issues. This will include working with the Home Office and the DH on tackling drug use and with the Department for Communities and Local Government on youth homelessness and supported housing.
• It will be responsible for promoting the wider contribution of young people to their communities.
• It will assume responsibility for the Respect agenda.
• It will lead a new emphasis on the prevention of youth offending, through joint responsibility with the Ministry of Justice for policy and funding of the Youth Justice Board.
Within the DCSF there is a new dedicated Directorate for Young People, to co-ordinate all youth policy across Whitehall. Under the old DfES, young people’s issues were clumped together with children and families in a single directorate. The three new Directorates are: Children and Families led by Tom Jeffery; Schools led by Ralph Tabberer; and Young People led by Lesley Longstone as Interim Director General.

The Young People’s Directorate will be responsible for:
• Policy and Strategy on the reforms of the 14-19 curriculum and provision
• Funding for all 16-19 provision through Further Education Colleges, Work-Based Learning routes, School Sixth Forms and Sixth Form Colleges
• Sponsorship of schools sixth forms and sixth form colleges
• Budgets and activities to support quality improvement, higher standards, capacity building and infrastructure development in the 14-19 sector
• 14-19 workforce development
• 16-19 joint capital fund
• Young people
• Children in care (Care Matters)

NEW POLICY INITIATIVES – The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls has unveiled his vision for his new Department. He plans to bring together all aspects of policy affecting children and young people, consulting experts, professionals and children and parents to draw up a new Children’s Plan to set the direction for the department for the next ten years to ensure that every child has the opportunities and support they need to be happy and successful. Three working groups will look at education and other services for children and young people – one for 0-7 year olds, one for 8-13 year olds and another for 14-19 year olds. The working groups will be chaired by members of the National Council for Educational Excellence (NCEE) to ensure a fully joined up approach. The consultation will report in October. Other key measures announced include a £265 million extended schools subsidy over the next three years to ensure that children from disadvantaged backgrounds benefit from extra out-of-hours tuition and after-school clubs in sport, music and drama. There are also plans for ‘a good youth centre in every neighbourhood, started up with £150m taken from defunct bank accounts.’ He has also said that there will be a £456 million investment over the next three years to continue the Children’s Fund and support schools in working with mental health experts. HERE

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and HERE
Thanks to CVYS for this update