Witham: UPDATE: Free boxing project for unemployed teens (From Braintree and Witham Times)

Jolly good idea, this one. It just might put one of the lads on the right path.

So, let's reward the job shy with lessons in how to beat people up. Then they can spend their benefits in the pub, get drunk and start fight. GENIUS.

keith_l wrote:
So, let's reward the job shy with lessons in how to beat people up. Then they can spend their benefits in the pub, get drunk and start fight. GENIUS.

Idiot

@Witham Walker. Think before you type, because your one word response clearly shows that you fall into the category that you describe.

The unemployed fall quite clearly into two groups. Those who want to find work, and spend their unwanted free time looking for opportunities, and those who are quite happy with the situation, and are happy to have their life paid for by the rest of us. This second group of people are also more likely to think that organised thuggery is a good thing, and sign up for such a course.

I've heard young people say things like "I wouldn't get out of bed for less than £10 an hour" (or even more). They seem to thing that without any qualifications or experience local employers (because they also wouldn't travel more than a mile or two to work) will be happy to employ them in above average paid roles.

Course like this perpetuate the situation.

Keith

I agree with you about the attitude of many out-of-work youngsters. I also agree with you about Witham Walker (but let's not go there). The glimmer of hope I saw in this initiative is that they are also covering job hunting, CV writing and interview skills - things that can be learned and that can make a difference.

Keith

I can understand your fears, but I have first-hand experience of these type of schemes & to be honest they do work

I grew up near the Repton boys club & many many wayward kids benefitted from schemes like this.

Some turned to be very talented & turned pro , some were not so good but boxing kept them focused & more importantly it gave them a sense of self respect, & in my experience, once a person has self-respect they have a tendency to respect others.

Cheers

I totally disagree with you Keith, have you got a 16 - 19 year old ??? I have a 16 year old who didn't get careers advice at school and he had 100 % school attendance so it wasn't that he was naughty and didn't go to school it just wasn't available and there is none out of school until he is 18, he cannot sign on until he is 18 ( which will please you Keith ) and there is no other benefit for him to claim. He has applied for many jobs and the answers are always no. This is a very good idea and my son is looking forward to going to it.