Why not just pay them to breathe?

[Paul K]

BBC

Unemployed teenagers are being offered £170 iPods to take part in a course aimed at helping them to find work.

Critics say that handing out the personal digital music players to teenagers amounts to bribery.

The offer is being made for the Step Up For Summer course, run by Bournemouth and Poole College in Dorset, on which students are also paid to attend.

[MetaWraith]

I hope they have to attend the whole course before claiming said ipod.

[Bex]

Originally Posted by MetaWraith

I hope they have to attend the whole course before claiming said ipod.

my thoughts exactly.

it's sad that local councils/government feel the need to bribe teenagers into having a future.....

[Stuart]

[Paul K]

Originally Posted by MetaWraith

I hope they have to attend the whole course before claiming said ipod.

erm

The free iPod is subject to completion of the course, which offers team-building activities and life skills, such as how to budget money, CV writing, travelling tips and first aid, work experience and community projects.

Taxpayer funded

Students aged between 16 to 18 who embark on the 14-week course get paid £50 a week for one day a week of work, £100 cash when they finish the course, a further £100 payment if they enrol on a further full-time course at the college, free lunch vouchers and free travel if they live more than three miles away.

Looks like being at school can be very profitable these days

[Bex]

Originally Posted by Paul

erm

Looks like being at school can be very profitable these days

this actually reminds me of the scheme that was piloted in which the local gov. paid students to do their a-levels... i.e gave them a wage to do it

This is absolutely ludicrous! There is no excuse for this, this is bribery. The only thing driving them should be themselves and their own aspirations, not a bloody iPod Spot on when it says that children are going to grow up acquainted to the logic where things only get done if there is a 'sweetner' at the end. What kind of youngsters do the government expect to enter the world of work? Ones who will be lazy and expect everything given to them with minimal application of their own effort. This is the very kind of thing that, in my opinion, causes the chav nation.

Similar thing at my college where some students get £500 bonuses if they put effort into their course and hand their coursework in on time. Again, I believe this is not preparing them for real life and independance. As for the other students, what incentive do they have? None at all, but, to me it's a part of growing up, about learning to be independant and to be self motivated. And of course, it's totally unfair to those who have no such incentive.

[Bex]

Originally Posted by Diamond

This is absolutely ludicrous! There is no excuse for this, this is bribery. The only thing driving them should be themselves and their own aspirations, not a bloody iPod Spot on when it says that children are going to grow up acquainted to the logic where things only get done if there is a 'sweetner' at the end. What kind of youngsters do the government expect to enter the world of work? Ones who will be lazy and expect everything given to them with minimal application of their own effort. This is the very kind of thing that, in my opinion, causes the chav nation.

Similar thing at my college where some students get £500 bonuses if they put effort into their course and hand their coursework in on time. Again, I believe this is not preparing them for real life and independance. As for the other students, what incentive do they have? None at all, but, to me it's a part of growing up, about learning to be independant and to be self motivated. And of course, it's totally unfair to those who have no such incentive.

i think with the reward scheme thing... i.e. giving them money, in some obscure way the government thinks it is teaching people that you have to work to get paid, and trying to get them to concentrate on their education rather than working part time. the problem is that working part time teaches you other essential skills for when you enter the world of work full time. it gives you an appreciation of money and earning it yourself and it also builds on the socialisation of school. for example, keeping good time and respecting those of authority.

the people who are going to get the bonus' are hopefully the people who will work hard anyway but i guess you'd never know.

in a way it's a bit like when parents promise rewards for exam results. which both puts pressure on the kids and brings them into the mindframe of always expecting a reward for hard work, which we all know in the wrk place doesn't always (if ever) happen

[Paul K]

It's even more annoying when you think about how many schools are struggling to fund their classes and buy proper equipment.
I thought the government wanted to encourage kids to stay in school? Paying the kids that left school and couldn't find work £50 a week, plus a bonus and an IPod will not be much encouragement for the kids that chose to stay in education and who receive little to no funding while they are there.

£170 for an ipod? Where they picking them up from then?!

[Paul K]

Originally Posted by andyl

£170 for an ipod? Where they picking them up from then?!

Probably only getting the low capacity ones Amazon but that's more than they should be getting to be honest. The course is to get them into work, the only bonus they should be looking for at the end of it is a job or a good chance of a job due to skills that they have learned. £50 for one days work a week isn't bad

[Shaun]

The free iPod is subject to completion of the course, which offers team-building activities and life skills, such as how to budget money, CV writing, travelling tips and first aid, work experience and community projects.

Which should have all been taught at school in my opinion, especially the first aid. Still can't for the life of me see why they can't find 40 hours in the NC over 11+ years to teach basic first aid.

[Paddy1]

Em... Why shouldn't they be paid for their time?

Similar thing at my college where some students get £500 bonuses if they put effort into their course and hand their coursework in on time. Again, I believe this is not preparing them for real life and independance. As for the other students, what incentive do they have? None at all, but, to me it's a part of growing up, about learning to be independant and to be self motivated. And of course, it's totally unfair to those who have no such incentive.

If you are referring to the EMA, I know quite a few people who this helps, it is not a incentive it is meant to remove any financial limitations to people who require it. College is sometime expensive with lunch and bus fares as well as the fact there have decided to forgo earning money and instead improve their education

[Bex]

Originally Posted by Damien

If you are referring to the EMA, I know quite a few people who this helps, it is not a incentive it is meant to remove any financial limitations to people who require it. College is sometime expensive with lunch and bus fares as well as the fact there have decided to forgo earning money and instead improve their education

but part time jobs don't necessarily infringe on their education, when i studied for my a levels i worked on friday nights and saturdays for a supermarket... it didn't effect my school work at all, i still came out with high grades

in fact the only time working part time effected my education was when i was at uni, and since my parents couldn't afford to pay for my house, food etc, i had to work longer hours... and still pay the uni fees..... it also means i'm in debt with the gov, for £13k + ...maybe they should pay us to go to uni