11/09/07 - Lets Inspire Teenagers With National Service For The 21st Century

Let’s inspire teenagers with National Service for the 21^st Century

Cllr Justin Tomlinson, Prospective MP - Swindon North today gave his backing to plans to create a new six-week ‘National Citizen Service’ programme for 16 year-olds across Peterborough and the country.

Building on the work of the Young Adult Trust, Conservative leader David Cameron has proposed a scheme to harness the talents, commitment and energy of young people and help them develop as individuals by challenging them and to put something back into society.

The programme would have three main elements:

• A week-long residential course, providing a chance to mix with others away from home.
• Community service.
• A challenging mission.

Every young person would be able to make new friends with people from different backgrounds. Those with less self-confidence would be helped to get more out of life, and tough young people would learn to respect the opinions of others.

Cllr Justin Tomlinson, Prospective MP - Swindon North commented:

“One of the central challenges of our times is to heal Britain’s broken society. After World War II, National Service helped prepare young people for adult life. We need to recapture the benefits of that time and to re-establish the enduring values of personal growth and service to others, through a new sort of National Citizen Service - designed for the 21st Century.”