Great Western Coffee Shop

The papers and general TV feeds this morning are full of proposals from the current government to bring back National Service in the UK, and I suspect that much of this may relate to them looking to attract members of the electorate who would traditionally vote for them (Conservative party) but are tempted to vote for Reform this time.  BUT ... underneath the headlines is "or volunteering "n" hours per week in uniform to help public sector services".

I am minded of the police / military past connection with railways in the past, with signalmen known as "Bobbies" which name in turn came to the police from Robert Peel.

Is there scope to have young people based at public transport locations, in customer service roles - looking after the station facilities (including cleaning the loos), helping with ticketing and information, and physically getting to their trains and boarding, knowing how to contact and how to provide help from away from the station if that's needed, and perhaps be able to serve teas and coffees?

Inspired by Happy Days, Season 5, Episode 3?

Can't see this happening in any shape or form it's just not affordable ,pre election bs designed to occupy press and medial so the eye is off the ball when it comes to other matters in my not so humble opinion

I was thinking more 'Yes, Prime Minister'. The Grand Design

Called 'policemen' because on the early railways the signallers operated like traffic policemen halting trains by hand signals.

A worthy thought, but if the Government were serious about improving the landscape for young people, they should be bringing back apprenticeships, not National Service.

Just trying it out to gauge reaction....let's see if it features in their manifesto

What say you, RMT? hmmm, thought not, & rightly so.

Proper apprenticeships as well. Not pretend apprenticeships in places like shops just to get subsidy…

I can see some merits in the use of conscripted labour, but not primarily on railways, which are complex and highly unionised.

Worthwhile uses could include, building hospitals, schools and social housing, all of which are badly needed and would provide training in building and construction.
Installing PV modules on public buildings.

Conserving and repairing the natural environment, restoring wetlands, and footpaths, assisting in removing flytipped refuse.

Assisting the regular armed forces during natural disasters such as floods and other extreme conditions.

no thanks we have enough jerry-built hospitals built under PFI, which Labour are keen on restarting. The organisation I work for has two PFI millstones around its neck (with another 20 years to pay).

Most in the military suggest that the idea would further dilute our Armed Forces, taking staff from the front line for training. Reintroducing conscription was never a popular idea when I was in. Some in the military have said use the Scouts or Cadet Forces.

Apprenticeships are still around, but tend not to be used for the younger age group, more for retraining the older generation.

Scouts, Girlguiding and other youth organisations local to me already struggle to find enough leaders, so unless the plan is also to conscript older people to do that there will have to be another way to run this "volunteering" (really not voluntary, just unpaid), which I suspect those proposing it have not even started to think about.  The whole concept of organising around 700,000 untrained and initially unenthusiastic 18 year olds to do regular voluntary work is an impractical nonsense, possibly even dreamt up as a deliberate distraction from discussing or opposing more realistic policy proposals.

Need not be jerry built. Select any competent building firm to plan, design, and oversee the work, but with the majority of the labour force being conscripts. Useful skills would be learnt.

Public buildings are done by the lowest bidder. Having the majority of the workforce as conscripts is a disaster waiting to happen, even without having to pay benefits and find work for those displaced from their jobs by people who know nothing about building and don't want to be there in the first place. They are 18 years old, and could be looking for a job instead.

In the interest of balance, broadcaster and writer Danny Wallace has a different proposal  :)

https://twitter.com/dannywallace/status/1794779089385165294

If the pensioners refuse will their parents also be fined as is proposed for the youth national service?

Much of my career was as a regional press officer promoting (and defending) the Government's job creation and work experience schemes for young people. I thought they were very good ways of occupying unemployed people, giving them some basic training and the chance to earn references, as well as a small allowance.

I enjoyed visiting some projects to produce press releases, including the Quainton Road and Didcot heritage centres. I recall joining a team working on the track outside Reading Station. Another team worked at Tilehurst Station, tidying up the patch of ground next to the main road and producing an information board (that didn't survive for very long).

It is an off the cuff policy, there has been very little if any thought behind it, they are making it up as they go along

No, but any aged over 80 will lose the 25p per week age addition.

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One of my previous employments was with the excellent Severnside Community Rail Partnership.

My job title was 'Project Support Officer'.  My role there was to liaise with the Probation Service, who provided us with small teams of (often reluctant) workers under the 'Community Payback' scheme to clear brambles and litter from railway station car parks, for example.

I did have some good experiences there, however.  Some of those 'convicts' were making the best of it, working their required hours and 'serving their sentence'. 

There was only one 'Botany Bay' moment - and he was promptly sent back to the van by the Probation Service, to start all over again on another day.  ::)

CfN.