The BBC's "Growing up poor". Poverty seen up close

CWSmith

exarmydreamer wrote: »

I had a similar upbringing in the 70's. we didn't have much but it pushed me on through my life to achieve as much as possible to provide better to my children. I joined the Army as a 19 yrs old girl and stayed for 17 yrs.

There is of course the materialistic things in life, but it is obviously love, support and empathy these youngsters need now but they have had parents brought up in an enviroment which has not nurtured them. So I imagine the parents either don't care or don't know how to support their grown up children.

These days a lot of children are brought into the world to provide a benefit income to the parent and so the circle continues. No dreams of a better future and no hope, of it because of the state of the country.:(

Love and support - spot on!

All the men (and a few of the women) in the family worked. We were encouraged to do well at school and we grew up with a strong work ethic. No job was seen as menial. My gran did a charring job until the day she died and was (quite rightly) proud of her work.

And of course, we had "family". A seemingly huge range of aunts, uncles, cousins (and neighbours and friends). The family helped others and were helped in their turn. No-one went completely without because there was always someone to turn to when times were particularly hard.

GeorgeHowell

PDC wrote: »

I did really feel for some of the people in this, though at the same time you could see some of the people had no comprehension of how they could be responsible for themselves or their own lives.

And that won't get resolved by throwing good money after bad, in fact that just makes it worse. It has to start by making these people take some responsibility. Anathema though it is to the left this means effort for benefits. It doesn't matter if what they do is no great shakes, if it makes them get up in the morning, go somewhere specific, and do something specific it starts to build a rudimentary work ethic. There has to be a carrot and whip involved -- if they put in a bit of effort at something they get a bit more back and vice-versa. That starts them being self-reliant -- throwing money at them because they are "vulnerable" and it's not their fault just traps them in a vicious circle of despair and uselessness. The left will say that is all demeaning, but what it more demeaning than being a layabout on benefits all your life ?

The longer term fix has to start in the schools with proper discipline, proper reward for achievement, education to educate not to socially engineer, and proper life skills drummed in, not political correctness awareness and similar rubbish. The "I know my rights" parents who abuse teachers for trying to impose any educational or general discipline have to be knocked back -- the education authorities, social services, police, courts, and law itself all need a different ethos regarding these matters. It is a terrible indictment on our state education system and our society that in this day and age we turn out significant numbers of individuals that are effectively unemployable.

This would not fix everything, there will always be a down and out underclass. But you have to start somewhere, and over time this would undoubtedly reduce the size of the underclass and give some people a chance to lift themselves out of the welfare ghettoes that they don't get now.

exarmydreamer

I'll never forget getting a part time job at 16, whilst starting my A' levels and had my first pay packet. I saved it up for 6 months and bought my mum a new washing machine. I don't think many would do that today, I did it in 1986.

I also paid rent at 17, whilst still at school from my part time job to help out. The work ethic was very strong with me and my husband was the same. He went down aged 16 yrs to a local furniture factory in a shirt and tie and asked for a job. They didn't have any jobs, but were so shocked, as no one had done that before they actually phoned him up at home and offered him one. He left there and did 23 yrs in the Army.

Times have changed now, as far as most kids are concerned.

grizzly1911

exarmydreamer wrote: »

I'll never forget getting a part time job at 16, whilst starting my A' levels and had my first pay packet. I saved it up for 6 months and bought my mum a new washing machine. I don't think many would do that today, I did it in 1986.

I also paid rent at 17, whilst still at school from my part time job to help out. The work ethic was very strong with me and my husband was the same. He went down aged 16 yrs to a local furniture factory in a shirt and tie and asked for a job. They didn't have any jobs, but were so shocked, as no one had done that before they actually phoned him up at home and offered him one. He left there and did 23 yrs in the Army.

Times have changed now, as far as most kids are concerned.

My wife and I had part time jobs as teenagers.

We ensure(d) both our children undertook/undertake some form of part time job. It has done them no harm and it helps teach them the value of money, ability to "deal" with people and work with colleagues etc. IOO.

RevolvingDoor

ash28 wrote: »

Good parenting costs nothing, poor parenting can mean a lifetime of misery.

These kids need help and support - not necessarily financial (as you say), I do feel for them, a lot of them on the scrapheap before they reach adulthood.

I agree with this. I didn't see the show but in my experience a lot of youing people with these types of problems tended to have useless parents.:(

gravitytolls

N1AK wrote: »

100% not. Access to work, financial guidance, mentoring and in a couple of cases counselling is what was needed. The girl who did a 6 month placement (paid same as benefits) then couldn't find work afterwards was a really depressing part as it showed that even putting effort in often won't get you out of a rut.

We need to spend considerably more money to help these people but 9/10 times the way it should be spent isn't by giving it to them.

Because the sort of support needed to help folk turn their lives around costs far far more than the cost of benefits. There's no quick fix, it's long term support via various agencies.

And lets face it, it has always suited governments to have an underclass, a group to blame for social ills, a target that don't have the capacity or support to speak up for themselves. And it works, hence benefit bashers.

There is simply no real desire to sort out the social problems within society any more than there is a desire to deal with drug problems.

CLAPTON

gravitytolls wrote: »

Because the sort of support needed to help folk turn their lives around costs far far more than the cost of benefits. There's no quick fix, it's long term support via various agencies.

And lets face it, it has always suited governments to have an underclass, a group to blame for social ills, a target that don't have the capacity or support to speak up for themselves. And it works, hence benefit bashers.

There is simply no real desire to sort out the social problems within society any more than there is a desire to deal with drug problems.

if we didn't have an underclass politician wouldn't need them as we would have no social ills.

a win win

YoungBusinessman

This shows a minority of the Glasgow scene and infact the city as a whole is thriving just now, jobs are there if you are prepared to work hard for it.

Conrad

Moby wrote: »

One of the reaons I appreciate this site is because Martin Lewis is conscious of the realities faced by such individuals and gives good sound advice to avoid the sharks in this world!

The multi - millionaire that encourages everyone to seek those lo lo prices which forever pushes wages down and causes offshoring.

Magic....


How about paying more so we support British workers?

Thrugelmir

Conrad wrote: »

The multi - millionaire that encourages everyone to seek those lo lo prices which forever pushes wages down and causes offshoring.

Wonder where he invested his millions?