Youth Unemployment

HOW FAR HAVE WE COME?

Last week I was given a report written in 1984 by Strathclyde Regional Council, on the issue of working with young people, and I found some of it startling. As someone who grew up in the 1980's I remember the difficulties experienced by many of the people around us especially the mining communities. Part of the report states ...

'2.2 Youth Unemployment

2.2.1 Unfortunately, all thought about youth work is overshadowed by the spectre of mass unemployment which hangs over young people. There are areas within Strathclyde where the true level of unemployment for school leavers is approaching 100%, with the overall figure for Strathclyde being around 60%.'

I thought I would check it out to see how much of an improvement the Labour Government has made in this regard! The Scottish Executive have released figures that show that for young men the unemployment rate averages at 7.4% and for women it is 3.9%. From close to 60% to at most 14% (with those young men with minimal education) this is a startling achievement by the Labour Government and a damning indictment of the Conservatives. It shows the positive future for our young people under Labour.

The fact that many young people from deprived backgrounds now think that it is a natural progression to go from high school onto higher education shows how much of a difference a real education policy backed up by a higher level of funding than ever before can make to society and specifically to the future of our young people.

Scottish Labour Fight for Paisley

UPDATE NUMBER 2

I know that this is going to be an ongoing saga but I thought that I would put updates on here about the change of name for the University as and when they are needed! I checked in on the University's student union website and they have had quite the discussion on the general forum about the name change, most of the students are against it and the only positive voice in the whole forum who seems overwhelmingly FOR the name change is the very person who is Supposed to represent the views of the students .... the deputy president of the Student Association. I kept thinking things have really changed since I was there at least our student representatives acted on our behalf and not in the best interests of the lecturers and the University Court! To be fair the Deputy President may not be aware of the information you get here so give them the benefit of the doubt they will get it eventually.

Today there was also a story in the Paisley Daily Express regarding the consultation they sent out a reporter to the Community (more than the University is doing) and asked them for their opinions the response was overwhelming against the change of name, only one person in the article suggested it was a good idea and that was a lecturer who lets be honest will probably gain from the name change in some way! I cannot help but think that the lecturer in question has ideas of granduer, this person is thinking what sounds better and bigger? I work for the University of Paisley? or I work for the University of the West of Scotland?

A name change will change the reputation of the University but not for the better, the staff will remain the same, the procedures will remain the same, the issues they have will remain the same, the only thing that will change is what they call it!

KEEP IT PAISLEY UPDATE

Well as it turns out the SSP are not the only party who are in turmoil this week, the SNP in Renfrewshire don't seem to know what each other are doing. On Saturday in the Paisley Daily Express the readers were advised that the perennial candidate Mr Doig has decided that if they are changing the name of the University they should change it to Tannahill, not Tannahill Paisley University, just Tannahill University. Mr Doig was speaking on behalf of the local SNP yet in today's paper the SNP are quoted as saying they are putting up their own motion to full council on September the 7th. When I say 'their own motion' that is a bit of a stretch because they are actually using Mr McFee's motion, so much thought and time was put into it! His motion states, as I have outlined below, that IF the University changes it's name we should keep Paisley in the title.

Why are they facing both ways? Only they can say but they have been caught out yet again!