Do youth services need improving?

Young people need to be given a greater say in services and more resources, the government has said.

The Youth Green Paper outlines plans for a "youth opportunity card" on which young people could earn credits for good behaviour.

The card could then be used to pay for sports, clubs, shopping and other activities.

Do you think youth services are inadequate? What do you think of the government proposals? Do you think the "youth opportunity card" is a good idea? Send us your comments.

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

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The following comments reflect the balance of opinion we have received so far:

Can I get £12 per month for behaving properly? I'm an adult but I feel I deserve it too. Also, can I have it backdated for all the time I behaved as a child?
Graeme Stewart, Aberdeen, UK

This would definitely be a good thing if schools were allowed to nominate disruptive pupils. A constant, low level of disruption costs the majority a part of their education and schools just don't have the resources to deal with it any more. But why only "low-income" kids? They are by no means the only offenders. Handing out cards to them only will create a bizarre "them and us" effect in reverse. Wherever you draw the line, it's going to create jealousy above it and suspicion below.
Nigel Ramsden, Ipswich, UK

Surely their parents should bring them up to behave responsibly.Why should we pay extra to 'reward' them for merely behaving like decent human beings?
Jacqui, Solihull, England

This type of social engineering could have some unpleasant consequences for both youth and society. Julian, Sully

Extraordinary! Sounds like 'protection' money to me. This gives out all the wrong messages to youngsters and almost validates bad behaviour as an option or lifestyle choice. This type of social engineering could have some unpleasant consequences for both youth and society.
Julian, Sully

The vast majority of youths who play truant and behave in an anti-social way have parents who, through incompetence, laziness or a total lack of interest, continue to sit back and let it happen. Only by tackling these hopeless parents, and penalising them for the misery their kids inflict on others will we even make a dent in this unacceptable behaviour by a small minority of youths.
Dan, Yateley, UK

Not all young people should be labelled the same way. I'm a young person and I have a full time office job and a baby on the way and I don't need or want incentives to behave, it's they the way I act anyway.
Richard Hamilton, 17, Shrewsbury Shropshire

Young people need sterner guide lines from their parents not financial incentives to behave. Lee, Sutton, Surrey

Young people need sterner guide lines from their parents not financial incentives to behave. We never had money thrown at us when we were kids and there is nothing wrong with our generation.
Lee, Sutton, Surrey

I think this is absolutely ridiculous. I am a teen, and I am well behaved and work hard. I do not get any of these benefits, so why should people who don't control themselves gain from it?.
Jack, Reading, UK

It sounds like we are 'buying' good behaviour from children and young people! It is necessary to get more children to be involved in sports, art and other activities. Though, it is definitely not a good idea to 'reward' good behaving children & young people in that way!
Nova, London

It looks as though the concept of discipline has been completely removed from society now. Schools and parents risk prosecution should they attempt it, and we have now reached a new low, where the government actually pays youths not to misbehave. How do we educate children to behave in a responsible manner when they are clearly being taught that it is only worthwhile if there is a financial reward at the end of it?
Kelvin, Oxford

This credits system will do nothing to discourage bad behaviour Emma Quemard, Jersey, Channel Islands

I was Chairperson of the Jersey Youth Crime Prevention Panel for five years, and being a teenager myself during that time, I've seen this problem developing first hand. Today's problem with youth is that bad behaviour is not punished, children are not encouraged enough, and there is a distinctive lack of trust between adults, youth and those that try to enforce the law and good behaviour. However, it would be foolhardy to lay the blame solely on the youth of today. Lots of problems stem from a lack of communication. Adults do not always listen to children, and many seem to be victims of a generalisation, labelled and put neatly in to boxes created by society. This credits system will do nothing to discourage bad behaviour. While it would be foolish to be able to find a 'root cause' of it, I believe that giving the police, teachers, and youth workers more power to punish, and encouraging more parental discipline, while listening to what children want and need will strike a good balance. Nothing will be achieved without communication, tolerance and a will to listen.
Emma Quemard, Jersey, Channel Islands

Wonderful! My well mannered, well behaved child and his friends get nothing because they are classed as 'middle class'. My brother and I managed to grow up in a 'low-income' family and not get in to trouble with the police. Instilling values is down to the parents. How about we remove £12 from their benefit per month every time one of their children misbehaves? I am sick of my hard earned money being drained by taxes because of inadequate parenting.
Pauline, Suffolk

The state paying children to behave! What are we coming to?
John Howson, Dunmow Essex

There was a time when being a productive member of society held its own rewards. Now we're bribing people to not be counter-productive?
Rob, Bath

Where is all this money coming from?e Sue Huson, Hornchurch, Essex

Whatever next? Do we give in to bad behaved children's demands when they then say this is not enough? What about stronger punishment for the yobs with a reward of not being punished for good behaviour? Sounds a bit too obvious perhaps? And what about the generally well behaved children - what do they get? This is certainly sending yobs the wrong message - we will give in and pay them just to behave respectful and civilised? And where is all this money coming from?
Sue Huson, Hornchurch, Essex

I grew up in the back end of nowhere, no other kids around and with very little in the way of organized activities locally. But I had wonderful freedom to play out all day alone, go cycling and if I pronounced myself bored, my parents could always find me a job to do - having me shell a bucket of peas was my mother's secret weapon. We weren't allowed to just put the TV on and were regular attendees at the local library as a result. Kids these days speak to their parents as if they were a bit of rubbish on the floor - I'd have been leathered into next week if I'd tried that.
Helen, Manchester

Anything that will help youngsters from poor backgrounds will be a good thing. This will encourage youngsters to save money and then spend the money that they have saved on things to improve themselves. Sounds good to me!
Gary Gatter, London

I am not aware that bad behaviour is exclusive to those whose parents earn less than £10,000 a year! Vicky, Cardiff

Why is it yet again the 'low-paid families' that are mentioned? Surely we want to encourage good behaviour from all - and I am not aware that bad behaviour is exclusive to those whose parents earn less than £10,000 a year!
Vicky, Cardiff

All very well giving the youth an opportunity card, but many of our rural areas have no opportunities for the young. Where's the reward in that?
Jonathan Banks, Lincolnshire

There is already a benefits system in place for poorer families. Now the children in these families are to get a handout they don't actually need. The main unfairness here is to label all the less well-off children as troublemakers. If you want to encourage children, why not encourage all of them?
Robert Shiels, London

What does seem rather unfair is that this scheme only applies to kids from low income families. So again, the government penalises middle class kids who behave and go to school in favour of those who don't. If I was a kid from a middle income family who behaved my myself I'd be feeling rather aggrieved at this point.
Jem, UK

Youth services in this country are non-existent Jacqueline, County Durham

Youth services in this country are non-existent. There are such things as skate and bike parks but these often charge to get in and this puts kids off using them. I'm only 27 but 'back when I were a lass' we used to be out at dawn and back at dusk, riding bikes for miles or playing with a ball on any suitable piece of grass we could find but kids doing this nowadays are moved on by residents or police eager to discourage youngsters from hanging around. What are kids to do?
Jacqueline, Chester-le-Street, County Durham

So this is what happens when a Government legislates to prevent parents and officials from properly punishing bad behaviour. As a police officer I am tired of hearing youths who make other people's lives a misery tell me that their parents, teachers and even the police cannot punish their behaviour because it will only infringe their "rights". Government made this rod for our backs and now wants to spend our money to bribe youths to behave. Sheer madness.
Anon, Guildford, UK

Sounds like "pocket money" to me - only it comes from the government. Another example of Nanny State disempowering parents.
Alistair, Lancaster UK

Unbelievable. I work, I have trouble making ends meet. I have difficulty buying shoes for my kids and myself, never mind paying pocket money. However because my wife and I work, we do not qualify for free school dinners. Now it will be my income tax paying pocket money for these children.
Will Blaik, Plymouth Devon

Excellent, we have been vying for this kind of incentive for years! Hopefully, this will reduce the number of yobs on the streets and enable children to concentrate more on their education and their futures.
Starsky, Manchester, UK

Some kids just prefer to cause trouble Ian, Chalfont St Peter

We have a leisure centre, swimming pool, cinema, skate park, dirt bike jumps, public tennis courts and a huge common to play softball, football, etc on yet youths still insist on stealing cars, firing air guns, riding mopeds down footpaths and painting graffiti on walls and houses. No matter how many things we make available, some kids just prefer to cause trouble.
Ian, Chalfont St Peter

I work hard to earn enough to pay my way in life. Why should I have to pay a 'bribe' to the badly behaved children of others? Too many children today get what they want when they want, irrespective of behaviour. It is no wonder that some grow up to be selfish, obnoxious adults.
Jo Kavanagh, Stansted, Essex

Will this card be any different to the Connexions card already in place or is it just re-branding?
Erika, Wolverhampton

We should not need to bribe people into behaving correctly, we should tackle the root cause and provide greater opportunities for those who behave appropriately and stiffer penalties for those who don't.
Ged, Westbury, UK

What we needed from this paper was a massive change to, not a tinkering with, the system Andy Morris, Durham

I have been working win the youth engagement arena for over 2 years and am consistently hit by the poor standards of provision for young people. Connexions in my experience are on average poor to very poor yet they stay in place. What we needed from this paper was a massive change to not a tinkering with, the system. If kids don't go into a library or sport centre with cash in their pocket they're not going in with a 'debit card'. £12 for the poorest kids won't get them on the bus, fed, swimming trunks, a towel, a sports bag, etc It certainly won't get them the confidence to do it. Long awaited and hugely disappointing Green Paper.
Andy Morris, Durham

I think it's a good idea. All my school life, I was well behaved, quiet, polite, and stayed out of trouble - and was totally ignored while my badly behaved, disruptive classmates got all the attention and all the praise if they (very rarely) did do the right thing. It made me wonder what was the point in doing my best. I'm glad to see that someone, somewhere thinks it a good idea to encourage good behaviour.
Julie, UK

Good head teachers who care about their staff and back them in a crisis, in particular, junior staff, is part of what's needed to improve education. Together with a government who will stand up and admit that some of our young people will never attain any kind of grade worth its salt and effort in GCSE. We need to provide a vehicle for life skills tuition and make this a priority over academic qualifications for what in my town, is fast becoming a majority of children.
Shirley Jubb, Halifax, West Yorkshire

I'm a youth worker and am completely horrified at these proposals. This card system sends out completely the wrong message - it says that young people behaving well is something goes against the grain, that requires special effort and should be rewarded. No, it's something that should be normal, and is normal for the many caring and hard-working young people in our society today, who seem to be ignored in the media frenzy over yobs in hoodies. Parents, backed by the state, should continue to punish bad behaviour as this is what needs to be addressed, this is what is against the norms of civilised society.
Heather, Stockport, UK

How about we just stop slagging them off constantly, it would do a lot more for them than paying for them to stay in further education. If you read the press you can see why young people now are disillusioned with life and their chances in life. Everyone is constantly telling them, their education is of a poor standard, that exams that they might be finding difficult are too easy, that universities will be too expensive for them to attend with new top-up fees and that they are all thugs and tearaways out to make trouble. Give them so self respect and some responsibility and trust them to make the correct decisions even if it means they make a few mistakes as well.
Cat, Cambridge UK

Youth services have needed improving for at least the last 20 years. Europe's highest rate of teenage pregnancy and the slap-happy kids are just the periphery of the neglect of our door-latch children. Maybe the card should be given to the parents and the government so that they can earn brownie points for being nice to kids.
Oliver Stieber, Newbury, England

It would be worth speaking to the frontline staff that deliver the service, as our voices are very rarely heard Anon, Oxfordshire

I work for youth services and agree that young people should be involved more in the development, planning and review process but I also think that it would be worth speaking to the frontline staff that deliver the service, as our voices are very rarely heard and we do have a far better understanding of how the service should be delivered, what it is delivering and how effective it is with the young people we engage with.
Anon, Oxfordshire

I don't think this is a good idea, being a youth myself, I believe that bribing us into doing good deeds will make the small majority of youths who society looks down on will rebel to this idea and see it as a way of trying to control them, and the majority of youths who society don't even notice and see us as all the same when we are not, will feel like we've done something wrong and have to gain it back. What I want to know is, have the government actually surveyed any of the young people on whether it's a good idea? Because these are the people who this is going to affect.
Hannah, Wales

I agree that young people should not be bribed into behaving or attending school, but we need to face facts that this might be the only way to get some young people to do so. I work in a local youth club and am aware of the lack or provision in services for young people, there just in not enough for the youngsters to do where we live. Saying this however, I think a few more issues should be looked at first. The main issue being why badly behaved children behave badly. I can say that I believe that bad parenting is to blame for the majority of the badly behaved children where I live, they seem to have been brought up to think they can do what they want, when they want and without consequence. It's the whole "we won't conform" attitude of many parents that is threatening the future of so many young people. I had a 13-year-old girl tell me she want to have a baby as soon as possible so she can get a flat and not have to pay rent, why? Because her mother doesn't pay her rent, the council does. How can we change the behaviour of the kids when in most cases it's the parents who are to blame?
Josh Hawes, Newtown, Mid-Wales

Yet another ill-conceived knee-jerk reaction to resolving a youth related problem Ian Mc Master, Bristol, England

It would be good to comment on the new Green Paper. Unfortunately no one has had the chance to see it! Even now youth workers are probably thinking that it will not make an appearance today. I find it amazing that the government thinks it would be able to reward those young people who give it the greatest concern, the disengaged minority of young people who, thanks to the media, have the greatest impact on the nation. For whatever their reasons (and there are many) they are not concerned with conforming and the lure of "points" sounds to me like yet another ill-conceived knee-jerk reaction to resolving a youth related problem. The UK has a long tradition of good quality youth work staffed by professional people. Since I came into the profession it has always been forgotten, under resourced and rarely consulted on how best to deal with young people. It's time the government stopped trying to curry votes ("Look how we're tackling thugs") and gave the organisations best equipped to work with young people the resources, support and credence that they deserve.
Ian Mc Master, Bristol, England

Good behaviour should be the norm and not rewarded. It's up to parents to instil good behaviour into their children and be responsible for them until they are adults. Who is to pay for these rewards? Those of us who pay tax I expect. I am getting really fed up of these crackpot schemes by this government that keep costing me money. I agree with the other comments that punishing bad behaviour in an appropriate manner is the way ahead - not rewarding good behaviour. I've never heard of anything so ludicrous.
Suzanne Phillips, Rhondda, Wales

I am a 34-year-old man who was never in trouble as a child, did well in school, went to college and got a good job. I would like to claim my iPod retrospectively.
James, Preston

Young people are alienated from British society, portrayed by the media as roguish outlaws who should be feared Adam, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire

Younger people should have more of a say everywhere. Older people are disrespectful and selfish as the election proved - young voters were concerned about Iraq, potential future conflicts and third world debt, most (not all) adults were concerned about taxes, NHS and roads. So whilst young people worry about others, adults worry about paying taxes. Young people are alienated from British society, portrayed by the media as roguish outlaws who should be feared. Adults are foolish enough to believe it and therefore it is not young peoples' behaviour that needs sorting, but adults'.
Adam, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire

This is shameful! Children need appropriate punishment to realise the consequences of their actions. Paying a child to 'be good' in any shape or form will still not teach them the differences between right and wrong because they will never realise the pain and suffering they cause to others. As most of this bad behaviour starts at home, perhaps our government should be issuing penalties to the parents. This is a lame solution to a growing and very dangerous problem. Can we afford to stand back and 'hope' that these future leaders of our country will one day mature and understand how a society must conduct itself in the interests of others? I think not! I don't think our justice system could take the pressure.
L, Birmingham

Money should be invested in youth workers, not necessarily youth centres, though a base is always handy. Less pressure should be put on youth workers to meet targets and outcomes and more emphasis should be on young people enjoying themselves through activities which raise there self esteem and confidence to feel some self worth, which many young people lack. The youth services across the country need a good shake-up and need to start listening to young people and not getting bogged down with paperwork which seems to over shadow the quality face to face work that does happen. Not sure about the reward card - seems another waste of money! Just need more accessible (not just distance wise but cost etc) services and well trained, less stressed youth workers.
Anon, Derbyshire

We pander to youth, we pander to families. When will we pander to hard working single people?
Maxine Husbands, London, UK

Whilst agreeing with many of the comments re today's youth knowing all their rights but non of their responsibilities, I can't help thinking that as a society we don't appear to like our youth. As the mother of two (hopefully) well-behaved teenagers, I am often concerned by the Dickensian environment in our local Secondary School, which incidentally is apparently one of the better. Not only is the building in a shoddy state but also facilities are poor and many of the teachers don't appear to like children. Respect is a two way street and too many adults show an appalling lack of respect for teenagers, which is bound to have a knock on effect. Too many young people are being raised by parents who have no respect themselves and have no grasp of the damage they are doing to their children's future. Making parenting classes a pre-requisite of having children would be a huge step forward.
Gill Grant, Aberdeen

What is needed is a firmer guidance from parents Mike, Surrey

We don't need more services and resources for children. This is a reaction to the fact that so many youths have no respect for others and behave poorly on our streets. What is needed is a firmer guidance from parents and more discipline so that youths respect authority.
Mike, Surrey

Working with youngsters in various youth groups, I can see that many youngsters just need encouragement and praise. However, good though the carrot may be, there are some for whom only the stick will work!
Paul Sealey, Cannock, England

Suddenly I realise I have been bringing up my children all wrong. Instead of providing a strong moral framework, a loving family environment and firm discipline where needed, I should be plying them with sweets every time they do something I want them to. I think the young people of today have enough on their plate without being made responsible for the government's failed anti-social behaviour policies.
Michael, York, UK

So now the government wants a state-funded (ie our taxes) scheme to bribe kids to behave well? Whatever happened to parental discipline and responsibility? I wish Labour would stop interfering and being such a nanny state.
Richard Gribbin, London

By the way, what is it with the government's obsession with controlling people by using plastic cards.
Michael, York, UK

Youths should not be bribed for doing well - this means those who genuinely have problems (such as dyslexia) are penalised. What should happen is young people should have a greater say in their future - such as choosing the subjects they want to study before GCSE - this may also reduce truancy as the lessons will be those they want to do and are not forced to. Then if things go awry they have no one to blame but themselves.
KR, London, UK

Please tell me I am dreaming - hard-earned tax going to kids. They already get £30/week for staying at school (if their parents are not too well off) - now this. Why not hand out asbos to the thugs who makes people's lives hell and let the rest just be thankful that they don't have an asbo?
Tom, UK

This kind of 'system' should be happening in the home not on a national scale by the government. Good parents should encourage their children to behave well and incorporate systems of reward for good behaviour into their parenting. Public money shouldn't be used for 'bribing' young people!
Angela, Plymouth, UK

Ho ho ho, that old chestnut! "They behave offensively because they have nothing to do" has been trotted out for decades, and is still nonsense. Do the exponents of such banalities not realise that the teenagers of 30 years ago had far less entertainment, yet we had less vandalism and violence? Even the poorest of today's youngsters have a plethora of things with which to occupy themselves should the choose; PlayStations, PCs, bicycles, skateboards, scooters, wall-to-wall kids TV, and much more. No, please look elsewhere for the reason for the current problems.
Ron Levy, Raleigh

All these suggested measures will do, is pour more money down a widening bottomless pit WD, Yorkshire, UK

All people think about now, is how to solve the problem after it has happened. Even when they say we need to look at the root causes, they don't look far enough back. People say children are ill-behaved because of video games, because there weren't places for them to play, etc. Other generations have had similar factors, and not turned out (in the same percentages) this way. The problem is quite simple. Discipline. Fair and even handed, but it has to be there. All these suggested measures will do, is pour more money down a widening bottomless pit.
WD, Yorkshire, UK

Once again, the familiar cry of "the youth of today". There's nothing wrong with them, teens are meant to be surly, aggressive and stroppy. Stop telling them they're the worst generation, they wear it like a badge of honour. Perhaps reminiscing on the fights in Brighton might clear up any nostalgia for "The Good Old Days".
Matt, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (ex. UK)

They don't need to do this sort of thing in France, Italy or Germany etc - we truly are a nanny state.
Lou, Lowestoft

There has been a huge reduction in Youth Clubs over the last 15 years - Maggie put paid to volunteering to do it. There is NOT enough for young people to do. If Youth Service is to do it - it will need a lot more money. An average Youth Service covering a whole county or Metropolitan Borough has a similar budget to one single medium comprehensive school - Judge for yourself if that's enough for every youth in the area.
Kevin, Retford, Notts

Today's youth culture, where everyone knows their rights and no-one knows their responsibilities, is an indication of society failing not only youth's but society generally. Respect and discipline which have been lost over the last one or two generations must be restored, if we are to create a better culture for everyone. Before the government rushes its new policy through, credits for good behaviour, maybe it could enforce some older policies, prosecute the guilty.
Eddie Espie, Cookstown

Giving kids credits for actually not intimidating and assaulting people? Is anyone else worried that it has come to this?
Vik, UK

I used to be a youth worker, but I got fed up of not being allowed to punish bad behaviour. I think we need to get the balance right. Good behaviour should be rewarded, be it in the family home, school, youth centre etc, but on the flip side of that, bad behaviour needs a punishment that is fair and just! Also, we need to point out, that contrary to popular media would have us believe, it's only a minority of young people that cause trouble. Let's not forget that the vast majority of young people keep out of trouble and grow up to be responsible adults.
Dave, Manchester

Young people need to be included, they need to feel respected. Giving them some sort of responsibility and something to be proud of would go a long way to improving behaviour - remember how proud you were to be able to look after the school hamster, and how your peers vilified you if it died over the holidays? How about developing a few more projects that engender the same sort of responses?
Louise, London, UK

Youths these days have more to do than I did 6 years ago. I used to hang around with my friends, we used to go on long bike rides, visit each others houses and play computer games and build 'bases' in the woods using fly tipped wood and other items. This kept us out of trouble and out the way. Youths these days are not bored, they just won't use their brains to find something to do, they all seem to want to terrorise and damage things. It's not like their parents are inspiring them to do something legal either.
Neil, Stevenage

When I was a kid we were loud, boisterous, and got up to mischief. I drank cider at teenage parties and occasionally cheeked my elders but the big difference was that I did it in a world where we had playing fields, a youth club at the village hall, school clubs, rugby teams and little TV. Now the kids are stuffed into overcrowded estates with no playing fields. Youth clubs are few and far between. School is almost part time and does not teach them team games or how to have fun. Whenever you cram millions of people into a concrete jungle like the towns and cities in the UK you are going to get trouble no matter what "Youth Services" you throw at them.
K Brown, Fleet, UK

Youngsters should behave anyway without having to resort to bribery Jayne Beaumont, Blackpool, UK

Why are we turning into a nation which thinks that bribing the youth of today will make the problems within our society go away? Already our youngsters are being given money to stay on in further education and now it is proposed that they should be given "credits" for good behaviour. It's a ridiculous idea. Youngsters should behave anyway without having to resort to bribery.
Jayne Beaumont, Blackpool, UK

Something most defiantly needs to be done to combat the way the youth of today are turning out. However, the solution always thrown up in the air is "they need more youth clubs". I believe this to be nonsense. A youth centre has been built not far from where I live, and I guess it has worked in bringing the youth together, only in this instance at least it's been for them to converge somewhere to drink at night, somewhere to vandalise and generally cause trouble. It was only 5 years ago that me and my friends converged on the same fields to play football since then they have had a skate park, and a youth centre built, both of which are just havens for gangs to intimidate people wishing to enjoy their summer. A large number of youths today seem intent on getting their kicks purely from ruining everybody else's time, something serious needs to be done.
Anthony, Derbyshire

We've got to stop pandering to the youth of today and instil discipline in them. Payment for good behaviour is total rubbish, what we need is tougher punishment for bad behaviour.
Keith, Essex

What our youths need is not just having a greater say in issues. I come across a lot of young people who seem to think the world owes them a living. What is actually lacking in our system? The most important thing for our young to know what are their responsibilities, actions accompany consequences and learn the world does not owe them anything. The young need to know if they want to have greater say, they have to first learn how to be responsible to gain trust. When we are confident they are responsible, that is when we learn to trust them. This will in turn lead to open communication and reduce any possible "generation gaps'. Giving them a "youth opportunity card" is just a carrot but would not solve the root cause. With the "youth card", we might indirectly create a new problem for the youth - be good and you will be rewarded materially. Isn't this bizarre? The young have to be good because they want to and the right thing to do not because of material rewards.
Christina Spybey, London, UK

Is this some sort of joke?! Rewarded for good behaviour? How about being properly punished for bad behaviour? There are already plenty of opportunities for young people where I live. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how many resources are available - some young people will always choose to hang out in bus shelters and on street corners.
Ben, Durham