Part of me objects to the title of this essay. Young people are not a separate species. People are people no matter what their age and we live in a society that sometimes suffers from age segregation beyond what is wise.
In my own community young and old work, play and socialise together. It is often commented upon that our youngsters are confident without being precocious. They relate well to everyone, young and old, feel themselves to be valued and are very much part of the community.
It is sometimes said that ‘youth is wasted on the young’. Our challenge is to make sure that this isn’t the case and that younger folk growing up in Argyll and Bute have as positive an experience as those growing up elsewhere.
The lure of the wide world and the cities will always be there – and a good thing too, but we must make sure that a valid choice can also be made to stay in Argyll and Bute or to return; and that this isn’t an option which in any way limits aspirations or is a second class choice.
Education has a central part to play in the lives of our younger folk. With smaller class sizes and even with composite classes our primary schools hold their own with any in the country. Secondary education presents more complex challenges. The Curriculum for Excellence is an overdue step in the right direction in refocusing education. Education is by no means just about academic qualifications or even careers. Rather it is a journey of exploration to find the sometimes hidden talents of youngsters.
We are each of us good at something. We tend to enjoy what we are good at and are good at what we enjoy. If young people are to lead rewarding and fulfilling lives one of the most important aspects of education is in allowing people to explore and to find out just what it is they enjoy and are good at.
Education also offers the opportunity of engaging in extra curricular activities and these should be as broad as possible. Life is not just about work and careers and we are often defined as much by our leisure pursuits as by how we earn our livings.
Too often there has been a social stratification which limits and sets the boundaries of our leisure activity. Confidence is inextricably related to social confidence and breaking down the social barriers in leisure pursuits helps create confident adults capable of achieving their aspirations.
Argyll and Bute has an exciting range of potential outdoor activities on our doorstep. These are almost a birthright of our children and we should do more to open up these recreational opportunities.
Central to education are our teachers who have become undervalued amongst our professions. Those who helped and influenced me were those who’s enthusiasm for their subjects spilled over and beyond the strict bounds of the curriculum.
Enthusiasm is that most infectious of emotions and perhaps the greatest gift a teacher can pass on to a pupil is to infect them with the enthusiasm for learning and for life itself. In the hands of a skilled teacher learning can be a process which is both rewarding and enjoyable and something which goes on beyond the school gates.
A generation of opportunity has been to a certain extent blighted by an educational focus on targets and statistics. Understandably many teachers have become disillusioned and have felt themselves unable to properly do what they are trained to do.
Even under the best of circumstances after a number of years teachers can become jaded. I am increasingly convinced that the practice followed in some countries of offering teachers sabbaticals after a number of years of service can offer large educational rewards.
The particular demographic problem that we have in Argyll and Bute is that, even beyond the national trend of an ageing population, we export our youngsters and import older folk.
Without a healthy balance of clever, confident and capable younger folk a bleak future awaits us. Our young people are our future and we must value them and think hard about how we stabilise this unfortunate trend.
Mike MacKenzie : SNP Prospective Westminster Parliamentary Candidate for Argyll and Bute
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The young people are often ignored by the political system because they have no political power. The SNP policy to reduce the voting age to 16 is one step on the road to giving them a voice that politicians will be forced to listen to. Our ageing society is skewing the power ever more towards the old and to the economically inactive. They young need a more dynamic wealth creating society not Brigadoon.
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The young to an increasing extent don’t vote. I don’t imagine our politicians are any less worthy of support or interest than ever they were but the corrosive effect of an unscrupulous and irresponsible tabloid press has given many of our young people the view that politics is not worth any interest and policians do not deserve support.
Our young people however are no less likely to be moved by good causes than any other generation of young people. The key is to indicate clearly the connection between good causes and the neccesity of political activity to achieve the good results
Which ever party does this will get a huge increase in support from the young.
I suspect the proposition that the peole of Scotland have the right to a Referendum to allow them to chose their future has all the ingredients of a good cause.
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I don’t suppose I have to nail my colours to the mast but I support the call for a referendum though the way the polling figures are going at the moment the SNP might get over half the seats in Scotland at next year’s election and that surely is the same as winning a referendum and a position from which independence negotiations can be started.
I agree with the poster above. I think our youngsters will be appalled if a Referendum is blocked and I will ask Mr Mulvaney that very question.
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If the MP – the elected member – does not feel able to participate in this debate this surely reflects poorly on his political future?
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a very disappointing article by the snp candidate not a single suggestion how to improve the education of our young people just complacency and the usual whineing about a referendum/separation .
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“Whining” is how you spell it and I have never whined in my life.
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Colin Mackenzie – I suspect our elected member has no political future – and not a lot of a political past either.
Are you related to Mike Mackenzie?
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its shameful for mike mackenzie to label argylls older people a problem he may be one himself someday
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Mike Mackenzie did not label our older people a problem “Kilmartin Glen”. Put your glasses on and reread the article or if required I would be happy to explain the meaning of the long words to you. He refers to the balance of age in Argyll as the problem. If this is the only mischief you can create from Mike’s comprehensive statement above, why bother, it says more about you than it does about Mike.
For the record I have only met Mike the once for a few minutes but I do despise when closed minded people choose to twist an honest man’s words rather than move their political position or admit to themselves that perhaps Mike is the right man to represent Argyll in Westminster. This was a really well thought out, from the heart piece, you have to give the man his rightful due. As a father of two high school children I would be happy in the knowledge that Mike was shaping and governing policy based on his statement above. Also for the record, I know more about Mike through these articles which are now in the public domain and can be founded upon than I do about my current MP who I did vote for at the election and his thinking on these matters.
Richard Armour said ” Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.”
I intend to do the correct thing, what about you “Kilmartin Glen”
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Kilmartin Glen’s posts seem oddly similar to kintyre 1s particularly in their lack of proper punctuation and the apparent use of a keyboard on which the tab for upper case letters is not working.
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clearly the people in mr mackenzies home ward were not very impressed with him when he failed to become a councillor
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Doing your best means never stop trying “kilmartin glen”. Mike is trying, his articles on For Argyll demonstrate this beyond any reasonable doubt, and you can’t take this from him and maintain any credibility on this forum.
Mike is clearly growing as an orator and politician and I imagine that his amazing political journey will continue if successfully elected to Westminster. He is really up for this job and I now believe he will work his socks off for Argyll. What is not open to speculation is his statement above which is credible and supportable, my point from earlier. I am lifelong Lib Dem supporter that helped elect Alan Reid but I won’t be this time.
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i suspect the local snp will stop mr mackenzie when he loses again
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