If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
Internships offer a chance for a young person to demonstrate their ability and suitability to an employer over a set period of time, usually at least three months. They apply hoping that if they do well there could be a permanent job for them at the end of that period. But many of these internships are unpaid. It is estimated that 92% of arts internships and 76% of PR internships are unpaid... That is really damaging for people from less well off backgrounds when internships have become a pre-requisite for graduates looking to access some professions.
It is nothing short of scandalous that sweeping generalisations based on extrapolating data from 41 schools are being used to condemn standards in the other 4,500... This report is undoubtedly laying the groundwork for the Secretary of State's next assault on the public education system.
Student carers occupy a blind spot in welfare services. If you're in full time education, you can't access carer's allowance, even if, like me, you provide over 50 hours of care a week. This is why I have to work part time on top of my other responsibilities.
If you don't want them on computer games every hour of the day, don't let them. Seriously. Just tell them to get off it. Set a daily time limit and stick to it. Starve their addiction, and enjoy the awesome power you've gained.
Both those on the left and those on the right of the political spectrum seem to agree that an emphasis on family is key to addressing numerous social problems, including the current 'crisis of masculinity'. But while the left see this as an opportunity to broadening the horizons of manhood, conservatives are grasping at outdated gender tropes.
There was a time when the benefits of a college degree outweighed the financial sacrifices. "You can't put a price on education." But they have put a price on it, and quite frankly, the price is too damn high.
I must say, I have struggled at times to find as many ways as possible to help those young people who do not have the best start in life to overcome the barriers they face and to mine that fathomless human capacity for innovation. Many young people lack confidence. They often suffer low self-esteem and I find that these are the biggest blocks of all. That is why so much of my work in this area has been dedicated to giving young people, especially those excluded by their circumstances from the mainstream, a strong sense of self-worth and a confidence in their ability so that they, rather than others, can put their lives on track.
Switching on the news last night, I heard a young graduate telling a reporter, "I've done everything that society told me to do, and I'm still not finding employment." As his words trailed off, the despair in his voice seemed to capture a generation that's feeling let down and unsure where to turn.
There is nothing wrong with people asking MPs for help or asking MPs if they can bring up in Parliament issues dear to their hearts. That's why we are a representative democracy. As much as politicians quite often do a bad job of representing their constituents - or the views of anyone other than themselves - that is what their job is about. Representing people's views.
A little while ago The Edge Foundation (the education charity that runs VQ Day) asked me if I would like to interview the Skills Minister, Matthew Hancock MP, about vocational education. To which I responded with a definite yes!
Challenging questions are asked of students all the time, at all levels, and are essential to developing reasoning and critical thinking. Taking these questions and assuming they represent some sort of internal bias can amount to a short-sightedness and is often misguided.
Well, that is half of the story. RCA fashion graduates did use colour: strategically positioned and very playful. The 90's are back in a more subtle way. To be more specific: the Club-Kids of New York; Brutalist architecture; working class youth culture...
While citizen journalism has brought on a new wave of completely unadulterated content allowing for unheard voices to be heard, it has also highlighted the need for new ways to scrutinize incoming media.
There's been a trend recently of University-specific pages showing up for me. With pages like 'Spotted' blowing up so much that there are multiple ones for my university alone, it was only a matter of time after I spotted one 'Rate Your Shag' page for a friend's university, before one for my university appeared shortly.
I'm more curious as to just what constitutes "inciting hatred and division". After all, if we're going to ban all groups that incite division, perhaps Theresa May can start with her own political party.
The response of David Cameron, Boris Johnson and community and faith leaders has seemingly shown that this has not worked. The message that they are giving, loud and clear, is that this is a betrayal of both Britain and Islam and we as a community should use it as an opportunity to unite.
