300+ youngsters on drugs & more on alcohol ‘Upbringing is to blame'

Guernsey has a worrying number of youngsters who are abusing drugs because they feel they are going nowhere, a new survey has found.
Education has discovered 300 16-25-year-olds who are neither in work, being educated or trained - and it is having a devastating consequence on their lives.
Sixty per cent of them - 180 - admit to using cannabis and there are high percentages who also use legal highs, ‘poppers’ (which give a brief ‘high’) and Ecstasy.
More disturbing, however, is the finding that around 10% of the youngsters regularly use cocaine and/or heroin.
The study by Education looks into the lifestyle of island youth and while the majority are happy, healthy and going off to university or into apprenticeships, one in 25 are so-called Neets - not in education, employment or training.
As a result, the survey found, many are suffering from low self esteem, psychological problems and have no support system of close family or friends.
Education Minister Carol Steere said yesterday: ‘We should not ignore them. They are a vulnerable group that we need to take steps to make sure we engage with.’ (from thisisguernsey)

It is worrying and like Jersey, legal highs need to be banned, they are available too freely and to the very young, then the road to drugs continues...

UPBRINGING is to blame for the worrying number of youngsters who are abusing drugs and alcohol, according to Education minister Carol Steere
She reacted without surprise to a survey by her department that revealed 300 of the island’s 16- to 25-year-olds were not in education, employment or training - the so-called Neets group.
‘The results are not surprising when you look at their habits, family background and everything else,’ she said.
‘The younger we can engage those children and their families, the more society can reap the benefits for the future.
‘We need to find out why this is happening so we can eradicate the problem altogether.’
The survey has shown that this group of youngsters are a cause for concern, with drug use rife, low self-esteem and psychological problems. Seventy per cent have had contact with the police.
It also found that members of this group, which makes up one in 25 of all 16- to 25-year-olds in Guernsey, were highly unlikely to have parents with A-levels or university degrees.
‘It is about breaking these cycles for the future so we avoid these things happening again,’ said Deputy Steere.

GD wrote:...................It also found that members of this group.............................were highly unlikely to have parents with A-levels or university degrees.

Well b****r me!! What has this insightful comment actually told us? Nothing really. The majority of the general population of the Bailiwick do not (I would suggest!!) have parents who have A levels or a university degree!! My parents certainly didn't have the opportunity. I am of the age where I was on the cusp of people going into higher education, it just didn't happen in that era! Like most people of my age I went and got a job and have stayed employed ever since to provide for me and mine! Today is completely different as far as education and the opportunities that are available to youngsters as opposed to 'yesteryear'. It is not harder today, no way, it is far easier!!

Really, any excuse that can be put forward to justify the certain element that are just plain lazy and find it easier to sponge off society where the mainstream, probably most of us in reality, who work and pay their taxes and who pay for these wasters to lounge about in bed all day and get bored so drink, smoke and take drugs (whether legal or otherwise!!) as they are bored!! Give it a rest! Get off your ar*e and get a job!! It works for us, it worked for our parents and their parents before them! :Mad1:

Social Security needs to take a good hard look at wasting our taxes on these layabouts!

OK..... rant over! :x :Rant2:

Some very nice words from Carol however this is not a new problem and education have been engaging chidren from the age of 5 for many, many years so where have they gone wrong and what are they going to do to change the cycle. It is not solely educations problem and I bet social services are also aware of most of these kids. Lets look positive whilst one is too many it is still good to see that it is only one in twenty five.

Del, it is sometimes hard to break the cycle that some kids are exposed to, they are taught to sponge like you are taught to work so no matter how noxious it is to us, to them it is a way of life.

plimmerton811, you are right, thank you for your views. A very calm and reasoned response.

I was having a rant, got the 'bit between my teeth' in frustration, I guess!!