Whanganui letters: Schools could be answer to youth space search

A reader suggests schools may be able to help provide a youth space after hours. Photo / Bevan Conley

The efforts to set up a space for young people (News, March 2) to have fun safely are commendable and timely.

For 15 years, I worked in the UK in a charity advising and supporting schools on how to set up after-school and holiday programmes on their sites. A huge amount of good practice and useful experience emerged across the UK as schools began to see their premises as assets to their communities, providing all manner of on-site after-school programmes.

At weekends, many schools offered space for parent-led supplementary schools supporting extra educational and cultural needs of young folk from other countries besides the UK (eg Polish, Ukranian, Afghan, Somali and many, many others).

School premises are, after all, paid for by our taxes. Having school buildings mostly empty and unused during afternoons and weekends is, frankly, wasteful.

Why not check out schools to see if any could offer space within their premises? And it’s important to ask young people what they like to do, and what interests them. What young people in the UK told us when we asked was astounding. For example, some wanted martial arts, astronomy clubs, beekeeping, cooking, a gardening, a music, a recycling and climate-change problem-solving club - you name it, they asked for it.

The cost of running a couple of youth clubs could offer an employment opportunity for a co-ordinating youth leader (or two). The amounts mentioned - $167,000 to set up a pop-up container and ongoing annual operational costs of $135,000 - are high. Paying a co-ordinator or two would surely cost less. There are the insurance considerations of course, but schools and the council could put their heads together to find ways to resolve those.

PADDY O’DEA

Whanganui

Youth need sense of belonging

I support the concept 100 per cent to provide a youth space (News, March 2). However, I can’t believe the money already spent and the projected costs.

What do our councillors do that they need a bunch of consultants to advise them on this matter?

Youth want a space of their own where they can enjoy themselves in safety and where they can have a sense of belonging.

Possible problems will be: stuck in the middle of nowhere, possible gang attacks and lack of close by facilities such as McDonald’s.

I am very concerned that consultants would suggest a portable facility such as a container. The ongoing costs would be far too great. The savings in not having to transport it could fund a manager or two.

My suggestion is to find an empty building which is close to facilities, away from residential buildings and maybe on a bus route. If it is too small, the people will not come. If it is too large, the people will not come. A 40-foot container is far too small.

I would love to be involved in this project. I was a Big Buddy with the Big Buddy organisation in Auckland plus I was a unit commander of two Air Training Units in Howick and Orewa. I’m currently looking for a fulltime job if this fits in with the project.

NEVILLE HUDSON

Whanganui

Water infrastructure at crisis point

The National Party has now tabled a plan for dealing with our failing water infrastructure, highlighted by recent storms and destruction.

National’s plan is basically the status quo but with more regulatory measures to ensure safe drinking water and efficient storm and waste water disposal. How will this be funded? I gather by councils borrowing, neglecting other projects or selling off some assets - and with a likely large increase in the water part of our rates.

Some councils may merge to decrease costs through cheaper loans and costs by bulk buying of water products. Many councils, especially smaller ones, could be left behind.

Labour’s plan of Three Waters reforms, with maybe some adjustments, would enable a more even playing field. The larger entities would enable cheaper borrowing of money and cheaper bulk buying of pipes and other water products. Each entity would have expertise to cover all councils within its group.

Both plans would have a cost factor to ratepayers and a risk of servicing any loans.

We need to put aside any local politicking and collectively respond to what is now a nationwide challenge.

As this has now reached crisis point, it would be great if bipartisan/cross-party consensus can be reached for the sake of future generations.

KEN CARVELL

Whanganui