Page 21 - link magazine

The Link Magazine June 1993 21
Cutting youth workers We are pleased to announce that
makes for future problems this is our 111th year. We now
have some spare capacity to give
Phil May comments on last month's front page story ness. Call Mrs Cindy Hammond 111
full attention to your letting busi-
TheMayeditionofTheLinkreported orat the LinkCentxe. Although West
that West Swindon had lostayouth Swindon has no higher youth crime at:
worker post to satisfy budget cuts, than elsewhere in Swindon, graffiti Bishop Edgington
despite the area having the largest is on the increase and people see
concentration of teenagers in Swin- signs of drink or drugs problems.
don. The article indicated that the People are complaining about the PROPERTY MANAGERS
number of teenagers would rise by a attitude and language of teenagers
EST. 1882, (opposite Swindon Town Hall). Tel: 536552
further six hundred over the next in the community. Schools and
five years, so cutting back on youth youth dubs are feeling pressures
workers will create problems. West and the loss of a youth worker will
Swindon has a large youth popula- not help. •
I, JM
tion, but this is underestimated by What can the community do? We Electricity in S
the County Council. could keep moaning, or join in the • , S
Wiltshire base their calculations complaints, but we need positive Safe Hands DECORATING
on the size of the local Secondary action. Our local politicians should S
• S
School, without recognising that it be kept aware of the problems, so • . mt/Ext painiwork
was designed and built to hold only that they can do what they can to Extra Points, Extensions • Rag Rolling
half of West Swindon's teenagers. ensure good youth provision to meet Loft Lights : :
The rest travel out of the area to the growing demands. Parents and Garages - Outside sockets • • Marbling • Artexing
Purton or Wroughton, but their families can exert pressure on young on ELCB : . Paper Hanging, etc. S
needs out of school hours, in the people and know what they are do- Fully qualified electrician, S S
evenings, at weekends and during ing. Members of the community can • Guaranteed first class
work at unbeatable •
holidays, in the West Swindon com- get involved and get young people 20 years experience s
. S
•
munity, are not being met. interested in the wide range of ac- • prices
Many people in West Swindon tivities available in West Swindon. Ring R &J
feel that there is already a problem, Perhaps, lastly, we need to listen to (0793) 875400 TelephonePaul on
(0793) 49257
with young people hanging around the views of teenagers. West Swindon : •
street corners, around local centres
How can we get our parents
to understand?
Sue Davies, 14, says, listen to young people
Parents and their friends are forever saying, "Don't hang around the REQUIRE!
streets" or "Go out and do something interesting."
'I'ENANTS
So why don't they do something
about where we can go? We can irdetailsOfot•• letting and
visit youth centres and activity cen-
tres like the Link and the Oasis, but management servli e, phone
they cost money. Ice Skating at the
Link costs about £2, it costs around
£1.50 to go swimming at the Oasis.
You even have to pay to go to youth
club and unless you live nearby you
have to pay travel costs as well.
Where are we supposed to get that
kind of money from? £2 pounds a
night might not sound like a lot of
money but it soon adds up. We dont
have enough money, so, what do
we do? We hang around the streets
and then we get moaned at.
We get 'stick' from parents about
getting a job, but this is not easy. Sue Davies
With 3 million unemployed, many
parents haven't got one themselves. that they did,but how can they criti- High Street 1st Floor, Anglia House
If you do get a job, they congratulate cise when they are setting such a Wroughton 115/118 Commercial Road
you and then find something else to bad example? Swindon Swindon
moan or worry about. This is usu- I think our problems and our Tel: (0793) 812588 Tel: (0793) 522688
ally "You squander your money," needs are quite simple. We need John Wilding at Wroughton
or "How are you going to learn to adults to set a good example to- and Peter Winton or Helen Raynes at Commercial Road
save if you spend all of your money wards us. We need themto stand up will be pleased to attend toaH your Legal needs.
on fags and sweets?" If we say, "But for us: i.e. argue our points to mem-
I'm only fourteen," they come out bers of authority who won't listen to Our Wroughton Office is 10 minutes from West Swindon
with "Well you shouldn't be doing us. The ones who don't listen at the and offers private carparking for clients
it, then, should you ?" They have a moment, need to listen to our prob-
go at us about smoking, with ash- lems and take notice. We need free-
tray breath or a cigarette in their dom and peace of mind. How can To advertise in The Unk
hand at the time. They might not we get our parents to understand? tele. hone 872282
want us to make the same mistakes After all, they were once our age!