Squishing Raspberries

I will always remember a couple of things my dad used to say to me as a child while we picked raspberries: "If you squish a raspberry, you had better eat it" and "will you stop squishing the raspberries -they’re supposed to go in the punnet".

I was very fortunate to have strong role models in my parents. Right from the start, they set clear boundaries and made sure that my siblings and I knew what was expected of us;  what was “right”; and also what my parents expected of themselves.

Likewise at school, the teachers lived by the rule book. Mainly to make their lives easier I think (small boys can be little monsters), although I am sure that giving us a strong steer in life was also important. The ultimate threat was for the school to tell our parents about a major transgression … and I would have died of shame if I had disappointed the parents who had made such sacrifices to give us a good start in life.

As I emerged from my oh-so-painful teens via my accountancy training and into a professional career as a Finance Director, I could trace a strong set of professional ethics all the way back to my childhood. In decision-making I often ask myself “What is the right thing to do?”.

This is why it is vital that the Government doesn’t wash its hands of young people who are not in education, employment or training schemes ("NEETs"). Everyone needs something useful to do with their time, something to strive for. And young people need strong role models as they transition from education into the adult world; people who can help them develop a strong moral compass; people who can explain to them why they should not squish the raspberries.

As youth unemployment increases, youth volunteering becomes ever more important as pairing young people with youth workers gives them the opportunity to work alongside a strong role model.

Unfulfilled Potential needs to be harnessed.