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By maipenrai
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03 May 2008 |
I work when I am in the UK on a volunteer basis with the Youth Offending Team in my local area, a lot of the youngsters want to get out of the mess they are in, some do not. Erin is lost,
Erin is a lost bitch
Erin is a thief,
thieves from you and me,
Erin is a mugger
schoolkids and the old
Erin is a bad bitch.
Erin is sixteen
Erin is lost. |
Written by Bottleblondesurfer (3298 comments posted) 3rd May 2008 | Yes, I knew dozens of Erins when I was in social work and I'm glad you used the word lost. It does seem to sum them up perfectly. They are lost on so many levels and it is the use of that word that gives this work its depth and meaning. Idon't know about you, but I always found those irredeemably lost ones more sad than bad [but you wouldn't turn your back on them]
A very perceptive and sensitive piece
Good luck with the work
Jane |
Written by Phil (6645 comments posted) 3rd May 2008 | I find the whole subject a difficult one. For example, when do they change from being lost to plain and simple evil bastards? Is it a matter of turning eighteen, twenty-one, ever?
The sad cases of today are the ones who may ram a glass, completely without cause, into the face of one of my children in a few years time in a local pub. The sad cases of today maybe the ones who go on to run drugs, pimp kidnapped Romanians, kill for a commercial advantage etc.
I offer no answers - and am not critical of the above piece - but they don't seem to stay lost forever - they seem to find something.
A good piece to get the grey matter working.
Phil |
Written by Fledermaus (3238 comments posted) 3rd May 2008 | Hmhm...
Agree with Phil here that it's a complicated matter.
Personally I would have little mercy on people who deliberately hurt innocent others, as that would mean valuing the culprit over the innocent. On the other hand if people have such psychologic problems that they are out of their own control, it would be nice (for both them and society) of some shrink could fix their brains...
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Written by mia_ms_kim (976 comments posted) 4th May 2008 | I can only admire people like you who offer a piece of their life to these young people. I don't know what your success rate is, but a couple I know who work with substance abusers - their success rate is 10-15%. And they still do it - happily. I hope your "Erins" will want to be found after receiving love and care from the team.
Mia  | Hi
Written by maipenrai (783 comments posted) 4th May 2008 | BBS, Phil, Fledermaus, Mia, thank you all for your comments.
First of all let me say that I am not some kind of tree hugger  , an high percentage of the youngsters do seem to want to move on and they receive support to help them do so, however peer pressure is an extreamly negative force, they are mostly in gangs in my area and it seems on a very simplefied way the only answer is for them to remove themselfs from the gangs and in most cases that won't happen
a smaller group of youngsters are in the Erin catogary, they enjoy what they are doing, have no intention of changing and treat stsff at the YOT with utter contempt, they are predators who feed on the weakness of younger kids and the old.
I have no answer to the prob of the Erin's of this world.
going of the subject a little, one thing that does bother me somewhat is that the offenders get a lot of good advice and support and get taken out to sociel events, given encoragement to join in group work etc,it does at times feel like we are rewarding them, but sadly we offer none of this to the "good guys" they are left to go it alone in most cases, feels to me there is something wrong there, and whilst I am on my soapbox
gap years!!!!!!!
youngsters from middle class and more wealthy parents get away to travel for 3/ 6/12 month at a time, some get involved in working on projects in Africa, South America etc and I applaud this , pity though that there is not someway that youngsters from the inner cities whose parents are piss poor do not seem to be given the chance to do something along the same lines,lot of good youngsters with a lot of talent out there.
Bernie |
Written by rilLie (327 comments posted) 11th May 2008 | hey. :D I agree with Phil.
Love the last line, and the way you wrote works for me.
thanks for the read. ^_^ | hi rilLie
Written by maipenrai (783 comments posted) 11th May 2008 | thanks for your comments.
Bernie |
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