Britain: An official handbook > 1966

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BRITAIN: AN OFFICIAL HANDBOOK
Other
Organisations
Concerned with
Youth Work
Young Farmer Clubs over 4,000 members: in addition to encouraging
interest in agriculture and appreciation of country life, the clubs provide
training in the arts of citizenship and develop ability to serve the community.
The Welsh League of Youth (Urdd Gobaith Cymru) has a membership
of about 43,000; its aim is the ‘development of Christian citizenship among
the youth of Wales’, and its work takes full account of the Welsh background
of its members.
The Youth Hostels Associations in England and Wales, Scotland and
Northern Ireland have a network of hostels for walkers and cyclists, particu¬
larly intended for young people of limited means. They seek to promote
knowledge and love of the countryside, and are closely linked with each other
and with similar organisations in other countries.
Adult organisations with youth sections include the British Red Cross
Society, St. John Ambulance Brigade and the political parties.
King George's Jubilee Trust was established in 1935 by King George V, to
promote the welfare of the younger generation. The trust fund originally
consisted of the nation’s gift of approximately Ji million, subscribed to mark
the King’s silver jubilee but has since been augmented and at the end of
March 1964 stood at £ 1,520,844. Since its inauguration the Trust has disbursed
£1,556,844 to the headquarters of the principal voluntary youth organisations
and to many local projects, particularly those of an experimental nature.
In 1965 about 200,000 young people between the ages of 14 and 20 took
part in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, which is a scheme operated by local
authorities, schools, youth organisations, industrial firms and other bodies,
and is designed as a challenge to boys and girls to reach certain standards of
achievement in three progressive stages in leisure-time activities. The scheme
for boys covers sections on public service, pursuits and interests, expeditions
and fitness. The scheme for girls is divided into sections on design for living,
interests, and adventure and service. A number of Commonwealth countries,
including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, now operate the scheme.
The Outward Bound Trust maintains in Great Britain five schools for boys
which offer 26-day character-building courses, based on adventure and
overcoming testing experiences. There is a similar school for girls, with
modified courses. About 5,000 boys and 850 girls take part each year. The
courses are mainly for boys and girls aged 16 to 19 years; but there are also
junior courses for boys and girls aged 14 to 16 and senior courses for young
people up to 25 years old, which are of particular value to potential teachers
and youth leaders.
The aims of the Central Council of Physical Recreation, the Scottish Council
of Physical Recreation and the National Playing Fields Association bring them
into touch with many youth organisations: their activities are described in
Chapter 19: Sport.
In addition to organisations on a nation-wide basis, there are a large
number of town, district or village social clubs run by voluntary groups for
general or particular purposes; photographic societies, folk dance, table
tennis or jazz clubs, for instance. In small communities social clubs may not
be specifically for young people but those with the more strenuous activities
(for example, tennis clubs) usually have a high proportion of young people
as members.